The Van Buren press., 1872-02-06
GREAT GERMAN ELzMcNr


That has ever stood like Macedonian
phalanx, solid in the front rank Of free.
dom | see them here again coming to
the rescue as one man. The great cle-
mcnt Of our nationality that has subscry
ed the great purposes IN the past and
that comes here on this occasion, anima
ted by no spirit OF scctonalism one way
or other, with no memories Of hostility
to cultivate but as impartial judges OF
what freedom demands at their hands,
and they say with US, Let us go forward
and make new delyerance for this ia.
tion. Cheors
"Mr. President, the resolutions that
have been presented to you cmbody very
fully and very forcbly the outlines of
those reforms which We labor to accom-
plish They cover many branches OF
the service OF the government. They
embrace the civil service, the revenue and
all the working of national machinery,
and they go further, sir, and strike at the
very heart OF that which must be the cen
trail figure and this great fight Of the fu-
ture, that is the centralzatlon Of the na-
tional government over al legal freedom.
1t is there that you have got to confront
your foe it is there that he is entrench-
ed it is there that he is surrounded with
all the appliances Of military support; it
is from that quarter that it is disscmnat
ing ideas that are demoralizing the pub
lie thought oCthe country, and teaching
il to roly not upon the people, not upon
their own local State or other assoca
tons for relief but upon the simple be
hest Of a central power and central au
thorty.
Nov sir, for one am certainly free
to say that do not fear that the liber-
ties OF this nation, in the present instance
and hour, will be wrcstod from them By
the will of any individual man, however
powerful ho may be, but ] DO fear that
if this is permitted to so on; this demor-
alizalion Of public sentiment; this teach
ing Of the people to acquicsec in, and
consent to, attractions of the national
constitution in violation Of the rights Of
the State; dominion by the national au.
thority Of all election control through
its hirclincs Of vice and party machin.
cry, that yon pave the way. for an incip-
ent despotism that may some day give
You bloody account of itself Have
we not seen already the effect Of this pow.
er in the nation since the advent Of West
Point to Washington City? Have we
not recognized how the military seryiee
has dominated the civil service? Have
we not seen the whole body of the civil
list turned into n body Of civil rctainers 7
Have we not seen the Senate Of the
United States dominated by single law
Have VIC not seen the house Of reprcsen-
tatiyes placed upon the pension listf
Loud cheers Have we not seen all
parts in the machinery Of the govern
ment so corrupted that tie question is
not with the people-whom will we
choose, but who is desired in Washing
ton? DO we not remember the edict
that went forth ia the State of Missouri
little more than one year ago, direct
from the White House, with the signil
cant remark, Show this to Eaton, Smith
and Newcomb? ? Loud cheering Have
we not seen the leading, the sole repre-
sentative Of one great element Of our
population, and certainly of great Gle.
meat Of Republican strength aliudo TO
our German fellow.citizens who have
but a single representative in the Senate