The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-05-02
What has Given Rise 10 the Cin-
ciunatf Movements


Senator Trumbull, at the Liberal meet
ing in New York:
There are several causes for the dissatis-
faction Of the people which i can only
briefly ailude 10 upon the present occasion.
and shall not touch upon many which
ought to be discussed before the people ar
( large. But one cause OF complaint which
produces alienation in the late insurrec-
tionary States. and keeps alive the hates
and animosities engendefed by the war, Is
the continuance of
POLITICAL DISABILITIES
After the occasion for them has passed
away. In consequence of this continuance
the governments in the late insurreetionary
States have fallen into the hands of inexpe-
rienced. and in many instances of corrupt
adventures. who have plundered the peo-
pie of these States scarcely less than you in
the City of New York have been plundered
by your former city government (ApT
plause.) Why are these disabilities contin-
ued? Why are they not removed. and all
the people enfranchised? / think there are
two causes, and two alone. which prevent
it-one mercenary and the other political.
(Arplause.) TIE mercenary one that thess
adventures should exclude from the offices
in all these States the former leading men
that reside there of large experience and
capacity; and although they were traitors
during the war. they were not thieves nor
plunderers. loud cheering.) Their ex-
clusion has thrown these governments into
the hands of men who have used their
power TO
PLUMBER THE PEOPLE OVER WHOM THEY
RULE
and the debts of the Southern States have
been swollen in some instances twenty fold
from what they were before the war began.
The debt of Alabama was less than $6.000,-
900 in 1850, and at the present time its con-
tingent and absolute debt is near $4,000, 600.
at the commencement of the war, has been
swollen to $4,000 that of Georgia
from 50 100000 20 44,O0O,000; and they don't
even have what you had in the City of
New York to show for the money expended.
for | believe you had some carpets and
some furniture for your money. These
people have very little to show for these
vast debts which have been incurred and
put upon the people. Another reason for
continuing these political disabilities is,
as have said of a partisan character. The
men in authority use the political disability
as so much capital upon which to trade.
TO Illustrate what | mean | will refer to
what took place in the State of Georgia
lew years ago. when man named Bullock
was Governor. When the Legislature of
that State was about TO be organized it was
understood that certain persons had been
elected who were laboring under political
disabilities. They were given TO under
stand that those of them who would sustain
disabilities removed, aud those who would
not could not be permitted to take their
seats in the Legislature; aud the result was
that the political disabilities were removed
from such as acted with the Governor, and
the others were excluded: and lie had
control of that Legislature and succeeded
in fastening upon the State a debt. the
discovery of which of late caused him TO
flee the State to escape punishment which
would have follow ed the frauds committed.
- - =
from these Southern States. They promised
TO remove their political disabilities from
atlherents and they are always ready to do
it where they can gain favor.
Passing from this question, which would
occupy an hour to discuss properly before
you, l come to another measure which
should create alarm throughout the country.
L allude particularly to
THE ASSUMPTION OF UNwARRANTED POWER
on THE PART OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
(Cheers.) During the war extraordinary
powers were exercised by the government
powers never before called into being: aud
although, in my opinion, there never was
any occasion at any time during the war TO
exercise any unconstitutional authority on
the part of the Federal government, L be-
lieve that the Constitution confers upon the
Federal government all the powers neces-
sary TO be exercised, even in war or in
rebellion such as we had. because it author
ICES Congress to pass laws for putting down
insurrection and rebellion; and when it has
the authority to pass laws for that purpose,
all the power necessary to give it effect is
given also. | will detain you a few mo-
ments in pointing out how the Federal gov
ernment has encroached upon
THE RIGHTS OF STATES.
1t is doing it by legislation to some ex-
tent. Recently at almost every session of
Congress laws are passed taking away from
zen and transferring 1t to the Federal courts.
Some of these laws that have been passed
for that purpose have been declared uncon-
stitutional by the courts. Bills are intro
duced into Congress creating additional cir
cults throughout the whole country, with
new judges, and you will have to seek re-
dress for grievances, not in the courts estab-
lished by yourselves in your own cities and
localities, but in courts presided over by
judges appointed by a central power. over
whom you have no control EncrOach-
ments are also made, and perhaps the most
alarming of all, by the military power of
the government. The military power has
come to assume the duties belonging to civil
officers of late, and that in defiance of law.
How long can this people preserve their
liberties if they quietly submit to this en-
eroachment of those in authority upon
them? (Applause.) The safety of the citi-
zen, let me say to you, and his protection in
his person and in his property, is TO be found
in
LOCAL LAWS WHICH THE PEOPLE THEM
SELVES ADMINISTER
(AppIause)-and not in a central govern
ment where all the powers of the govern
ment are com bined; and If this system of
encroaehment is permitted to go on, the day
is not distant when our republican system,
based on the idea of division of powers
between the Federal government and the
States. will be transformed into despotism
-sfI ~
not whether that power is exercised by a
single person or monarch, or by five hun
dred person called a Congress. it is equally
a despotism. (Applause.) And :he doc
trine is now boldly proclaimed by men high
in authority that the States of this Union
have such powers only as are conferred
upon them by the Constitution of the Uni
ted States. when directly the reverse is true,
and the States have all power except such
as the Constitution of the United states has
conferred upon the United States or has
withheld from the States. The differ
ence is this: The government of the United
States is a government of deriYative powers.
Thus in the State the government is inhe-
rent; they have all power not denied them,
while the government of the United States
has no power except such as is given to it
(applauSe)-and such the Constitution of
the United States says in terms, for it de-
clares in its amendments: "All power not
conferred by this Constitution OF the United
States is reserved TO the States respectively
or to the people of the State
But pass from these enactments of the
Federal government to another matter that
is ybmpIained OF. and justly, and perhaps
more loudly than any other by the people.
That is
THE ABUSES AND CoRRUPTIoNs OF THE GOV
EMINENT.
This seems to be form OF corruption on
the part of officials. You here. in the city
Of New York, first disclosed the robberies
which were being praeticed by those in au
and that awakened public senti-
ment in the country that caused the people
all over the land to look to their officials
and ascertain what disposition they were
81,