Middletown transcript., 1871-01-28
eAFuRDAy MORNING, JANUARY "a, 1871
uovs pospna,a asAUouaAl AppasEss

We havc read with admiration the in
eaeusal address of Governor James Pom.
~. dslissred It Dover. on the 18th inst.
0cv. Ponder Is no professional politician.
He comes to tho Executive oIicc from tho
ranks Of mercantile life, but ha has
shown that his mind is thoroughly imbued
with tho principles which lie at tho base
= ese political supcrstructure. aud tina.
b fally comprehcnds the checks aud bal
aases which mark and -ircumscribe the
pewses Of our cou,,,lex system OF State and
Federal Governments. lie ut,crs. in man.
y tsaes and and in becoming spirit. his
earnest protest against the encroachments
= Federal power upon the States. aud
eAsss is freshness. force and dircctness
@ what hc rays, that challenges our ad-
0isalion. lie arraigns the Federal Gov
orumcnt for i,s forced " reconstruction /"
Il State Governments its forced amend
Sent Of the Constitution; its forsed impo-
sition Of negro suffrage upon the States !;
and tho dangerous innovation and exer-
cise Of Federal power, by employing Unit
Cd States soldiers at tho polls in State e.
lections. We subjoin tho following OK
tracts from the address upon suffrage md
Federal Affairs:
Il is source Of qualification to me ,ha,
owc my election exclusively to tho votes
of the white citizens of the State. The
honor Of the position would. in my judg-
ment. have been diminished, and its pos
session wholly undesired by me. had tha,
possession depended upon the suifrages Of
any other class Of the community. While
! recognize and yield to the existing state
of facts in relation to the right Of suffrage,
cad in my official capacity shall faithfully OBJ
serve oil laws, Federal and State, while they
shall remain unrepenlcd or shall not have
bsen declared by judicial authority to be
unconstitutional. and shall also impartial
y guard aud protect, so far ms | may pos
sess the necessary constitutional or legal
power to do so. all classcs and persons in
the frcs and undisturbcd enjoyment oil
their rights, yet it is the conviction Of my
Judgment that the extension Of the RICH,
Of suffrage TO persons Of African deyceni
was uuwise in policy. unsound in princi.
pie. and will be found TO be In practic,
greatly detrimental to tho public interest
Il il needless to discuss the means b,
which this extension Of suffrage was forced
upon the people. Few honest men vii
deny that the policy itself existed hu, il
one inotive-pcrpctuation Of power in th,
political organization which alone il re
sponsible for it. Had the motive in whicl
this policy had its origin been Of nm en-
tircly different aud even Of tho prcsen
character, tho policy itself would never
thelcss be wholly indefensiblc.
The measures adopted to secure its es
tablishmcnt were the most fatnl assaults
which have been made upon our compile,
systems OF government, Federal ant
6latc, since their organization. The
wers tho unwarrantsd enlargement of tn
powers Of the former. and the prac,ica
destruction Of tho inherent and essentiu
powers Of the latter. Tho right to deter
mine who shall make. expound and exc
cute tho laws Of n State Is n right so vita
that not only does the freedom Of It's ci,i
scns depend upon their exercise of III
right. but the very existence Of tho Stat
itself depend upon its possession. N
eommunity. or association Of person,
however, numerous. can. with proprioty
b called State. II such community o
assoeiation does not possess and may nc
exercise the power Of sclf-govcrnmcnt
aud the possession Of the legislative powe
y IN essential element in self. government
This power Is tbs supreme power in
Otats.
Il preseribes tho rule Of civil condue
Dbe the citiscn. The citizens must eithe
directly, or Immediately through rcprcscn
tstivss chosen by themselves, prcscrib
this rule. II prescribed by an alien O
sxtraueous body. tho people arc not cit
ssss but subjects. II there be a pows
greater ilan tho people of State viii.
can rightfally dsserminc their domcsti
Institutions, or say who and what porto
Of such people shall enjoy tho excrcis
Of The right "a vote. and consequently th
right 10 participate in tho enactment 4
NE laws. il logically follows that sue
Ggsa1sF power may declare that no porto
v tho people Of q State shall possess o
sxsseise my right or power in the govern
alsnt II the Stats. II il folly to call sue
: pcople fres. Il Is a misnomcr to ca
~ government sclf.gsvcrument in |,
a1ninistration, or republican in characte
1 u 10rm. Itis compulsory and despotic
~ derssrves oxccration, and is unfit ia
ou1o6y o. respect. The State govern
Gssns established BY our fathers were frce
inasFsndsht governments, tho govern
l ols u free. independents communities
~ ~ thsir origin IN tho vindicatio
a1 T. sosoluts right u tho people of eao
W ~alty q govern themsclvss. Gu
1e66 dsolersd that the colonies wcr
6y ~ independent States, and ~ suc
- foees y ~ = III acts and thing
1isnt Hietss imay d righ
5x 49, - =