Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-01-08

ACOnmehu TINS subject 70 the consideration
Of the General Assembly, and hope tnat AT
the present session law viii be passed which
Will protect the Just rights of all in this regard
and at the same time guard against the
possibility offrauds upon the elective franchise |
in this State.
These suggestions are made from no desire
to see any one legally entitled to vote deprived |
OF his right to do so. On the contrary, while /
believing that the elective franchise has been
unwisely extended to the negro race, and |
that the experience Of the country will at no |
very distant DAY prove the folly Of such exten |
sion, desire to see all protected In every right
conferred upon them by law. This duty, |
however, Is not more imperative than the
obligation to guard against the preparation |
OF frauds, such as In some States of the Union |
nave brought reProach upon our elective sys-
TEN OF government.
FEDERAL RELATION.
The relation of theS State to the Federal gov
ernment givestO our citizens an interest in the
administration of Federal affairs. It may
not, therefore, be inappropriate to refer TO
such action Of the general government as
touches the interest and affects the welfare
OF the people OF this as we'll as other States of
the Union. AS citizens of q common govern
ment, we share in the protection which It Sc
cure, and are compelled to BEAR in part, the
burdens which it imposes.
The economical administration of the govern
ment is matter in which all have a direct inter
than necessary, all have a right to insist upon
| their curtailment. The interest upon the public
debt must be paid, and the principal ought to be
diminished by proper gradual reduction. Be-
yond this, the expenses should not exceed the
/ absolute wants of an economical administration
| of the government. In my opinion the people of
the country are contributing at least one hundred
| millions OF dollars more for the support of their
government than they should be required to pay.
The citizens of this State have to bear their full
share OF this unnecessary burden. They are pay
ing, annually, into the Federal treasury, by indi-
rect taxation in the shape of duties upon import
| ed goods consumed and in internal revenue taxes,
not much less than one million of dollars While
| this amount may seem small, as compared with
amounts paid by larger States, it is, nevertheless
| a heavy drain upon the resources of our people
ut least double the amount required for the sup
Il port OF their own local government. The bus-
ness OF this State is principally agricultural and
the protrs it Affords at the low prices which have
prevailed for some years past for such products,
Il extremely meagre. Whatever diminishes unne-
cessarily those profits is felt as an oppressive
burden, because It takes from the people part
OF that which Is necessary for their support and
comfort. The duties paid upon imported goods
consumed arc not only onerOus but many OF them
unjust. The tariff rates are adjusted more for the
protection of certain interests in the country than
to meet the wants of the TREASURY; and the people
of this, as well as other States not only paying
large amount of taxes for the support of the
government, but n heavygtribute to the manufac
turing interests of the country. These eXactions
are rendered the more oppressive from the low
prices of agricultural products, and the curtai
ment OF accommodations from the banking insti
tutions of the State The circulation of our State
banks has been destroyed, and their ability to ac
cOmmodate diminished by the National Banking
Il System established by Congress. The National
banks, limited as they must necessarily be in any
agricultural community in the amount of theil
!, capital and circulation, afford less accommoda
tions than heretofore furnished by our State
banks. The consequence has been not only to
lessen the ability of our citizens to paw the Cxac
tions of the general government, but also greatly
to diminish the value of real property within th
IState. However we'll adapted the National bank
! ing system may be to meet the wants of CONNER
cial communities and the money centres of tn
! country, experience has proved that 1t furnishe
to the rural portions of the country far less ad
yantages than the State banks which it has super
seded.
. Injufiously, however, as the material intsres
9 OF the people may have been affected by the &C
tion OF the general government, it is a matter Q
far less consequence than the danger to be appre
q hended from the assumption of power by Con
t gress over the rights which the people have here
q tofore enjoyed under their local institutions.
. would be folly to ignore the fact that the State
}, of this Union do not now exercise the powers re
II served to them by the Constitution as framed an
interpreted by the fathers Of the republic. Grad
ualy, but not lmperceptaby, the barriers, again!
| lcentralization Of power and the safeguards
civil liberty have disappeared, until 1t would
Q difficult to fix limit to the powers claimed an
2 exercised by the Federal Government With
z the last few years We have haen the dismembe
d ment of State by congressional action. W
x have witnessed the overthrow of State govern
t. menH and the substitution of military authorii
le the most absolute and despotic-the right OF loc
self-go1ernment III some Of tho States denied, al
v the liberties OF the people made dependent {
g the tenure OF congressional pleasure. The qua
A hcAtions of electors have been determined
n sovereign states without their consent and again
le their protest, and local officers held amenable
10 Federal Law for the manner in which they pc
2 torin the duties prescribed by State authority
and now, in time, Of psace, the legally co
stituted authorities Of q sister State are sIrppV
t. OF the robes Of Office by the mandate of q sung
II Iiudge OF an inferior Federal court. and bog
10 lgoVeTnment maintained over the State by the =
h tent influence of Federal bayOnets. Thesa usu
= pations cannot long continue, If the people Wou
Is preserve their liberties and the blessings inten
ge ed to be secured by local self-government. II
se condition Of affairs in Louisiana to-day Is bU
lis lesque on free institutions and q reproach to
IN American name, and II continued may become
precedent for fuythar. aggresaons upon the rigl
n. Of other States, and lsadto the permanent esta
IA lishment of despotism over the land. Let
ia however, indulge the hope that our free instit
"A tions are not to perish, that the madness OF
~ hour that seppS 20 threaten the liberties Of I
nv people will speedily pass away, and renewed
~ tachment to local sslf-government be impeFisl
III bly, onhArined6n $As hearts Of our eonn!!yms
al DOvER. January Z, 1873.