New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-12
GOVERNOR HOFFMAN,

Governor Hoffman, of New York, is
undoubtedly the Democratic idol of that
State; the strong man for the next Dem
ocratic nomination for President of a
strong or weak government, commencing
on the fourth of March, 1873, and ending
1877. His opinions, therefore, on the
political questions of the day are highly
important, particularly when given in the
form of public declaration. In letter
recently written by him, and read before
the grand sachems of the renowned Tam
many society, on the Fourth of July, he
gravely announces that the great political
question now before the people is
whether in the future they are to be the
subjects of what is commonly called a
strong government, or shall continue to
be, as heretofore, strong people?' With
all due respect for the commanding abili-
ties of the idol of the New York Democ-
racy, we can not refrain from giving our
honest conviction that this sounds more
like demagogism than a question of free
dom or slavery in this country. The idea
that strong people and strong govern
ment can not exist together, has been
fully exploded in this country for the
past ten years, and the best of proof rem
dered, if it was before needed, that strong
governments the great bulwark Of rational
freedom under a representative form of
government. Governor Hoffman is well
aware of this fact, and acknowledges it
when he says 'the danger is imminent
that we may lose sight of the principles
upon which the government is founded,
and which constitutes its vital force
principles which gave to the republic
great prosperity before the war, and, in
war, saved it from dissolution" Yet,
after these principles, faithfully admin
istered by Republican administration,
have saved the republic and driven every
vestige of slavery from the land, Gov
ernor Hoffman SO far forgets himself, or
willfully perverts history, as to say 1.-THE
great political question now before us is,
whether, in the future, we are to be the
subjects of what is commonly called a
strong government, or shall continue to
be, as heretofore, strong people," The
assertion that such is the great political
question now before the people, made by
an individual who occupies high posi-
ton, and is looked upon by many of his
own party as prominent candidate for
Presidential honors, can not be suffered
to 60 uncontradicted, even though Re
publicans were inclined to view it more
as "spread-eagle" effort on the Fourth
of July than as serious charge against
the Republican party.
The written language of Governor Hoff-
man clearly charges that the tendencies
of the party in power in this country are
to render the people subjects of an absolute
hereditary government; that the Repub-
ican party means to enslave the people.
and that the danger is the people are
slavish enough to submit it. The Gov
ernor may not have intended to hit the
people in this way. He may have aimed |
only to hit the Republican party over
the shoulders of the people But in
doing that he has hit the people " foul,
and rendered himself subject to blow for
blow. Now, no one knows better than
Governor Hoffman the history of the
party since it has been trusted
by the people with the administration of
their government. He is fully aware
that by rigidly holding to the principles
upon which the government was founded,
and which constitute its vital force, the
party has saved the govern
ment from dissolution, and the people
from that slavery which they would have
been doomed to had the slave
party succeeded in the late civil war in
his country. If the government was
strong, it was made SO by the people,