The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-04-18

OF the government are combined. If
this system of encroachment is per-
mitted to go on the day is not distant
when our Republican system, based
on the idea of the division of powers
between the Federal government and
the States, will be transformed into
one imperial despotism, with all pow
er at the city of Washington, and /
care not whether that power is exer-
cised by single person, or monarch
or by five hundred persons called q
Congress, it is equally a despotism.
Applause. And the doctrine is now
boldly proclaimed by men high iu au-
thority, that the States of this Union
have such powers only as are confer
upon them by the Constitution of the
United States, when directly the re-
verse is true, and the States have all
the power except such as the Consti-
tuition of the United States has con-
ferred upon the United States or has
withheld from the States. The differ
ence is this: The Government of the
United States is government of der
ivatiye powers. Thus in a State the
Government is inherent. They have
all powers not denied them, while the
Government of the United States has
no power except such as is given it
[applause] and such as the Constitu-
ton of the United States in terms for
it declares in one of its amendments
/" all power not conferred by the Con-
stitution of the United States is re-
served to the States respectively or
TO the people of the States"
But 1 pass from these encroach-
ments of federal government to anoth-
er matter that is complained of, and
Justly and perhaps more fondly than
any other by the people. That is the
abuses and corruptions of the govern
ment. A part of the officials you had
in the city of New York first disclos-
ed robberies which were being prac-
ticed by those in authority, and that
awakened public sentiment in the
country that caused the people over
the land to look to their officials, and
ascertain what disposition they were
making ofmoney which was collected
from them, and in the city of Chicago
several city officials have. been con-
.victed of receiving bribes and other
offenses, and are now suffering the
penalties of their crimes in prison.
Applause In the Government of the
HlbOQ kOtAbCo, oiAlOuSA- W A4a DOb
been able to unearth and disclose all
corruptions, in fact think we have
only lust seen the surface of what ex-
lists, below, still enoagh has been
shown to show that abuses exist. l
will illustrate by reference to two or
three cases. One that has recently oc-
Cured and been brought to1ight is
that one of the officers who has charge
q NJ AZ l,, IL -,
try, without whose fiat National Banks
cannot exist, whose duty it is to SUI
pervise and watch them when organ
lied, so that there can be, no fraud
upon the law or upon the people
within a few weeks it has been dis
covered that that officer, when he was
inquiring into the delinquency of one
of these banks, received as q present
from one of its officers carriage and
harness. In the city of Washington
he was observed walking down the
avenue in company with an officer
who had been summoned there to give
an account of certain defalcations in
his bank, and of misuse of money of
the people. Afterward he walked d6t
with the head of the bureau, and on
the way passed q carriage shop, walk
ed in, bought fine carriage and har-
ness. Clerks, it is proved, also receiy-
ed moneys. Well, what happened ?
Why, the Committee that investiga-
ted this-a committee friendly to the
officer and friendly 10 the Admins
tration-reported that in their opin-
ion the good management of the Cur
rency Bureau required that there
should be change in the officer at the
head of that department. Laughter. ]
Thereupon, that officer was permitted
to resign and go out of Office honora-
bly, on resignation. Why? Now, sup
pose that officer had been delinquent
in discharge of some political require
ment, suppose he had refused to pay
an assessment for party purposes, that
he had refused to use his influence to
pack a primary meeting or control a
convention in the interest of some fa-
verite, perhaps of some Congressman
who got him his place, do you think
he would have been permitted to re-
sign? Why, the political guillotine
would have come Gown,and of would
have come his head, and his lifeless
body would have tumbled out of of
flee as monupent to all other officers
of the fate of those who betrayed them.
(Applause.]
There is another officer who has
been recently investigated, only slight
ly so, as think-one of the cabinet
officers. the Secretary of one of the
Departments, and what he has been
doing? Why simply this: A few years
ago, during the war, the government
entered into contract with certain
persons to build some war vessels. Af-
ter the contracts were made, the gov
ernment changed the plan some, and
it is alleged that they delayed the
contractors in completion of the ves-
sells, by which they suffered loss in
consequence of rise in price i'll materi-
al and labor. In the year 1867, two
years after the war was over they
complained that they had suffered
great loss by reason of this action OF
the Government, and asked to be
paid. Congress passed law author
izing the Secretary of the Navy to con
vene a number of officers to examine
into their complaint, and see what, il
anything, was due them. That Board
met and reported that there was due
| these contractors, in consequence OF
the action of the government, SIZE, SOC
Thereupon the government of the
United States, through its Congress,
in 1868 passed a law directing $115,
500 to be paid these contractors in full
of all claims growing out of the con-
struction of these vessels. That mon
ey was paid and received. Don't you
think that ought to have been an end
of it 2 But it was not. Oh, no. With
out any law the Secretary organized
another board and told them to in
quire into this matter, and they did
examine, and reported that the con-
tractor ought to have $4,000 more.
This was board of his own subordi-
mates. There was no law directing
him to appoint this board, as there
was in 1867 by another Secretary, but
he appointed it of his own volition,
and then what does he do? Why, he
pays them this $1,000 besides. What
do you think of that And he not only
I