The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-05-03
DDRESS
To the People OF the United States by
the Democrats OF Congress-.
The Democrats in Congress have
issued the following address.


To the Pople Of tile United States:
Our presence and official duties &
Washington have enabled US to becom
fully acquainted with the actions an
designs OF those who coutrol the Radi
cal party, aud We feel called upon t
utter few words Of warning against tb
alarming strides they have made towar
Capitalization Of power in the hands Q
Congress ard the Executive The tim
aud attention of the Radical leader
have been almcst wholly directed to de
visirg such legislation as will, in thei
view, best preserve their asceDdancy
and no regard for The wise restraint
imposed by the Constitution has checked
their reckless and desperate career
The President Of the United States hal
been formally announced as candidate
for reelection. The declarations of hi:
selfish supporters have been. reechoec
by subsidized press, and the discipline
Of party has already made adhesion t.
his persona. fortunes the supreme test
ofpolitical fealty. The partisan legisla-
tion to which We refer was decreed and
shaped in secret caucus, where the ex-
tremcst counsels always dominate, and
was adopted by subservient majority,
if rot With the intent, certainly with
the effect, to place in the hands of the
President power 20 command his own
rc-ntmination, and to employ the army,
navy, and militia, at his sole discretion,
as means Of subserviDg his personal
ambition When the sad experience Of
the last two years, SO Disappointing to
the hopes and generous confidence OF
the country, is considered in connection
with the violent utterances and rash
purposes of those who control the
Presidents policy, it is not surprising
that the grave>t apprehension for futrre
peace of tie nation should be entertain,
cd. y, a time when labor is depressed,
aud every material interest is palsied ty
oppressive taxation, the public officers
have been multiplied beyond all precc
dent to serve as Instruments in the
perpetualion Of power
Parii>auship is the only test appliea
to the distribution Of this vast patronage.
Honesty, ane>s, aud moral worth are
openly discarded in favor of trucking
submission and di>honorable compliance.
Hence enormous deialcations and wide
spread corruption have followed as the
natural consequences Of shis perrleious
system.
BY the official report of the Secretary
Of e Treasury it appears that, after the
deduction Of all proper credits, many
millions of dollars remain due from
ex collectors OF the internal revenue,
and that no proper diligence has ever
been used 10 collect them. Reforms in
the revenue and fiscal systems, which
all experience demonstrates to be neces-
sary to frugal administration Of the
Government, as we'll as measure of re-
lief to an ovelburdencd people, have
been pcrsistcn'ly postponed or wilfully
neglected.
Congicss now adjourns without having
even attempted to reduce taxation or 10
repeal the -,,oriug iur:ositions by which
industry is crushed and impoverished.
Trc'Trra>ury is ov"raowing, and an
excess Of eighty millions Of revenue is
admitted, and yet, ,t>.eal Ct some inca
sure of present rcli,f, barren and
delu>ive re>c luiiDn is passed by the
Scrate to ccn>;der the tariff and excise
systems hereafter. as if the history of
brckcn pledges and pretended remedies
furnished any better assurance for fa-
ture legislation than experience has
done IL .he past :'h.riaidlng aud the
cairy:n. trace. opee sources Of Ratioual
Prize and rre-rcrity, new slanguish
uudcr 4 c,u..:,uy Lad Of ,axailon. and
neaily every other LI>iuess interest," is
struggling. w4ihou: p"tir. to maInfain
i:>ed. Oar a2ticui'uai.>'s, willie pay
in. heavy :axrs on al they consume,
either to he Governmcp; or to monopo
li>;>. fad the prices fUr their own
produces 50 reduced that honest labor
is d~nicd its j;>t reward and industry is
pro>.ra;ed by invidious discrimination.
Nearly 900 .G01.UG9 acres OF public
lands. which should have been reserved
for tie benefit Of the people, have been
voted aw4y to giant corporations, neg
lcclins our soldiers, enrichiag hand
fuI Of greedy spectators and Lobbyists,
who are thereby enstied TO exercise a
most dangerous and cor,urfing iuAu-
ence over State aud Federal legislation.
If the earcer Of these conspilators be
not checl,d, the downfall OF free gov
crnmcut is inevitable, and with it the
elevation ot military dictator on the
ruin. CT The republic.
Under prcicnce of passing laws to
enforce the fourteenth amendment, and
for other purposes, Congress has coufer.
rcd the most dcspolic power upon the
Execulivc, and provided an official
Yachinery by Which the Liberties. of the
pekplc are mcnaDcej, and the sacred
RIGHT of local self government in the
States is Ignored, If not totally over
thrown. Aio,'eiied up to the scdision
laws, so oIious in. history. they are at
variance wiih all the >anctified theories
Of our institutions. and the construction
given by these Radical Interpreters to
The fourteenth amendment is, TO use the
language 0! Oh eminent Sena;or-Mr.
TIumluli, Of liiinuis-.-an ''anLihilatlou
of the States" Under tife last enforce