Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-06-27
Ut Iuc DULLETIN.
A Platform for the PEOPLE.

"We, the people of the United
States, in order to form more per.
feet union, establish justice, to in
sure domestic tranquility, provide
for the common defence, promote
the general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty for ourselves
and our posterity, do ordain and es.
tablish this constitution"
We clearly see from the above
text the object Of the Constitution of
the United States. 1t clearly sets
forth the idea that the people are
the government, and they should
claim it theirs by right to govern,
as the language Of the Declaration
of Independence, the great and
glorious platform upon which this
government was founded, declares,
"That all men are created equal,
and endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable rights, and to Sc
cure these rights governments are
instituted among men, deriving their
Just poacers from the consent Of the
governed, and that whenever any
form of government becomes dc.
structive Of these ends it is the
right Of the people to alter or abol-
ish it." This is the language of our
forefathers, who, in framing the
constitution, reserved for us, their
posterity, these sacred rights and
privileges, thus leaving it in the
hands of the people to mould and
fashion the laws of the land. But
alas, we feel and see too plainly that
shrcwd, wire.working politicians,
have gained the ascendcncy, and
are using every means in their pow
er to drive, scare, or coax men from
taking any steps toward reformation
outside Of party. Our legislators
and party leaders have abused the
confidence of tho people beyond
measure. Our present Congress
was solely elected upon the grounds
Of reform and retrenchment, and
what have they done: increased sal
aries at time when the nation was
burdened with debt and the people
grooming under taxation, and ground
under the iron heel Of monopoly.
This is party retrenchment. Now
we claim that it it was wrong and
unjust to vote an increased salary,
it certainly was wrong to appropri-
ate money wrongfully, and if it was
wrong and unjust to appropriate it,
all the law in the world cannot
make it right, and any congressman
using it is using money obtained
through injustice, and is governed
by the principle that might make
right the one that Captain Jack fully
embraced when he murdered the
innocents.
God forbid that we should sit still
and do nothing any longer. Let cv-
cry man arise in his dignity and be
a free man; thus doing away with
all parties which have ever been a
curse to any nation or people, caus-
ing division. strife, war, and blood
shed. Yet some will claim it neces-
sary to have two great political par
ties, in order that they may hold
each other in check, and purify the
government. Now this is a false
idea, and originated in the region
of darkness with the enemy Of all
that is good, and if adhered to will
break down Kingdoms and destroy
Republics, for it is written, "a
house divided against itself cannot
stand" but "In Union there is
Awake then, o ye peo-
pie, put on thy strength, for "Unitcd
we Stand, divided we Fall"
The time has come when we
should discard party and party feel
ing, and, with the voice of one man,
proclaim in thunder-tones that will
shake the very foundations Of mon.
opoly and party spirit, that we will
not be ruled by political dcmagogucs
and mental monopolies any longer,
but in the name of the people we
will see to it that none but men of |
tried principles shall have our fran
chise. We demand less salaries,
consequently less taxes and less la
Dor; therefore more time for i'm
provcmcnt and mental culture, that
we may be prepared to think, act,
speak, and vote intclligently, regard
ess of party; putting tho right man
in the right place. Then let our
motto be: "Union; peace Oh earth
md good will toward all men,"
BYRON, June 20. E. G. b.