New-York tribune., 1871-04-21
THE DEMOCRATIC ADDRESS.
THE COUNTRY GOING TO RUIN.

PUBLIC DEBT DECREASING TOO fAsI-lhI
DOWNFALL OF THE REPUBLIC INEVITABLE
ONLY DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION CAN
SAVE IT-AN OMINOUs SILENCE CONCERNING
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
WASHINGTON, April 2O.-The Democrats in Con-
gress have just Issued the following address:
To he People Of the United States:
Our presence and official duties at Washington have
enabled to become fully acquainted with the actions
and designs of those who control the Radical party ana
feel called upon to utter a few words OF warning
against the alarming strides they have made toward the
Capitalization of power In the hands OF Congress and the
Executive. Tho time and attention OF the Radlcal
leaders have been almost wholly directed to devsng
such legislation will, In their view, best pre-
serve their aseendency, and no regard Tor the
wise restraints imposed by the Constitution has
checked their reckless and desperate career The Pres
dent OF the United States has been formally announced
as candidate reflection. The declaration OF his sell
fish supporters have been echoed by subsidized PRESS
and the discipline Of party has already made adhesion
to his personal fortunes the supreme test OF political
featy. The partisan legislation to which we refer was
decreed and shaped in secret wherehe EXTREMIST
coinses always dominated and adopted by subser-
Went majority not with the intent certainly with the
effect to place In the hands of the President powers
to command his own denomination, and to employ the
army navy and militia at his sole discretion as means
OF subservng his personal ambition. When the sad ex-
perience OF the last two years so disappointing TO the
hopes and generous confidence OF the country Is con-
sdered, in connection with the violent utterances and
rash purposes Of those who control the Presidents
policy 1t Ia not surprising that the grayest apprehensons
10 the future peace Of the nation should be entertained
At time when labor is depressed, and every material
interest is pasied by oppressive taxation, the public
Offices have been multiplied beyond all precedent, to
serve instruments In the perpeuatlon OF power Par
tisanshp is the only test applied to the distribution OF
this vast patronage Honesty, fitness and moral worth
openly discarded in favor OF trucking submission
and dshonorable compliance; hence enormous defalca-
tons and widespread corruption have followed as the
natural consequences OF this perncious system BY the
official report OF the Secretary of the Treasury 1t ap
pears that after the deduction Of all proper credits,
many millions OF dollars remain due from exCollectors
OF the Internal Revenue, and that no proper
diligence has ever been used TO collect
them Reforms in the Revenue and
Fiscal systems which all experience demonstrates to be
necessary frugal administration of the Government,
as well Of relief TO an oyerburdened people,
have been perstently postponed or wifuly neglected
Congress adjourns without having even attempted
10 reduce taxation to repeal the glaring mpostons
by which industry is crushed and impoverished The
Treasury is overlooking, and an excess OF $o0oOo OF
revenue admitted and yet instead OF some measure OF
present relief and delusive resolution passed
by the Senate consider the tariff and excise systems
hereafter IL the history broken pledges and pre-
tended remedies furnished any better assurance for f
ture legislation than experience has done in the past.
national pride aud prosperity, now languish under
crushing load OF taxation and nearly every other busl
is struggling without profit to maintain IL
self.
Our agriculturlsts while paying heavy taxes on all
they consume either to the Governments or TO monopo-
lists nnd the prices for their own products reduced
that labor is denied its Just reward and industry
Is prostrted by invdious discrimination Nearly 100000
OoO of public lands which should have been reserved
for the benefit the people have been voted away to giant
/ oil
handful OF greedy spectators and lobbyists, who
thereby enabled TO exercise most dangerous and
rpting influence state and Federal legislation. III
the Of these cOnspraOrs be not checked, the
downfall Of free government Is inevitable. and with
the elevation of Military Dictator on the ruins Of the
Republic.
Under precnse OF passing laws to enforce the XIvth
Amendment and for other purposes, Congress has
frred the most dcspOc powers upon the Executive and
provided official machinery by which the liberties Of
the people menaced and the sacred right of local
self government in the States is ignored IL yran
nicay oyerthrown Modelled up to the Sedton laws,
odious in history they at variance with all the
sanctifed theories OF institutions; and the
construction given by these Radical interpreters
10 the XIvth Amendment is, to use the language
of an eminent Senator, Mr.. Trumbul Of Illinois, an an
nhatOr OF States" Under the last Enforcement bill,
''thc Executive may in his discretion thrust aside the
of any state, suspend the writ Of habeas
corpus" arrest its Governor imprison disperse the
Legislature silence it's Judges, and trample down its
people Nothing is left to the citizen or the State which
can any longer be called right all is changed into
su Our hopes for redress are in the calm good
sense the 81 sober second thought OF the American
people We call upon them to be true to themselves
and their past, and disregarding party measures
and minor differences, TO inxst upon decent equal
ization Of power the restriction OF Federal authority
within its Just and proper limits leaving to the States
that control domestic affairs which is essential to
their applness and tranquility and good government
Everything that malicious ingenuity could suggest has
irrate the people Of the Middle and South
ern States and exaggerated charges Of disorder
and violence their origin to the mischievous minds
Of political managers in the Senate and House OF Repre-
senatyes 10 which the Executive has, regret TO say
lent his aid and thus helped to nfame the popular feel
ing In all this OF hostile legislation and harsh
resentment no word OF conciliaon, Of kind encourage
ment Of fraternal fellowship has ever been spoken by
the President by Congress to the people OF the South
ern states They have been addressed only in the Ian
guage Of prescription
We sty entreat our feowczens in all parts OF
the Union to spare effort maintain peace and order
TO carefully protect the rights Of every citizen, TO pre-
serve kindly relations among all men, and TO dscounte
nance and discourage any violations OF the rights Of any
portion Of the people secured under the Constitution or
any of Its amendments 500.
Let U.s. conclusion, earnestly beg OF You not TO aid
the present attempts OF Radical partisans to stir up
strife In the land To the issues OF the war; OF 10
obstrct the return OF peace and prosperity 10 the
southern States because 1t s thus that they seek to
divert the attention Of the country from the corruption
and extravaganza OF their administration OF public
affairs aud the dangerous and prohigate
attempts they are making toward the
creation Of centralized military government.
In the five years peace following the war, the Radical
aamnist raons have expended sl,2ocoeo Tor ordinary
purposes alone being within $2oooco of the aggregate
amount spent for the purposes in war and IN peace
during the year, preceding June go 1851 not including
IN either case the sum paid upon principal and