Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-07-16

when the authority of the Government
was acknowledged everywhere, we find the
appropriations of Congress for the current
expenses of the Government, exclusive OF
appropriations for and on account of the
national debt. amounting to 1851 000,000.s
We not only find that these appropria-
tions were made, but from youI my coun-
| trymen, the money was collected. itra
In, 1860. when the civil arm of the Gov
ernment was in full force, and the Govern
ment performing all its functions in every
State Of the sUnion the entire appropria-
tiops tor tho civil service, were but twenty
eight millions. In 1866, when that arm of
Che Government was limited in its opera
tions. there we're expended in the civil SER
tire $4fO00 600.
BY the Interior Department there were
expended, in 1860, about $4O00,000. By
the same department. in. 1866, about SIS
100000. Bv the War Department, in 1860,
about S16,O0O000 by the same department..
In 1860, about $2S4 000, ,O00.. By the Navy
Department, in 1860, about $1,000 600; by
the same department., in 1866, about $43,-
000,000.1 usfia 1l- ,-list- i Ian 81 b =
Thus it is that the interests of the people
are being guarded thus their resources
husbanded. 5aa9 p .-l,-I ,ud = -rra.-e --. 10
I have detained you longer, my friends,
thanI intended in the discussion of these
questions, but have no apology to offer
the questions are worthy your considera-
tinn--55-z7- 10 = ~
Upon you the responsibility rests. I'm
der the most favorable circumstances and
the wisest policy which can be adopted, the
people of this country, for years to come,
must be burdened heavily with taxation.
all of which,, in the end, will be collected
from the producing and consuming classes
those who stand at the plough, the anvil
and the lathe.
l. The Republican party, instead of direct
ing Its energies to curing existing evils,
and lessening the burdens which are so
Erapidly eXhausting the resources of the
country, and impeding the prosperity of
Ethe people, are, in the speeches of their
Epublic men, in their conventions and in
II leir legislative bodies, devoting them
Eselves exclusively to the adoption of a7sys-
item, and the advocacy of policy, subver-
lsive of all State organizations, and State
Fauthority, and utterly destructive of the
Itrue and solid interests of the country.
The tendency to the Capitalization and
lconsoldation of power, in the Federal
FGovernment, to the prejudice of State and
1municipal government, was evidently a
Tdisturbing element in the Republican Con-
EventiOn lately held in Columbus; not that
those who were managing that convention
lhad any doubts upon the subject, but be-
lcause they were fearful the people would
detect their purposes before they were so
near accomplishment as to be beyond the
control of the people. Hence this resolu-
ton of that convention:
Third. That while we will always cher
t1sh and defend the American system of To-
lcal and municipal self-g0vernment for local
kpurposes, and a national government for
Enational purposes, and while we are unal-
Eterably opposed to all attempts at centrali-
tzation and consolidation of power, any
where, we hold that liberty and human
lights constitute great national boon,
which local or other State organizations
fn q hri6 fol-
away"
Some one, then, has been attempting or
threatening ito consolidate and centraliZe
power " in the Federal Government, to the
isubversion of /" the American system of
local an / municipal self-government for
local purposes" otherwise, this pledge to
'.cherish and defend the SYSTEM" and of
"unalterable opposition to all such at
tempts," was without point and without
purpose. 4es, my countryrnen, the attempt
has been made, and is now being made to
still greater extent, with the knowledge, the
depreciation and the aid of the Republican
party of this State; and the resolution in
question was intended to deceive and de-
lude the people, until they were so effect
ually betrayed that the remedy should be
beyond their control. The American sys-
tenn of State and municipal self-govern-
ment about which this Convention re-
solved, secures to the States and the people
of the States, absolute control OF all their
local and domestic concerns. Under that
system, the people of Ohio have always
supposed that they, in their Constitution
ana through the Legislature OF their own
choice, had the right to determine what
classes of persons should become citizens
of the State, and what privileges they
should enjoy.
1t was supposed we had the right to de-
termine who should marry and be given
In marriage in this State, and the classes of
people between whom this relation should
exist. 1t was supposed we had the right
to create and regulate our own corpora
tions, and determine how far they should
be restrained in their police regulations. 1t
was supposed we had the right to deter
mine. both by law and by custom; whether
or not the negro and the white male and
female should sleep side by side in our pub
lie houses, or sit side by side in our public
conveyances, and upon our public thor
ou9hfares. 1t was supposed we had the
right to determine who should be eligible
to the jury box, or competent to testify in
our courts. 1t was not only supposed, but
under our Constitution and system of gov
ernment, as framed and eXpounded by the
fathers of the Republic, all the States of
this Union, since 1889, have exercised these
and many other rights, in the regulation
of their domestic concerns. But, the late
Congress of the United States assumed to
itself the right of determining all these
questions, and declared all laws passed by
State authority, and all customs established
by the people inconsistent with its man
dates, and inconsistent with its ideas of
what should be the relations between our
own citizens, or between our own citizens
and other inhabitants, without regard to
color or race, void, and of no binding eff
fect aud attached severe penalties to these
enactments against any officer or citizen of
the State, who should attempt to enforce
our State laws and customs, where they are
inconsistent with this idea of perfect eoual-
ity between the races, as declared by Con-
gress. HaI
And this legislation, by which power is
assumed, centralized and consolidated is
endorsed by the very Convention that
passed the resolution to which have re-
ferred! Not only is it indorsed by it, but
the Convention demands by the second res
olution of its platform, that additional leg
islation shall be had, if needed, to render
State authority to the central power they
are seeking to build up, and over which
we can exercise but little control.
And in the face of all this, they passed
the resolution have read to you.
This is only a part, and very small
part of what they have done. Now look
to what they are attempting to do, and to-
wards the accomp lishment OF which, so
far as the Republican party of this State
could render any aid, it has been rendered
by the adoption, last winter, of their pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution, and
by their resolution at the late Convention
approving of all the measures of Congress
known as the reconstruction measures of
which the proposed amendment to the Con-
sttution is one.
6 4, g = nI,z