The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-08-09

The following are the material por.
tious of the address to the Democracy Of
Pennsylvania by the Democratic Ex'
ecutive COMMITTEE of that State,
The paper was prepared by ex Secretary
Jeremiah S Black:
The Executive Committee Of the
Democracy of this State, to whom the
following address was referred BY the
ecent State Convention, now present
the same to you as embodying some Of
the reasons which actuate aud control
the organization they represent: We
here solemnly renew our ofteu-repeated
declaration Of fidelity to the great princi.
pies upon which our party has acted
from the time of its first organization.
Our ultimate objects are those of our
fathers when they adopted the Federal
Constitution, VIZ: "To form more per-
feet union, to establish justice, to insure
domestic tranquility, to promote the
general welfare, to provide for the COM
mon defense, and secure the blessings OF
liberty to ourselves and our posterliy."
We sincerely believe that the Govern
ment of the United States, administered
as it was in former days, with a direct
view to the advancement Of these prln-
ciples. would do for us and our children
ali that any people can reasonably de-
sire f.om the political system under
which they live. We are equally sure
that if not carried out in the spirit of
those by whom it was framed it must
become a curse instead of blessing.
Situated as We are, obedience to tue
law means not only the
honest performance of sworn obliga-
tions, but freedom, peace, and prosperity
to all classes OF the people. On the
other hand, the usurpaiion Of undelegat
ed power is not only crime iu itself, but
the fruitful parent of other crimes, and
will lead, as it has already lead. to
indefinite disagreement, corruption,
aud tyranny, subverting all liberty.
aud rendering the rights of all
men insecure. When we speak Of
the Federal Constitution, we mean
the whole instrument, with all its
amendments, and acknowledge the equal
obligation of every part Several OF
those amendments were carried by
brute force and by frauds upon the
public will so glaring as to take from
their authors all claim upon our respect
But we cannot deny that they have
actually become part of the Constitu-
ton; nor can we AVOID that fact, nor
get behind it, by showing the corrupt
misconduct of the men who at that
time controlled Congress aud mastered
the State Legislatures. Whosoever
swears to support the Constitution must
perform all that is "nominated in the
bond" Any change winch experience
and reason shall prove to be desired
must be in the prescribed way, and not
by revolution and disorderly means.
THE DECLARATION OF 1871
No candid person will deny that the
leading men in power at Washington
have been unfaithful to their duties.
They have broken the pledges they
made to the people, and, in reckless
disregard of their oaths, they have vio-
lated the plainest provisions of the Con-
stitution. They have deprived the
States of their sacred right of self
government in matters purely local, and
disarmed them of the power to enforce
their owo laws for the preservation OF
order within their own boundaries.
They have passed bills of pains and
penalties, operating ou millions at once,
without regard to the guilt Or innocence
Of the parties They have trampled on
all the securities Of life, liberty aud
property. They have treated the
haJeas corpus law with contempt, and
denied the right of trial by jury. They
have sent out swarws Of their hireling
agents with instructions to kidnap, i'm
prison and kill free citizens for political
ofeuses, without judicial accusation
without warrant, and without trial
They have not only trodden upon the
great principles embodied in the orisi'
nal Constitution as it came from the
hands of its frauers, but even the
amendments, which they themselves
interpola,ed. have been broken without
remorse whenever it suited their interest
lu defiance of the thirteenth amend
ment they have doomed many persons
to the worst kind of slavery or in
voluntary seryi,ude" iu the publit
prisous, without the pretense of any
:.crime whereof the party was legally
Convicted" In the face Of the four
teeuth amendment they have abridged
the equal rights" Of whole masses o
white citizens. Without tie lie st re
spect tor the right OF universal suffrage
guaranteed by the fifteenth amendment
they have interiered both forcibly aac
frauduIently to prevent fair elections
aud to set them aside after they wer'
held. These outrages upon justice
liberty and law have been perpetrated
not during the confic. Of civil war
not in the moments OF wild passion o
heated excitement-but in cold blood
upon deliberate reflection, 10 time o
profound peace, in full view Of the con
sequences, aud their authors have fol
lowed cut this line Of policy, step b
step, with a persisteucy which show
their fixed determination for the future
as 10 the past, to be bound By no oat
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