The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-01-19
history proves. that INTERPRETATIONS

history proves. that military elections
are never honest nor free; that mill
tary force at elections has always been
used by ambitious rulers to hinder a
full and fair expression of popular
sentiment in fact. 10 perpetrate and
cover fraud, not 10 prevent ii. Ii
elections are not honest, they should
be made SO by the force of public.
opinion and by law; military force
asserts its supremacy over both, and
is itself Il fraudulent and final over
throw of a free bollot. No state is. or
ever was, more devoted than New
York to the Union and 10 the Federal
government; none more submissive
| to that governments constitutional
authority; none more ready to de-
fend its rights and yindicate its pow
er; but our Union is a Union of
States; the elements of its great
strength are the home governments
! of the people. To weaken the parts
is to endanger the whole. Half cen
! tury ago, when Federal officers were
accused of interfering with State elec-
/ tions, not by armed forces but simply
by exerting an influence through the
distribution of patronage, De Witt
| Clinton, then Governor of this State,
addressed the Legislature as follows
s'As a member of the American con-
fedracy it is not only our duty, but
our interest, to sustain the respecta-
bility and to promte the authority of
the national government by patri-
otic and enlightened exercise of our
suffrages, and by contributing all our
energies to establish wise and pub
| lie spirited administration. But in
/ 80, %<,.
we ought not to overlook the duties
which we owe to ourselves. Our
government is complex in its organs
iZation, and it is essentially necessary
to preserve the State governments in
their purity and energy, "A free gov
ernment could never exist in q coun-
try so extensive as the United States
without judicious combination of
the Federal and representative prin-
ciples. The apprehensions which
some of our wisest statesmen enter
tanned at the formation of the Consti-
tuition, that the State governments
would constantly encroach on the
powers of the. national government
appear not to have been realized.
t The practical tendency has been in
| the opposite direction. The power
of the general administration has in
creased with the extension of its pat
ronage. And if the officers under its
appointment shall see fit, as an organ
lied and disciplined corps, to inter-
fere in the State elections, l trust
there will be found becoming dis
lposition in the people to resist these
alarming attempts upon the purity
and independence of their local gov
/ ernments ;qfOr whenever the pillars
which support the edifice of the gem
eral government are undermined and
prostrated, the whole fabric of nation
al freedom and prosperity will be
Ecrushed in ruin. l have considered it
my solemn duty to protest against
these unWarrantable intrusiops of ex-
traneous influence, and / hope that
the national legislature will not be
regardless of its duty on this oeca-
sion" 'a 800 'i-
These words, more applicable now
than then, are so forcible and eloquent
that | quote them, in the hope that
they may impress themselves upon
the minds and upon the hearts of the
whole people. To depend for the
peace and order of localities, on the
/ Federal army is not self-government; |;
to substitute the regular soldier with
his musket as peace officer, in place
of the constable with his writ, is not
| to preserve the peace, b1t to establish
ithe condition of war; to surrender
/ elections to the control of the Presi-
dent, supported by armed forces, is to
surrender liberty and to abandon a
republic. Les5 ftsd 5sd .9lizr 2f..
CHICAGO was visited by a very
heavy snow storm on Saturday and
Sunday. The snow is reported as
| being nearly two feet deep on a level
and badly drifted. Many of the streets