Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-05-04
The Democrats in Congress have just
issued the following address:


issued the following address:
To the People Of the United States:
Our presence and official duties a
Washington have enabled us to become
fully acquainted with the actions ant
designs Of those who control the Radi-
cal party, and we feel called upon tc
utter few words of warning against
The alarming strides they have made to.
ward the Capitalization of power in the
hands of Congress and the Executive
The time and Alteration of the Radical
leaders have been almc 81 wholly directed
to devisiug such legislation as will, in
their view, best preserve their asceuden
cv. and no regard for the wise restraint
imposed by the Constitution has checked
heir rcCk less aud desperate career. The
President OF the United States las been
torma ly announced as u candidate for
re detection. The declarations of his
selfish supporters have been echoed by &
subsidized press, aud the discipline OF
party has already made adhesion to his
personal fortunes the supreme test OF
political fcully. The partisan lcgisla
ton to which we refer was decreed and
and shaped in secret caucus, where
the EXTREMIST cou1scIs always dominated
aud was adopted by II subservient ma
jority, if not with the intent, certainly
with the effect, to place in the hands OF
the President rowcr t.
COMMAND HIS OWN REMUNERATION,
and to employ the army, navy, and NIL
tia at his own discretion as means of
subscribing his personal ambition. When
the sad experience OF the last two years,
50 disappointing to the hopes and gener-
Gus confidence of the country, is con-
dered, in connection with the violent
utterapces aud rash purposes of those
who control The Presidents policy, it is
not surprising that The gravest appre-
tensions for the future peace of the ma
ton should be entertained.
At time when labor was depressed
and every material interest is palsied by
oppressive taxation, the public offices
nave been multiplied beyond all prece-
dent to serve as Instruments OF power.
Parlsauship is the only test applied to
the disribu ion Of this vast patronage.
Honesty, fitness, aud moral worth are
openly discarded 10 favor Of trucking
submission aud dishonorabe compliance,
ncuce, emo nous defalcatious and
WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION
have fOllowcd as the natural consequent
ces Of this peruicions system. BY the
official rcpor; OF the Secretary Of the
Treasury it appears that after the dcduc-
zion of all proper credits, many millions
OF dollars remain due from ex-ColleclorS
Of the Internal Revenue, and that no
proper dill igencc has ever been used to
collect them. Reio ms in the revenue
and fiscal systems, which all experience
demon-trateS to be Necessary to II frugal
administration of the Government as
well us measure OF relief to an over
burd ucd people, have been persis'ently
postponed, or wiItully neglected.
Congress- now adjourns without hav-
Ing even attempted to reduce taxation,
or to repeal the gariug impositious by
which industry i, crushed and impover-
shed. The Treasury is overlooking,
and an excess OF 10000, 900 of revenue
is admitted aud yet Instead of some
measure Of present relief, a barren and
d,Iu,ive resolution is passed by the Sen
ale 20 consider the tariff aud excise sys-
ems hereafter, rs il the
HISTORY OF BROKEN PLEDGES
and pretended remedies furnished any
better assurance Tor future legislation
tn ~ cxrercnce has done in the past.
Ship-oUlldiug nd carrying trad, once
sources Of national pride aud prosperity,
now lnuish under crushing load of
taxation; and nearly every other bust
ness interest IS struggling without profit
to maintain itself.
Our agricutuIists while paying heavy
axes on all they consume, either to the
government or to monopolists, find the
pr ces Tor their own products SO reduced
tiat houcst labor is denied its ust re
ward, and Industry is Frustrated by in
viduous discrimination. Nearly 200,
100000 acres of public lands which
hould have been reserved for the beuefil
# the people, have been voted away to
giant corporations, neglecting our sold.
crs aud enrichmg handful Of greedy
spectators and lobbyists, who are there
Dy cuab ed to exercise most dangerous
sud corruptIng iohueuce over State aud
Federal legislation. II the career of
these conspirators be not checked the
downfall of free government is newt
able, and with it the elevation of
A MILITARY DICTATOR
on the ruins of the Republic. Under
pretences OF pas ng laws to enforce the
Fourteenth Amendment, and tor other
purposes, Congress, has conferred the
most despotic powers upon the Execu-
tive, aud provided au official machinery |
by which the liberties of the people are
aud the sacred right of local
is ignored, if not tyran-
nicalIy overthrow. Modelled up after
,edition laws, so odous in history, they
ire at variance with all the sauctiGed
heorics of our institutions. Aud the
construction given by these radical inter-
prefers to the Fourteenth Amendment
:, 10 use the language of an eminent
,nnnInn AL, tNrnrnL.n IL Ill;nn., Nh