Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-09-24
AN ADDRESS
BY THE
HON. THOMAS EWING,
TO THE
Unpledged Voters of the United States,
AN ADDRESS
LANCASTER. O, Sent. 2. Is6s

preservation of our free institutions,
desire TO give my views of the cond
tion OF our country as at present gov
erned. and the probable consequence
OF the success Of each of the'great pal
ties at the coming election. | do thi
the more willingly, as | am confident
from recent observation, that success
Is 10 the power of neither of thOs
parties, unaided and alone. but rest
in the hands Of unpledged men whc
are free to act, on full consideration
for the sole good of the nation. II
order to do this wisely and well, it i
necessary TO understand fully the pres
ent condition of the two great parties
what degree OF success is possibl,
TO each, and what will be the probable
effect on the nation, OF the success OF
either at the coming elections 1t is
my wish to present the recently past
and present condition of things with
fairness and eandor, as they will be
handed down by the impartial histori.
an, and judged of by enlightened
statesmen when existing combinations
shall have been broken, and their pas
sions aud prejudiees shall have passed
away; and l feel, myself, in a state OF
mind adapted TO the task so far as nv
capacity, aided by careful observation
gives me competence to perform it.
belong to ho party; the last to which
l was attached, that which in 1861
rallied in defense of the Union, and 10
which | devoted all the powers of my
intellect, and whatever of social and
family influence | was possessed, has
been sundered and dissolved, and the
old Democratic party 20 which i never
adhered, and the Radical or Republi.
can party which / know only by its
acts, are the sole contestants for polit-
ical power in the coming elections.
The Republican party has now, and
has had for two years past, full and
absolute control Of the legislative and
executive departments OF the Govern
mcnt, and they have obstrueted, and,
indeed, rendered it impossible for the
Independent exercise of the judicial
power; and they have assumed TO
themselves, and vested in their militia.
~ division commanders, freed from
executive control, the local govern
ment of ten Of the States. Those who
hope that the country may be restored
to the fall enjoy ment of its constitu-
tional rights by the success of the
Democratic party at the coming cleo
tion deceive themselves. Future mis-
chief may be prevented, and many
existing evils may be remedied, but
not all. For the rest we mus. wait
for the coming on of time. The judi
ciary may be restored TO the exercise
ofiis appropriate functions; foruncon-
stitutiOnal laws, restraining their free
action, being no longer upheld by men.
ace and force, will be adjudged void.
The judiciary will be, therefore, at
once enfranchised and restored to the
exercise ofits constitutional functions.
SO may the executive, especially to the
command of the army, which has been
wrested from him, and which the Judi
airy, when at liberty to speak, will
declare to be his right, conferred by
the Constitution.
The success of the Democratic par.
", if it succeed, will also. 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 commits
sions, and the insolent invasion of pri-
vate rights BY committees Of Congress.
On the other hand, Conservative
Republicans, who are dissatisfied with
the wild work of their party for the
last two years and would gladly re.
strain them, but who fear TO give sue
cess 10 the Democracy in the pending
election lest they, in the wantOnness
Of newly acquired power, should rush
into rninous excesses on the other
hand, entertain groundless apprehen-
sious. The Republican Senate will
hold them in check If they attempt
evil. while it restrains them from the
correction of many existing abuses.
So far, then, as legislation is con-
cerned, the Democracy, if successful,
can do neither good nor evil without
the concurrence of the Senate, which
involves, Of course, the concurrence Of
the party which it represents. twill
be, therefore, quito safe TO trust the
Democratic party with the limited
power which success at the coming
election will give them. And If with
in the coming two years the Republi
cans are taught wisdom by adversely,
and If the Democracy, in their turn
show a purpose TO abuse power, the
same Conservative force which now
gives them victory will then insure
their defeat
The real question, then, for our con-
sideratiOn, the decision which ought
10 control our action as reasoning men,
is this Do We approve the political
action of the Republican Congress,
since III mas uau luil Nouttpl VI tho Wv
ernmentg If we do, we ought TO so
assure them by our approving votes,
assume the responsibility Of their acts,
and cheer them and speed them onward
with renovated powers. But if we
deem their policy questionable, aud
their headlong pursuit Of it dangerous,
We ought to BID them pause, and take
10 ourselves time for observation aud
reflection and instead OF full and alb
soluie, leave them with limited and
divided powers; take from them the
power 10 do mischief; in the mean
Time, leaving them what can not be
taken from them-the power TO pre-
vent it, If attempted by the adverse
party. But il is gravely asked; II
YOU can trust the Republican Senate
10 prevent Democratic mischief, why
not trust them with the whole power,
that the Government may be harmo-
nionsl This objection is almost plau-
siblo, but not profound. The ooncen-
tration Of all power in onn man, or a
BODY of men, makes a despotism il
is that under which the nation has
suffered i0F the past tw0 yssrs sod