Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-11-01

whole country would become insane on
constitutional liberty. They should be
aroused to it. If the people could see
as their fathers had seen, things would
be different.
He then spoke of the
INCREASE OF PLUNDERING
and the people being taxed to subserve
the interest of particular classes. This
injustice applied to both the federal
government and States. He wished it
were possible to have an amphitheater
constructed to seat all the people Of the
country, so that when the curtain was
drawn they could see what was going
on. There would then be such a reac-
ton as was never felt or heard of before.
But it might be said this was all talk;
we can carry the elections. How carry
them While heavy taxes were being
laid upon the people the ballot-box was
corrupted or degraded, controlled by
money in the hands of those who are
not the peoples friends. a great deal
had been said about
C.ESARISM,
He never was partisan in politics or q
fanatic in religion The world was his
home and every honest man his brother
In the language Of Burke, the eminent
British statesman, "When bad men
combine for corrupt purposes the time
had come when good men should com
bine to resist encroachments on the con
stitution and country" Let the good,
honest, and pure men associate IN q
common cause to resist all encroach-
ments on constitutional liberty. He
knew there were societies called gran
ges, but beyond this he did not care If
they would only take under their con
troll the state and national governments,
and administer aud preserve them for
the interests of the people. To this he
would say amen, so be 1t.
MIR. JOHNSON on FINANCES.
Mr.. Johnson then branched off on
the subject of finance, advocating gold
and silver as the constitutional currency,
withdrawing all national bank notes
and issuing for them greenbacks, to be
received in paymen: of all government
dues. He maintained that by this means
we could return to specie payments.
The idea that there was not gold and
silver enough for this purpose was an
absurdity. But what was now the mat
ter The banks have suspended. 1t
used to be that banks suspended be
cause they had not the coin to pay, but
at present the banks suspended because
they are deficient i'll paper money.
Banks, brokers and corporations could
all suspend, and there was no way to
reach them. There was one portion OF
the people that couldnot suspend, name
ly, the tax-payers-the producers of the
country. The spectators could sus
pend with millions. There were two
things certain-death aud payment Of
taxes. Laughter He was in favor
of a revolution being brought about in
public sentiment, and instead of the
ballot box being degraded and corrupt
ed, he wanted the ballot box elevated
and purified.
WALL STREET GAMBLING.
Abiding to Wall street, he said ten
millions of dollars pass during the day
from one hand to another. Capital was
not increased by this, nor was anything
added to the products of the country
Wall street was demoralized by such
proceedings. When nation, like an
individual, sins, the violation of the law
brings punishment, land it was now time
we should return to the old landmarks.
The time had come when war should be
made on monopolies, the scrambling for
money, land, and the treasury.
AS general thing the people did not
seem to be alarmed about third presi-
Dental term, and by apathy many ma
ton had lost its liberty. Power is pass
ing from the great mass to few.
TIE PRESIDENTIAL TERN.
Mr.. Johnson then spoke i'll favor of
the election of a President for single
term of six years, making Senators elcc-
tive by the people, and dividing the
Judges into three classes, each class to
be elected at the time of election Of a
President. This. he thought, would do
away with the corruption by which
some Senators buy their seats.
But what kind of government had
they now ? A Stateocracy-the power
of the army. Was it not time for the
people to improve their government,
which was to preserve the people in the
enjoyment Of their liberty and private
pursuite But the converse of this
was now the practice which they wit
messed every day. When he was here
in the position of President there was a
majority of two thirds in Congress, ard
everybody thought that what these two
thirds did was constitutional and right.
Suppose when Congress meets next
December some man of influence should
get mp and introduce preamble as tol-
lows:
"Whcreas the situation Of public af-
fairs is uncertain and critical, and where
as the liberties of the people arein great
danger, and whereas something Is ne
cessary to be done to make them more
stable therefore resolved that a b or
C be, and is hereby declared President
for the next ten years, until the troubles
and difficulties OF the country shall sub
side"
Suppose this should be passed; how
easy it would be to follow
TIE EXAMPLE or NAPOLEON,
uho e1ected President of France for