Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1872-10-08
Able Letter by Hon. A. n. q. Stuart.


We surrender our editorial space this week
to the publication Of the very able and states
man-like letter of Hon. A. Ell. Ell. Stuart address
ed to Hon. B. johnson Barbour, which we
hope none of our readers will fail to give acare-
full perusal. Let none be deferred by its length
from doing so, for we assure them that it will
amply repay them. 1t is one of the very best
letters which has appeared in this canvass, and
Justly deserves the calm consideration Of every
voter, for it is full OF thought, and presents
sound views philosophically discussed and clear.
ly expressed. The following is the letter te
which we REFER
STAUNToN, Oct. 3rd, 1872.
Hon. B. johnson Barbour:
My Dear Sir
perceive from the newspapers, thatan ap
pointment has been made for me and yourself
and other gentlemen, to address the people al
Gerdonsville, On the 5th inst, on the issues In
volved In the approaching Presidential election.
/ regret that an important business engage
ment. entered into some weeks ago, for thai
day, will prevent me from being with you or
that occasion. I should have been gratifed te
have an opportunity of presenting to the peo-
pie of Virginia my convictions of the impor.
lance of the questions to be decided in tina
election, and Of the peculiar interest which the
Southern States have in their wise determine
ton. $685.
In all our former political contests, the mat
tiers In issue were merely administrative. Wher
the old Wing and. Democratic parties wert
struggling for ascendancy, the questions sub
mitted for popular judgment, were mere
measures of policy-important it is true-bu
In no wise affecting the organic structure o.
the government ITSELF Hence we felt that
let the popular verdict be for or against u.s.
the. great charter of our liberties would remain
intact, and the country be safe.
But in the impending contest. unless | mis-
read the signs of the times, the vital principles
of Republican liberty are at stake.
& The party now In power and who seek re
newal of their lease, have audaciously
trampled on the Constitution which they were
pledged to support, and have boldly avowed
the accomplishment of their purposes, they
will not hesitate to disregard them. And thei
conduct has proved the'sincerity of their dec
larations. In numberless instances, they hav,
usurped powers not conferred by the Constitu
ton, and have treated sovereign States a
mere dependencies Of the central power.
The writ Of bdbeas corpus has been suspen
ded in time Of peace. The military power ha
been employed to control elections. Thousand
of citizens have been dragged from their home
under color of illegal warrants Of arrest. Cor
rupt governments have been forced on man,
of the States by Federal bayonets, against thu
will Of the people. The Southern States hay,
been plundered and oppressed by knavish ru
lers, who have been kept 10 Office by the strons
arm Of the U. S. Government. In word
FORCE, impeled by HATRED, has been substi
tuted for the mild sway of constitutional Law
in nearly one half of our territory.
These are some Of the wrongs which hav
more peculiarly affected the people of thu
South. But there are many others to which
we have been subjected in common with th,
people Of the North and West
Corruption ia office, nepotism, pecuation
extravaganza, and other enormities, now pol
lutte the seats OF power to such degree as tt
destroy the respect and confidence which W,
formerly cherished for our government.
No impartial mind can fail to admit that th.
whole tendency of the policy of the radica
party has been to Capitalization, and CENTRAL
zation is Empire.
Every well-informed man knows, that TIL
distinction between free and despotic gov
ernment consists not In the quantuns of power
which they respectively exercise, but In ths
distribution, or concentration of their power
4 republic exercises quite as much power, anc
over the same subjects, as the most despoti
government Both possess and exercise pie
nary power over the life, liberty and propert.
Of their citizens or subjects. In free Govern
ments, this power is distributed among, AMI
administered by, coordinate and Independent
departments, Legislative, Executive and Ju
dicial. But in deepotic governments all poWe
is concentrated in the hands Of one man.
Il is not, therefore, the amount Of posoer ex
ercised by any government, but its Distribute.
Or concentration, which determines its charac
ter La free Governments the several depart
ments act as reciprocal checks on each other
and thus prevent abuse, and furnish the bes
safeguard Of liberty.
In despotic Governments no such security
exists, and the unbridled will of the despot, i
the law of the land This is what is calleG
personal government, In contradistinctlon t.
the government of tau.
The trainers of the complex system of con
stitutional government, under which we for
merly lived, fully understood and appreciated
the value of this principle Of division and dis
tribation of power. They carefully incorpora
ted it into our Constitutions both State ant
Federal, and by the further division of powers
between the governments OF the States and 0
the United States, engrafted On our institu
tiens an additional security for liberty.
Since the accession of the dominant party
to power their policy has constantly tended t.
break down the partition walls between the
powers of the States and the Federal govern
ment, and between the several departments 0
each. The rights of the States have beer
treated With derisiou and soorn. Federal au
thofity has been held to be paramount, not On
ly In reference to those subjects which are ad
- IL. ~, e IL <or
powers, but also Ia regard to those matters o.
local concern which, heretofore, have been con
ceded to belong, exclusively, to the jurisdic
ton of the several States.
Not content with this fragrant usurpatior
and contemptuous disregard Of the reserved
rights of the States, dangerous invasions have
been made Of those provisions OF the constitu
ton Of the u. S. which classify and distribute
appropriate powers among the several depart
ments Of the Federal Governments.
The Legislative department has been so fai
overawed by Executive power, or subsidized
by Executive patronage, as to become little
more than the registrar of Presidential edicts.-
And the judiciary has been so moulded or fet-
tered. as no longer to afford the security to life,
liberty and property, which was intended by the
Fathers of the Republic:
This brief review Of the action Of the party
in power, imperfect as it is, must satisfy the
minds of all who value constitutional liberty,
that fearful strides have been made towards con-
solidation and personal government.
Ali these and countless other misdeeds of the
Radical party will come before the people for re-
view and approval or condemnation 10 the Pres
idential election on the 5th of November
This is the only mode provided by the Consti-
tuition for such review. That instrument
wisely ordains that, at the end Of each term of
fcr,r rears tha President and the nartu which