The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-09-04
O III L O.
THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.
Democratic Meeting at st.
Clairsville last Saturday.
Speeches by Hon. Geo: H. PendIeton
aud Hon. J. F. Mckinney,

The Democratic meeting at St
Clairsville last Saturday, was well at
tended and highly successful. The
Court House was densely crowded by
the people, and hundreds were CON-
PEELED to 60 away, unable to gain even
standing room inside the house. Our
attention was attracted by the large
number Of old men who were present, q
feature We have before observed in
meetings Of the Belmont county De-
mocracy. They are men who saw the
nation growing prosperous and rich
during half century OF Democratic
administration, and they are jesirous
OF leaving to their posterity the bless
ipgs Of free government. What won
der ia it then that the old men who
loved constitutional liberty, while that
boon was still enjoyed by the American
people, are now earnestly striving for
the restoration Of that political party to
power under whose benign and equal
sway the best portion OF their lives
have been spent? And what wonder is
it that they take an unwonted interest
in political affairs, having so much ex-
perience OF the disastrous present, and
so vivid recollections OF the happy
past?
The meeting was addressed very elo'
quently and very effectively by Hon.
G GEoRGE II. PENDLEroY, Of Cincinnath
and Hon. J. F. MCKINNEY, Of the
Fourth Congressional District Of Ohio.
Mr.. PRNDLEroN was suffering consider
ably from Hay Fever and spoke with
some degree OF difficulty, but was listen
ed TO throughout with intense interest
and pleasure. Mr. McKINNEYs speech
was a very vigorous and iorcible ar.
raigument o! the Radical party and an
exceedingly clear and satisfactory state
ment OF the Democratic position in ref
erence to questions of national and
State concern.
Mr., PEyDLEroy pursued in the main
the same course OF argument adopted
in his speech at Loveland in opening
the campaign, from the concluding por.
ton OF which we make the following
extract:
But, il we turn from the condsdera.
ton Of these questions TO the other
phases OF our conition, what ground
j. there Tor Mr.. Sherman eulogy on
his party? Our Government was-l
say was-a Constitutional Government
II was framed by the delegates from
States. 1t was ratified by the conven.
,ions of States. 1t was creature Of
States. endowed by them with all the
powers it possessed, and was 30 plenu'
fully endowed that it could, Of itself,
perform the duties, defend the powera,
and perpetuate the existence which
had been given 10 it. These duties
were few. Those powers were ample,
but they were limited. The Constitu-
ton and the laws made in pursuance
thereof were the supreme law. All
powers not delegated to Congress nor
prohibited to States were reserved.
The system was so simple :hat q way
faring man, though tool, need not err
therein; so apt, so fitting that it recon
ciled liberty and law and permitted an
indefinite expansion without anarchy
on the one hand or despotIsm on the
other. The maintenance OF the rights
OF the States and the doctrine OF strict
construction OF the Constitution J These
are the essential elements OF the sys
tenn. The rights Of the States as they
are defined in the Constitution, and
nowhere else; and not otherwise !!
The Constitution as it is, fairly read
according to the open and common
meaning OF its terms-not contracted
by ingenuity on the one hand nor en-
larged by grasping avarice OF power or
other. This is the means OF our safety
az j, is the Shibboleth OF our faith
The Constitution has become, in th'
mouths Of Republicans, a by.word ant
a reproach. Since Senator Wade an
nounced that anybody who Prate'
about the Constitution was q traitor
the party has acted on that basis. IL
fayorite measure was thought to b
unconstitutional, they amended tn
Constitution, or violated it, as seeme'
most easy. Legislatures elected b.
fraud or force, were the cure and ar
proved means. II these were too ted'ou
or too long, an act Of Congress or a.
Executive proclamation was always a
band
Twill not 20 back even for ie'
wears. The last Congress passed q
election law. 1t provided that in a
cities OF a certain size the PRESIDED
might appoint inspectors and register
OF election. whose authority and acts b
maintained BY the army and navy Of th
United States. General Grant cough
to enforce it in New York, Pennsyl's
mia and New Jersey, and called forth a
indignant rebuke from the Governors
| those States. The present Congres
passed a Ku-Klux bill. Do You r.
member its provisions Whenever th
President shall believe that IN an
state a combination OF persons shal
seek to deprive any man OF his r'gh'
the President may take Jurisdiction :
,hs subieet and II. in his opinion, I'd