The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-07-07

ians already in power may continue to
rifle us for their pleasure, and plumber
us for their profit.
INCoMPETENCY OF GRANT.
OF General Grant we desire to speak
with the respect that is due to the chief
magistrate of the nation and soldier
of great reputation. But il Is painfully
manifest that he is not fit for his place.
lilo has never made the slightest efforts
to preserve, protect or, defend the con-
stitution. On the contrary he has given
TO Its enemies In congress- all the aid
and comfort he could, and he has as.
sumed, without scruple, power which
Kings arc careful not to exercise and
which no republican ruler can hold
without mortal offence to popular liber.
ty' Instead of guarding the public
treasury he has encouraged the corrupt
extravaganza of congress, and some of
the worst jobs have had their origin in
the rings which Immediately surround
him. Before and about the time of his
election his inconsistent expressions
showed that he had no convictions (per.
haps no knowledge) upon public affairs.
lie avowed openly in writing, over his
own name, that he had no policy, that
Is to Jay no opinions or sentiments
which would control his choice of
measures. But leading and ambitious
men of the republican party proposed
to him a policy which would serve their
interests at the expense of equal rights
and they accompanied their suggestions
with offers of enormous presents in
money, lands, houses and goods far ex-
ceeding in value the annual salary,
which the people agreed to pay him for
an impartial and just administration of
their government. lie accepted the
presents, adopted the policy, and APP
pointed the doners to Office.
THE ISSUES.
1t will surely be admitted that all
American citizens who believe these
facts to be true are bound by the sacred
obligations of patriotism, honor and
conscience to oppose this state of things
and by opposing end it. The persons
interested in preventing a change will
ask how, to what extent, and by what
means we propose TO make reforms.
The question is q fair one and we will
answer it briefly. 1t will BIZ the duty
of the democratic party and, to the ex-
tent of our authority, original or dele
gated, we hereby pledge ourselves and
our associates, so far as in us lies
l. To put the ship of State once again
on her constitutional tack and hold her
head firmly and steadily to that course.
2. To protect individual citizens of
all parties, classes and creeds in the
enjoyment of life, liberty, property,
reputation and the pursuit of their law.
full business, by an impartial admins.
tration of justice in the ordained and
established courts.
3. To preserve the powers of the gen
eral government in their whole consti-
tutional vigor as our sole defense against
foreign aggression, the safest bond OF
union between different sections of the
country and the only sure promise OF
general prosperity.
4. To maintain, unimpaired, the re-
served rights of the States, not only be-
cause they are guaranteed by the federal
constitution, but because the States
alone can safely be trusted with the
management of their own local con-
Germs.
.. To reduce the expenditures of the
government by confining its appropria.
tions to legitimate objects, by rigid
system Of accountability and economy
and by abolishing much of the unneces-
sary and pernicious machinery with
which it is now encountered.
&. To moderate the burdens of the
people, not only by economical admin
istration, but by system of taxation
upon foreign imports as well as domes-
tic productions which shall be just and
equal in its operation upon the property
and business of the country, not enrich
ing some while it impoverlshes others,
and not open to the frauds now habitu-
ally practiced.
7. To preserve the public credit by
the prompt'payment Of the public obli-
cations.
8. To consecrate the public lands to
the use of the landless people who need
1t by a system which will secure a sufli-
cheney to all, and stop at once the long
series of swindles by which so many
millions of acres have been given away
to those who already have more than
enough.
These are some of the duties which
lie before the people if they de5ite to
see their government administered with
a decent respect for the constitution of
their fathers or with tolerable honesty
in financial matters.
We have no test Of orthodoXy,no disa-
bilities for and Discrimination against
former political antagonists. We can
not and do not OBJECT to bygone differ
ences, provided the citizen be truly and
faithfully devoted now to the interests
and institutions of the whole country
and all the inhabitants thereof.
Our object is not revolution, but res.
toration not injury to our opponents,
but an assertion of our own rights and
those of our fellow. citizens.
BY order of the democratic executive
committee.
WILLIAM A. WALLACE. Chairman.
Good Manners.
There is nothing which adds so much