The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1871-05-03
Address OF the Democratic Members OF
Congress-

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Our presence and official duties ut
Washington have enabled us to
become fully acquainted with tho ac.
tions and designs of those who tIol
the Il ldical party, and we feel called
upon to utter few words Of warming
against the alarming strides they have
made towards the centralising ofpcw-
er in the hands of Congress- and the Ex-
ecutivc. The time and attention Of
the Radical leaders have been almost
wholly directed to devising such leg.
islation rs will, in thoir view, best
preserve their ascendanct, and no re.
gard for the wise restraints imposed
by the Constitution has checked their
reckless and desperate career. The
President Of the United States has
been formally announced as oandi.
date for reelection. The declarations
of his selfish supporters have been
echoed by subsidized press, and
tho discipline Of party as already
made adhesion to his personal for
tunes tho supreme test Of political
fealty. The partisan legislation to
which we refer wns decreed aud
shaped in secret caucus, where the
EXTREMIST counsels always dominated,
and was adopted by subservicut
majority, if not with the intent, GER
tainly with the effect to place in the
hands of the President power to com.
mand his own denomination, and to
employ the army, navy and militia,
Mt his sole discretion, rs means of
subscribing his personal ambition.
When the sad experience Of the
last two years, 80 disappointing to
tho hopes and generous confidence of
the country is considered, in connec-
with the violent utterances and rash
purposes of those who control the
Presidents policy it is not surpris-
ing that the graSest apprehensions
for the future peace of the nation
should be entertained.
At time when laboris depressed,
and every material interest is palsied
by oppressive taxation, the public Of
ficerS have been multiplied beyond all
precedent to serve as Instruments in
the perpetuation Of power. Partisan
ship is the only test applied to the
distribution of the vast patronage.
Honesty, fitness and moral worth are
openly discarded in favor Of trucklicg
submission aud dishonorable compli.
ance hence enormous defalcations
and widespread corruption have fol-
lowed rs the natural consequences Of
this pernicious system. BY the ofll.
DIAL report Of the Secretary Of the
Treasury, it appears that after the
deduction of all proper credits, many
millions Of dollars remain from ex.
collectors of tho internal revenue, and
that no proper diligence has ever
been used TO collect them. Reforms
in the reveuue and fiscal systems,
which all experience demonstrates
to be necessary to frugal admins.
tration Of the government, as we'll as
n measure of relief to an over.burden.
ed people, have been persistently
postponed or willfully neglected.
Congress now sdjourns without hav-
Ing even attempted to reduce taxation
or to repeal the glaring impositions
by which industry is crushed and
Impoverished. The treasury is over
flowing, and an excess of $50, 900, 900
ofrevenue is admitted and yet, in
stead Of some measure Of present re.
lief, barren and delusive resolution
Is passed by che Senate to consider the
tariff and excise systems hereafter,
hs IL the history Of broken pledges
and pretended remedies furnished
any better assurance for future legis.
lation than experience has done in
the past.
ship building and the carrying
trade, once sources Of national pride
and prosperity, now languish under a
crushing load of taxation, apd nearly
every other business interest is strdg'
Cling without profit to maintain itself