The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1867-07-25
poIhirol.
ISSUES OF THT. HOUR.
Speech by Col. Don Piatt, Deliver
Cd &C Finley, June 9Th, 1857.
PRIYItruRs avn purIEs.

Otnof upon tlo cVhuttt"h VI thp COuu-
try, and devise such measures as we
may deem necessary for our welfare.
It Is our high privilege, as citizens Of
the Republic, TO shape her national
aud domestic policy. This Is no idle
dream, no philosophical speculation.
II Is reality. These mass meetings
hastily called together, and hurriedly
addressed, are, in fact, the legisla.
turos Of the land, aud what in these
is public sentiment becomes through
the ballot-box positive law, aud the
veal or woe Of our government hangs
upon the breath Of her children. II
is then not only high privilege, but
a duty as we'll, for our government
reflects the virtue aud intelligence Of
her citizens, as they are virtuous and
iteiiigent, it Is wise and powerful; and
IL they are Influenced by prejudice
and swayed by passion It is arbitrary
aud unjust.
These arc truths we should cher
ish. know Il is common for men Of
cultivation TO sneer at politics, and
make Il boast shat they have
no interest in the study, or care for
its results. Such men are recreant to
the high trust reposed in them. They
are intelligent law. givers who neg.
lect their vocation, aud really fail in
the loftiest virtue known to humani.
ty-that we call patriotism. They are
to be pitied, as we'll as despised, for
tae intelligent citizen who neglects
the primary meeting suffers from the
legislation, aud awakeus to the fact
that his property, life and liberty are
imperiled by the thoughtless, instead
Of being protected by the patriotic
many.
Through this strange neglect, OF
rather, through the strange perversi-
ty that regards, as glittering gener.
ality, that which is simple, common
place fact, that our government has,
in great measure, changed its char
aoter. Our law makers in the regu-
larly constituted Legislatures are no
longer regarded as the agents Of the
people, rejecting their will, aud act
ing on their intelligence, but have
come to be poor imitators Of an an-
tagonistio style Of government, and
constitute themselves our rulers. We
suffer in double sense from this. In
the despotio governments Of Europe
rare intelligence, il not virtue, char
acterizes tho governing class, while,
under our system, the road to Office il
open to the ignorant and vicious, aud
unless carefully guarded, it is pre-
cisely this sort that will hold the pla.
ces. 1t is a melancholy fact, recog.
nized by the world, and acknowledg.
ed by ourselves, that our better sort
of citizens are not in Office, and the
sneer TO which l have alluded origin
ates in this. We hear a man say, 81
am no politician-I vote for the best
man, regardless OF party" and to in
sure his own respectability, he turn
his back upon his duty, and neglect'
the interests Of his country. He ends
by voting for the best man present
ed him, by ignorant caucuses, ant
leaves these men to their own will, o.
worse yet to the guidance Of the vic.
ious caucus, that created them. Thu
self government, or rather free gov
ernment, has fallen into contempt an,
platitudes and featherless owls on on
side, and vicious demogogues on th
other, sway in ve4ed uncertainty tn
destinies of a great republic.
Il is our grave duty to correct this
Each citizen must feel that he /
the responsible Isw-maker Of tn
land, and so feeling, give. himself vi
10 the earnest study Of her best In
terests, and seek all occasions to NEE
with his brother citizens, and discuss
the measures proposed for her inter
est. We should have the tribuue
Of the people in every ward ap'
township, and give to them all Of ou
thoughts, and much Of our time, an,
TO these tribunes should gather not on
party, but al parties to hear discus
sion, and not shameless stump-speak
ers, where error goes unoorrected AN
passions, and not the judgment, Q
the people, are appealed to withou
rebuke.
We are forced to acknowledge tina
under this free government of our
the sacred rights of pr,perty are les
respected, and the holy rights Q
limb, life and liberty are less safe tha
under the despotism We SO hearth
despise. Through our neglect, ou
official agents are tainted with corrup
ton, aud our great commercial cen
tsFs have como to be regarded a
loathsome sinks Of vice, aud are hel
up to the merited scorn Of humanity
a great scandal on free government
This we nHst correct, If We hope !
be saved. Let us break down Kin
Caucus, the meanest and most ignor
ant Of all despots, whose ounnin
tricks are processes by which sma
men are elevated to high Offices, an
corruption made possible. Let U
break him down by inaugurating pr
mary meetings Of the people, Whei
Ell sides shall be heard ana all me
called upon to consider and decide.
@ ABOUT PARTIES.
In all communities there is a go'
erning element that soonsr OF lat,
comes 10 the surface aud takes COZ
troll. The aristoeFaSy Of Englanl
for example. famed for its eourag
wisdom and lack Of humanity, has I,
centuries welded the destinies
that mighty people; WhiIs In Franc
first the kingly rule, andlatterly tbl
Of the CoErgeosis has governs
its people. In our countr
from almost the formation
Jour govsEnnsat 10 the bOsr when u