The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-05-04
Democratic Address to the People.

The democrats of Congress have just is
sued the following address:
To THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES !:
Our presence and official duties at Wash
iugton have enabled us to become fully ac-
quainted with the actions and designs of
those who control the radical party, and we
feel called upon to utter a few words Of warn
ing against the alarming strides they have
made towards Capitalization of power in the
hands of Congress and the Executive.
The time and attention Of the radical lead
ers have been almost wholly directed to devils
ing such legislation as will, in their view, best
preserve their ascendeney, and no regard for
the wise restraints imposed by the eonstitu
ton has checked their reckless and desperate
career. The President OF the United States
has been formally announced as a candidate
for reelection. The declarations Of his self
ish supporters have been re-echoed by sub
sidized press, and the dicipline of party has
already made adhesions to his personal for
tunes the supreme test Of political fealsy. The
partizan legislation to which We refer was de-
creed and shaped In secret caucus, where the
extremest couasels always dominated, aud
was adopted by subservient majority. if not
with the intent, certainly with the effect to
place in the hands Of the President power to
command his own denomination, and to en-
ploy the army, navy and militia at his sole
discretion as means Of subscribing his per-
sonal ambition.
When the sad experience of the last two
years, so disappointing to the hopes and gen
erous confidence of the country, Is consider
ed, in connection with the violent utterancss
and rash purposes OF those who control the
Presidents policy, it is not surprising that
the gravest apprehension for the futurs peace
of the nation should be entertained. At 9
time when labor is depressed and every ma
tcrial interest is palsied by oppressive taxa
ton, the public Offices have been multiplied
beyond all precedent to serve as instruments
in the perpetuation Of power. PartizanshiI
is the only test applied to tbs distribution Of
this vast patronage. Honesty, fitness and
moral worth are openly discarded in favor Of
trucking submission and dishonorable com
pliance. Hence enormous defalcations aHo
widespread corruption have followed az the
natural consequences of this pernicious sys
tenn
By the official report Of the Secretary Of
the Treasury, itappears that after the deduc
ton Of all proper credits many millions O
dollars remain due from ex-collectors Of ths
internal revenue, and that no proper diligence
has ever been used to collect them. Reforms
in the revenue and fiscal system, which al
experience demonstrates to be necessary to 6
frugal administration of the government, as
we'll as a measure of relief to an overbur den
ed people, have been persistently postponed OF
wilfully neglected. Congress now adjourns
without having even attempted to reduce tax
alton or to repeal the glazing impositions by
which industry is cheapened and impoverish-
ed
The treasury is OVERLOOKING and an excess
of eighty millions of revenue is admitted
and yet, instead of some measure OF present
relief. barren and delusive resolution is
past by the Senate to consider the tariff and
exercise systems hereafter, as if the history
Of broken pledges and pretended remedies
furnished any better assurance for future leg
isation than experience has done in the past
Shipbuildiug aud carrying trade, once sour
ces of national pride and prosperity, now
anguish under crushing load of taxation
and nearly every other business interest is
struggling, without profit, to maintain itself
Our agriculturists, while paying heavy taxes
on all they consume, either to the government
or to mopopolsts, find the prices Of their own
products SO reduced that honest labor is de-
MED its just reward, and industry is prostra-
ted by inviduous discrimination. Nearly ZOO
100000 acres of public lands, which should
have been reserved fer the benefit OF the peo-
pie, have been voted away to giant corpora
tons. neglectiug our soldiers and enrohing a
handful Of greedy spectators and lobbyists
who are thereby enabled to exercise most
dangerous and corruping influence over State
and Federal legislation. If the career Of
these conspirators be not checked, the down.
fall of free government is inevitable, and with
it the elevation of military dictator on tbs
ruins of republic.
Uudsr the pretencs of passing laws to ep'