The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-09-09
LANCASTER, o., Sept. =, l5t

To those of my fellow citizens who are
sworn to no party allegiance, and whose
leading object in the coming election IS
the full restoration and preservation of
onr free institutions, desire to give my
views of the condition of our country as
at present governed, and the probable
consequence of the success OF each OF
the great parties ut the coming cleo
ton. | do this the more willingly, as l
am confident, from recent observation,
that success is in the power of neither
of those parties, unaided and alone, but
rests in the hands of unpledged men
who are free to act, on full cons idcra-
ton, for the sole good of the nation. In
order to do this wisely and well, it is
necessary to understand fully the pres
ent condition Of the two great PARTIES
what degree of success is possible to
each, and what will be the probable ef-
feet on the nation, of the success of
either at the coming elections 1t Is
nv wish to present the recently past
and present condition of things with
fairness and candor, rs they will DO
handed down by the impartial historian,
and judged of by enlightened statesmen
when existing combinations shall have
been broken, and their passions and
prejudices shall have passed away; and
i feel, myself, in a state OF mind adapt
ed to the task SO far as my capacity,
aided by careful observation, gives me
competence to perform it. l belong to
no party; the last to which | was at
tacled, that which in 1861 rallied in de-
fence of the Union, and to which l de-
voted all the powers of my intellect,
and whatever of social and family ill.,
fluence l was possessed, had been sun
dered and dissolved, and the old Demo-
cratic party to which l never adhered,
and the Radical or Republican party
which | only know by its acts, are the
sole contestants for political pOwerin the
coming elections. The Republican par
ty has now, and has had for two years
past, full and absolute control OF the
legislative and executive departments
of the Government, and they have OBJ
structed, and, indeed, rendered it i'm.
possible for the Independent exercise OF
the judicial power, and they have assum-
cd to themselves, and vested in their
military division commanders, freed
from executive control, the local gev-
erument of ten of the States. Those
who hope that the country may be re-
stored to the full enjoyment OF its con-
stitutional rights by the Democratic
marty ut the coming election, deceive
themselves. Future mischief may be
prevented, and many existing evils may
he remedied, but not all. For the rest
we must wait for the coming on of time.
The Judiciary may be restored to the
exercise of its appropriate functions;
for unconstitutional laws, restraining
their free action, being no longer upheld
nv menace and force, will be adjudged
void. The judiciary will be, therefore,
Mt once enfranchised and restored to the
exercise of its constitutional functions.
So may the Executive, especially to the
command of the army, which has been
wrested from him, and which the judi.
ciary, when ut liberty to speak, will de-
clare to be his right, conferred by the
Con stitution.
The success of the Democratic party,
if it succeed, will aloo, by restoring the
independence of the Judiciary, put an
end to other abuses with which we have
recently become too familiar, namely
the trial of private citizens, in time OF
peace, by military commissions, and the
insolent invasion of private rights by
COMMITTEES of Congress.
On the other hand, conservative Re
publicans, who are dissatiiied with the
wild work Of their party for the last
two years and would gladly restrain
them, but who fear to give success te
the Democracy in the pending election
lest they, in the wantoness of newly ac
ouired power, should rush into ruinou:
excesses on the other hand, entertain
groundless apprehensiens. The Repub,
iican Senate will hold them in check i
they attempt evil, while it restrain'
them from the correction Of many exist
ing abuses.
So far, then, as legislation is concern
ed, the Democracy, if successful, can dt
neither good nor evil without the con
currence of the Senate, which involves
of course, the concurrence of the part,
which it represents. 1t will be, there
fore, quito safe to trust the Democrati,
party with the limited power which
success ut the coming election will Civ,
them. And if within the coming twt
years the Republicans are taught wis
dom by adversity, and if the Democra
cy, In their turn show a purpose Il