Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-05-03
TO THE PEOPLE.
Address by the Democratic Members of
Congress.
Earnest Words of warning.

WASHINGTON, April 2O.-The Dem.
ocrats in Congress have Just issued
the following address to the people of
the United States:
"Our presence aud official duties at
Washington have enabled us to be-
come acquainted with the action and
designs Of those who control the Radi.
cal party, aud we feel called upon to
utter few words of warning against
the alarming strides they have made
towards Capitalization of power in the
hands of Congress and the Executive.
The time and attention of the Radical
leaders has been almost wholly direct
ed to devise such legislation as will,
in their view, best preserve their
asecndency, and no regard for the
wise restraints imposed by the Con.
stilution has checked their restless
and desperate career. The President
Of the United States has been formal.
ly announced as candidate for re elec
ton. The declarations of his selfish
supporters have been echoed by sub.
sidizcd press, and discipline Of party
has already made adhesion to his per.
sonal fortune the supreme test of po
litical fenlty The partisan legisla.
ton, TO which we refer, was docrecd
and shaped in secret caucus, where the
EXTREMIST counsels always dominate,
and was adopted by snbservient ma.
liority, if not with the intent, certain
ly with the effect to place in the hands
Of tho President power to command
bis own nomination, and TO employ
the army, navy and militia at his sole
discretion, as n means OF subscribing
his personal ambition. When the sad
experience Of the last two years, so
disappointing TO tho hopes and gcncr-
al confidence of the country, is con.
sidered in connection with the violent
utteranccs and rash purposes of those
who control the Presidents policy, il
is not surprising that the gravcst ap.
prehensions for tho future peace Of
the nation should be entertained. At
time when labor is depressed, and
every material interest is palsied by
oppressive taxation, the public offices
have been multiplied beyond all pro.
cedcnt to serve rs instruments in the
: perpctuation of power. Partisanship
is the only test applied 10 tho distri
button Of this vast patronage. Hon.
es,y. fitness and moral worth are
) openly discarded in favor of truck
ling submission aud dishonerablc com
pliancc. Hence enormous delalca
lions and widespread corruption have
followed as the natural consequence,
Of this pcrnicious system. BY the of
fetal report Of the Secretay of The
Treasury, it appears that aftor deduc
ton of all proper credits, many mil
!, lions of dollars remain due from eX
/. collectors of internal revenue, ant
that no proper diligence has ever beer
used TO collect them. Reforms in th,
revenue aud postal system, which al
experience demonstrates TO be neces
II sary to n frugal administration Of th,
government, as well as measure o
relief to an over burdenod people
d have been persistently postponed o.
artiuly neglected. Congress now ad
ourns without having even attcmpte'
to reduce taxation, or TO repeal thl
glarng impositions by which industrl
IS crushed and impoverished. tn
treasury is overilowing, and an cxcos
In of $50, ,000,0 coo Of revenue is admitted
I'd and yet instead of some measure O
y present relief barren and delusiv
Il resolution is passed by the Scnato 4
r. consider the tariff and excise system
hereafter, as if the history of broke
pledges aud pretended remedies ful
nished any better assurance for futur
legislation than experience has don
"A in the past. Ship building and I'll
carrying trade, once sources of M
tiona pride aud prosperity, now laI
pt guish under crushing load of taxi
Il ton, and nearly every other businc-
interest is struggling without prof
u TO maintain iisclf
Our agriculturists, while payn
heavy taxes on all they consume, eth,
to the government or to monopolisi
=, 6ud the prices for their own product
so reduced that honest labor is donic
its reward, and industry is PROSTATE
l. by invidious discrimination. Near
np, 2O0,000,000 acres Of public lane
all which should have been preserved f
the benefit of the people, have bee
voted away 10 great corporation
negleciing our soldiers, and cnrichii
i q a handful Of greedy spectators az
of lobbyists, who are thereby enabled
ely exercise most dangerous aud CO
a., % rupting influence over State and Fe
al eral legislation. II the career of the
ard conspirators be not checked the dow
ivy fall Of free government is inevitab
{. and with il tho elevation Of militia
dictator on the ruin of the republic.
Under pretcnse OF passing laws
enforce the fourteenth amendmcnta Al
Il. for other purposes, Congress has &C
fcrred the most despctio power up
the Executive, and provided an oilic
es' machinery by which the liberties
ten Ten the people are mcnaccd, and the