South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1871-04-28
WORDS OF WARNING
Democratic Congressional address.
To the American People.
oENTRALIzAT7ON AND DESPOTISN.
WAsHINGrGN, April 20, 1871.


The Democratic members of Congress
have just issued the following address:
To tie People Of the United States:
Our presence and official duties at Wash
ington have enabled US to become fully ac-
quainted with the actions and designs of
those who control the Radical party, aud
we feel called upon to utter few words
of warning against the alarming strides they
have made towards the
GENERALIZATION OF POWER IN THE HANDS
OF CONGRESS
and the Executive. The time and attention
OF radical leaders have been almost wholly
directed to devisiug such legislation as will
IN their view best preserve their ascendan-
cy, aud no regard for the restraints imposed
by the constitution has checked their reck-
less and desperate career. The President
of the United States has been formally an
nounced as a candidate for reelection -
The declarations of his selfish supporters
have been
ECHOED BY SUBSIDIZED PRESS,
and the discipline of party has already
made adhesion to his personal fortunes Me
su preme test Of political fculiy The par
creed aud shaped in secret caucus, where
the EXTREMIST counsels hive always domina-
ted, and was adopted by subservient ma
jority if not with intent, certainly with the
effect to place in the hand Of the President
the power to
COMMAND HIS OWN REMUNERATION,
and to employ the army, navy and militia
at his sole discretion, rs the means of subser-
wing his personal ambition.
When the sad experience of the last two
years, so disappointing to the people and to
the generous confidence Of the country, is
considered 10 connection with the violent
utterances and rash purposes of those who
control the Presidents policy, it is not sur
prising that the gravest appreheusious for
the future peace of the nation should be
entertained. At time
WHEN LABOR is DEPRESSED,
and every material interest is palscd by OPP
pressive taxation, public Offices have been
multiplied beyond all precedent to serve as
instruments in the perpetuation of power
Partnership is the only test applied to the
distribution of this vast patronage. Hon
esty, fitness and moral worth, are openly
discarded 10 favor of trucking submission
and dishonorable compliance. Hence
ENORMOUS DEFALCATIoNs AND WIDE
SPREAD CORRUPTION
have followed as the actual consequences of
this pernicious system.
BY the official report of the Secretary of
the Treasury, it appears that after the de
duction of all proper credits, many millions
of dollars remain due from ex Collectors of
internal Revenue and no proper diligence
has ever been used to collect this Re-
forms in the revenue aud fiscal system,
which all experience demonstrates to be-
necessary to the frugal administration of
the government, as we'll as measure Of re
lief to an overburdenod people, have been
persistentIy postponed or wilfully neglected
Congress now adjourns without even having
attempted to reduce taxation, or to repeal
the glaring impositions by which
INDUSTRY Is CRUSHED AND IMPOVERISHED.
Tue Treasury il 7erhlowing, and an ox-
cess Of eighty millions of revenue is admit
ted, and yet instead of some measure FIR
present relief barren and delusivc resolu-
ton is passed by the Senate to consider tho
tariff and excise systems hereafter, IS if the
history of broken pledges ond pretended
remedies furnished any better assurance
for future legislation than experience has
done in the past
Ship building and the carrying trade.
once source of national pride and prosper.
ity, now languisbing under crushing load
of taxation, aud nearly every other business
interest is
STRUGGLING WITHOUT PROFIT
to maintain itself Our agriculturalists,
while paying heavy taxes on all they con
sumo, either to the government or monop.
olists, find prices for their own products,
80 reduced, that honest labor is denied its
Just reward, and industry is Frustrated by
invidous discri nination
Nearly two hundred million acres of
public lands, which should have been re-
served for the benefit Of the people, have
been voted away az grants to corporations.
neglccting our soldiers and enriching a
handful of greedy spectators and lobbyists,
who are thereby enabled 10 exercise the
most dangerous and corrupting influence
over State and Federal legislation If the
career Of these couspirators be not checked
THE DowNFALL OF FREE GOVERNMENT
is inevitable, and with Il, the elevation Of
a military dictator on the ruins Of The Re
public Under the prcteuce Of passing
laws TO enforce the Fourteenth amendment
and for other purposes Congress has CON
ferrcd the most dcspoic powers upon The
Executive, and provided an official machi-
merry by which the liberties Of the people
are menaced and the sacred right Of local
self government in States ignored, if not
tyrauically overthrown Modelled upon the
sedition laws so odious in history, it is at