Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-07-20
The Political SITUATION,

ne la!nIny society VI new L
celebrated the 4th Of July, in ac-
cordanre with the custom OF that
organization Numerous speeches
were made and letters read from,
distinguished gentlemen. The fol
low n is an extract from the let
ter o. Gov. J T HOFFMAN,, on the
political situation:
The great political question
now before US is whether, in fu-
ture; we are to be the subjects of
what is commonly called a strong
government, or shall continue to
be as heretofore, a strong people.
All political power pertains of
right, to the people; whatever is
conferred on the government is
SO much taken from them. What
many men call a strong govern
ment (meaning one of extended
unlimited powers) necessarily i'm
plies a weakened people The two
"a strong government and a
strong people-cannot exist to-
geIher. The question of wheth-
er we shall make the government
strong or keep the people strong
is one that always underlies our
party divisions, but is at times
presented more boldly and dis
tinctly than at others. 1t was
plainly presented at the revolu-
ton of 1776. The advocates of
IL strong government lost. 1t was
again sharply presented in the
contest which brought MI. JEFF
ferson into the presidency, when
also the advocates of stroug-
government were put down. 1t
is again as sharply presented to
day, and whatever questions of
lesser and more temporary i'm
portance may have divided t h e
American people on other occa-
sions, it is their duty now to cons
cider above all things wether the
absorption of all power into the
central government, which is 60
ing on at a fearful rate, is consis-
tent with the permanent welfare
of the people, or even with the
permanent strength and endur-
ance of the government itself.
Those among us who advocates
what they call a stronger central
government are urging a policy
which leads Inevitably to weak
ness. A disregard OF the health
tul rules prescribed by the foun-
1arc Of tho roauA4ie-nrust-enf I'm
decay. What we need to intuse
to our glorious union long life
and prosperity is, that we should
keep the people strong, by limi-
ting the action of government,
too, will then be strong in its
simplicite, and in its secure re-
lance upon a free government.
Under a system which seeks,
by one central agency, to look
after everything in every part of
u extended country, nothing
will be we'll looked after. The
public service must necessarily
become more and more corrupt;
for watchfulness over the count
less host OF subordinate officers
becomes an impossible task. One
of the most effective measures to-
day toward a much needed civil
service reform would be to sim
plify our tax laws, both those
which regulate the tariff and
those relating to the internal re-
enue, and thereby to reduce the
officers engaged in their enforce
ment to a number that can be
we'll watched.
The acceptance or non-accept-
ance of certain amendments
which have recently been more
n part Of the constitution of the
United States is not a practical
question. The civil status of the
colored man is established and
he is in actual possession of the
of suffrage The task be-
fore US is to save the constitution,
rs a whole To save it, "a it is,
requires our best efforts. The
question of the day is whether
we are to live under a constitu-
ion at all, which shall be con-
struced by an impartial court so
Is to limit and restrain, as it was
to do, legislative and ex
power alike, or under a
hollow form of a constitution, in
;erperted, according to the expe-
Hence of the hour, by congress {
tseif, such Interpretation being 1
enforced by an unrestrained exc ]
The danger is imminent 1
hat we may lose sight of the {
principles upon which the gov
,rnment is founded, and which I
constitute its vital force-principles !
which gave to the republic great
prosperity before the war, and, in
var, saved it from dissolutions."
No~@HoI Nro \