Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-04-27

42nd Congress which we give below. has
had the rare merit NJ satisfying moderate
men Of al parties in the country. judging
from the newspaper notices Of samc which
We have read. Moderate republican Jour
mails commend it as heartily as their dem
ocratic contemporaries. and i, is likely that
II will furnish. before the opening Of the
Presidential campaign of 70. some COM
mon ground Of association, upon which
patriotic men Of all parties and no parties
vii: be satisfied to stand. until the country
shall have been delivered from ccntralism
and Cmsarisrn and the venal rule which at
present plumbers and oppr 'sses it.
To the People Of the United States:
Our presence and official duties at Wash
ington have enabled Us to become fully
acquainted with the actions and desires Of
those who control the Radical party. and
we feel called upon to utter few words
of warning against the alarming strides
they have made towards Capitalization o!
power in the hands Of Congress and the
Executive. The time and attention ofthc
Radical leaders have been almost wholly
directed TO dcvising such Legislation as
will, in their view, best preserve their as
ccndancy. aud no regard for the wise re-
straints imposed By the Constitution has
| checked their reckless and desperate ca
rccr. The President Of the United States
has been formally annoIncedss candi-
date for reelection. The declarations of
,, his selfish supporters have been re-echoed
by subsidized press. and the discipline
Of party has sIready made adhesion 10 his
personal fortunes the supreme test Of po-
liiical feal,y. The partisan legislation to
which we refer was dccrccd aud shaped in
secret caucus where the EXTREMIST coun-
sells always dominated and was adopted By
a subservicnt majority. if not with the in
tent. certainly with the effect to place in
the hands of the President power to COM
mand his own denomination. and to en-
ploy the army. navy AMI militia at his sole
discretion as means Of subscribing his
personal ambition. When the sad expe-
ricnce of the last two years. SO disappoint-
ing to the hopes and generous confidence
Of the country. is considered. in connec.
ton with the violent utterances and rash
purposes Of those wke control the Presi-
dents policy. It is not surprising that the
gravest apprehension for the future peace
Of the nation should be entertained. AT
time when labor is depressed aud every
material interest is pal>icd by oppressive
taxation. the public Offices have been mul-
tipliel beyond all precedent to serve as
instruments in the perpctua'ion Of power.
PartiSanship is the only test applied to the
distribution Of this vast patronage. Hon
rsty. fitness and moral worth are openly
discarded in favor Of trucking submission
and dishonorable compliance. Hence
enormous dcfalca,ions and widespread
corruption have followed as the natural
consequences Of this pernicious system.
BY the official report Of the Secretary of
the Treasury il appears that after the de-
iuction Of oil proper credits many millions
Of dollars remain due from cx-Collectors
Of the Internal Revenue. and that no pro-
per diligence has ever been used to col.
lect them. Reforms in the revenue and
fiscal systems. which all experience de-
monstratcs to be necessary to frugal
administration Of the Government. as well
as measure Of relief to an over-burdcned
people. have been persist-ntly postponed
or wilfully neglected. Congress now ad-
journs without having even attempted to
reduce taxation or to repeal the glaring
impositions by which industry is crushed
and impoverished. The Treasury is over
flowing. an excess Of eighty millions of
revenue is admitted, aud yet instead Of
some measure Of present relief. barren
and delusivc resolution is passed BY the
Senate to consider the tariff and excise sys-
TENS hereafter. as if the history Of broken
pledges and pretended remedies furnished
any better assurance for future legislation
than experience has done in the past
Shipbuilding and the carrying trade. once
sources Of national pride and prosperity.
now anguish under a crushing load Of
taxation. and nearly every other business
interest is struggling without prof. to
maintain itself Our agricul,urists. while
paying heavy taxes for what they con-
sumo. either to the Government or TO mo-
nopolists. find the prices for their own
products so reduced that honest labor is
denied its just reward. and industry is
Frustrated by invidious discrimination. -
Nearly 200, 000. 600 acres ofpublic lands,
which should have been reserved for the
benefit Of the people. have been voted
away TO giant corporations. neglectins our
soldiers and curiching handful Of greedy
SPECTATORS and lobbyists. who are there
by enabled 10 exercise = most dangerous
and corrupting influence over State and
Federal legislation. II the career Of these
conspiratars be not checked the downfall
Of free Razerpmcnt is inevitable, and with
the elsva1 lan y : military Dictator on the
ruins Of the Hepublic.
sUader tho ptcscnce Of passing laws 10
enforce the Eoartcensh Amendment. aud
for other pnrposes. Consress has confer
red the -moet despotic power upon the Ex-
ecusive. and provided an ofkcial machinery
by which the libcftics Of the people are
meuaced. aud the sacred. right Of local
self-goserntncnt IN the States is ignored.
il not<osally overthrown. Modelled up
to tasseciition lava. so odious in hissery.
they IRE at variance with all the sanctiicd
theories Of our institutions. and the con-
struction given by these Radical inserprc-
tcrs AZ The Fourteenth Amendment is. to
use Ne language 81 An eminent Senafcr.
Mr.. Trunball. Of Illinois. an .'annihila-
ticn II he States" .Cader the last en-
farce& rlnnf hill ..Tha Exernsixn NAV in