The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-04-27
Address to the People of the United
States by the Democrats of Congress.

dress
TO the People Of lie United States:
Our presence and official duties at
Washington have enabled us to become
fully acquainted with the actions and
designs Of those who control the Radi.
cal party, and we feel called upon to
utter few words of warning against
the alarming strides they have made
towards Capitalization Of power in the
hands Of Congress and the Executive.
The time aud attention OF the Radical
leaders have been almost wholly direct.
cd to devising such legislation as will,
in their view, best preserve their ascen.
dency, aud no regard for the wise re-
straiuts imposed by the Consultation has
checked their reckless AID desperate
career,
The President Of the United States
has been formally announced as can.
didnte for reelection. TIE declarations
OF his selfish supporters have been ech
oed by subsidized press, aud the dis.
cipliuo of party has already made adhe.
sion TO his personal fortunes the supreme
test Of political fealty.
The partisan legislation to which We
refer was decreed aud shaped 10 secret
caucus. where ..,ae EXTREMIST counsels
Always dominated, aud WAS adopted b. a
spbserVicnt majority, if not with the in.
tent, certainly with the effect, to place
in ths hands of the President power to
command his own denomination, and to
employ the army, navy, and militia at
his sole discretion, as means of sub.
serving his personal ambition. When
the sad experience Of the last two years
so disappointing to the hopes aud
generous confidence Of the country
lis considered, in connection with the
violent utterauces aud rash purposes of
those who control the Presidents policy
it is not surprising that the gravest ap,
prcheusions for the future peace of the
nation should be entertained.
At time when labor is depressed
and every material interest is palsied
by oppressive taxation, the public offices
have been multiplied beyond all prcee,
dent, to serve as instruments in the per-
petuation Of power. Partisanship is the
only test applied 10 the distribution of
this vast patronage Honesty, fitness,
aud moral worth are openly discarded
in favor of trucking submission aud
dishonorable compliance. Hence, cnor.
nous defalcations aud widespread cor.
ruptiou have followed as the natural
consequences Of this peruicious system
BY the official report Of the Secretary
OF the Treasury, IL appears that after
deduction of all proper credits, many
millions of dollars remain due from ex
collectors Of the internal revenue, aud
that no proper diligence has ever been
used to collect them.
Reforms 10 the revenue aud fiscal sys.
tens, which all experience demonstrates
to be necessary to a frugal administra.
tion Of the Government, as well as
measure Of relief to an overburdened
people, have been Professionally postponed
or wilfully neglected. Congress now
adjourps without having even attempted
to reduce taxation, or TO repeal the glar.
ing impositions by which industry is
crushed and impoverished The Treas
ury is overlooking, and an excess Of
eighty millions OF revenue is admitted /;
and yet, instead Of some measure of
present relief, barren aud dclusive
resolution is passed by the Senate to
consider the tariff and excise systems
hereafter, as it the history OF broken