The Van Buren press., 1871-05-09
Senator Schurze at Home.

demonstration was taken part IN Doth DJ
Democrats and Republicans. The llonorabl,
gentleman closes as follows, which we copy
from the st. Loui, Republican,
And you will permit me, fellow-ciIizens
Democrats and Republicans, TO co"-true youl
presence here tonight as pledge, that II an,
adverse tendency should again show itsei
among us, every one OF you will exert TO th'
utmost his power and influence wherever u
reaches, to rebuke and repress the mischief
Ii have done anything that you think de-
serving OF your appreciation, consider 1t u
giving me a right 10 make TO Democrats a.
well Us Republicans this appeal Tor so grea|
an end. ICheers.l
Thus, in inauguratng n new era of good
feeling, the people of Missouri, who are al
ways on great occasions Il Little ahead OF the
rest of mankind (great cheering have set al
example to the people of the other states, and
| feryently hope it will be followed there,and
no selfish partisan spirit on either side will
mar it here. Let me take this demonstration
as good omen for the future
This occasion has brought you and me In
such cordial contact, that | feel ought tc
state TO YOU, my constituents, who give me so
much honor, with the whole candor and
! frankness ofmy nature, what | conceive 10 be
NV public duties, | have no concealment
| from either friend or opponent.
Many of YOU have had sufficient experience
| in political life to know that it Is not pleasant
TO have difference of opinion with party
friends. In this respect form no exception
To the rule. | should have been sincerely hap
py could have quietly followed the lead Of
those we had put into power. But while |
highly resppct the olininns and advice of my
a>sociates 1 have always been in the ,shit of
finding my convictions OF duty in my own
conscience. and these conscientious convic-
tions are not, never Will be at the disposal OF
L.. i'FttA afatl tlItA
cheering am certainly willing to yield up
minor points to secure the possibility of CO.
operation for greater ends. But there are
certain fundamental principles, which form
the very life of my political creed, and with
regard to which desire my constituents to
understand that they are not i'll the market
and know no surrender. Cheers
Let me state them TO you In the first place,
have always been an anti-slavcry man be-
lie,ing as do and did, and always will, that
true republican government can stand only
on the basis of the equal rights of men. and
| that the government can have no security as
| long as there is any class of society upon
whom uutics ale imposed without the rccog-
milton OF corresponding rights.
| This great principle has been Incorporated
| in the fundamental law of the republic and
we behold now in the constitution of the Uni
nted States as it L. the great charter OF equal
| rights BY the amendments that made it so,
| | mean % stand with unllnching irmness to
| The last. not only because they are there in
point OF fact, but because, If they were not,
| ;hey ought to be. [Cheers,
! They form the very basis OF the new order
of society which issued from our great revo-
| luton; they embody the only possible settle
ment of our past conflicts, SO much the only
possible settlement that the people would al
| WAYS have to return to it, il they tried any
other. And it is my firm conviction that this
| republic will have no enduring repose until
| that settlement Is universally accepted and
| carried into effect, not grudgingly and with
mental reservation looking to n chance to
overthrow It, but fairly, fully and in good
| faith As ilnality. To this end my earnest
efforts will always be devoted, and | shall
hold 1t to be my duty TO oppose any move
ment or combination working in the opposite
direction, as highly dangerous to the .pcac
of the country Renewed cheers
Upon the same ground am in favor Of gen
eral amnesty. [Cheers. As have worked
for the equal rights of men, be they white or
black, so | sand up for the equal rights Of
men, be they Democrats or Republicans
Cheers 1t is time that those political dis
abilities should disappear which were impos-
ed upon certain classes of those connected
with the rebellion-political disabilities in
stead of protecting the rights and security OF
any Ody-scrve only to nOurish Il spirit Of
sullen discomfort and stand in the way ofall
efforts at the restoration of fratefnal feeling.
But not only with regard to the new amend
mcnts do mean to uphold the constitution.
| consider it one Of the most pressing needs
OF our days that we should return to the sound
practices of constitutional government.
Times of war and great national peril have
naturally engcndcred looseness OF constitu-
tional notions which, in times of peace, cam
not be permitted to go farther without serious
4 a ia hn n nj AL I'm
stitutions.
In the constitutional Limitation of political
powers, we find, as our ancestors always have
found, the main safeguards of popular liber-
| ty. And when those constitutional limita-
| tions are disregardcd, even for the protection
of the rights of some. those rights will be put
| In jeopardy by the danger brought upon the
rights of all, The safeguards OF our common
rights and liberties contained in the constitu-
ton are too sacred and valuable boon to be
permanently jeopardized in providing for n
passing emergency For reasons like these
| found myself compelled to oppose the So
called ku-kluX bill even against a majority
of my party friends in congress. Cheers.
But still more striking instance of that
looseness of constitutional notions revealed
itself in that most ilagrant usurpation Of the
war making power by the executive in the
Sun Domingo ease, an attempt not only utter
ly without parallel in the history of this
country, but without the shadow Ga a consti-
tutional argument TO palliate it. Startling as
that attempt was, more startling is it that such
an act should SO far have passed without a
declaration of sentiment in congress, prevent
ing it from becoming most dangerous prcc-
edent in our history. But worse still is it,
that such an act can be committed, without at
least arouslng public opinion to a command
ing demonstration of disapproval.
1t Is indeed time that the American people
should open their eyes to the dangerous cha
racter of this tendency. and that neither n
great name nor an object appealing to our
sympathcs should be permitted to disguise It,
As for me. have seen the working of ire
sponsible power and personal government in
other countries, and may assure my constit-
lie. shall struggle to the last gasp against its
introduction here. Great cheering.l
! shall as heretofore, give my earnest efforts
to the subject Of civil service reform, not only
with view to raise the standard of working
efficiently in the service OF the government,
but to the abolition of the patronage, or more
properly spoilS system, which surrounds the
executive with sycophants, and rs | once eX-
pressed 1t in another place, makes the atmos-
phere OF the White House So thick with flat
terry that the sound-waNe Of public opinion
cannot penetrate 1t. Great cheering. A
system which Is Transforming iuto office
mohgers the representatives of the people, is
most seriously endangering the independence
OF the legislative branch of the government,
and t. gradually demUralizing our whole po-
litcal life.
Finally yon will find my voice and my vote
in opposition TO that most unjust system of
taxation. which by means OF high protect