The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-07-18
Hon, GARRISON ". Fotter's Speech.


The orator of the day was Hon. Clark /
son n. Potter, the present member of
Congress from the Tenth district of !
that State Mr. Potter is gentleman .
Of distinguished ability and admitted .
purity OF character, and If we had the
space we would willingly publish ms
entire speech as We find 1t reported IN
the New York World We can only /
afford room. however, for the follow
iDor ,,n,tion OF it. which Will command /.
General approval for the sound, prac-
fjcal views which it expresses:
..Whar then, shall we say Of the present
condition Of the United States? On every
hand IN Unprecedented material prosperity
prevails Tie 3 600 600 of people whose de-
claratiou We celehrate-then thiuly scattered
along the Atlantic sea-hOaTd-have grown
To be the a., 900, GOO of our day. But with
aud beyond all this marvellous prosperity
have We no real ground for alarm , Vastly
as we surpass our fathers in numbers and
wealth and power, are we not losing the
public virtue and the private worth which
adorned their lives? With our matul ed
prosperity has grown MP everywhere an in
satiable desire for riches and unbridlcd lux
ury and reckless extravaganza. In their
blind pursuit of wealth men have ceased to
consider how 1t was acquired, II only II
could be secured. On all sides greed and
councils, chosen to legislate for the weil-be-
ing of the people, are too often occupied
with private jobs and schemes OF plunder.
With what anxiety on the part of all honest
peopl" Is the meeting of a State Legislature
attended with what relief is its adjourn
ncut hailed, whether it he in our own State
or in the neiChhoriug sister States of Massa-
ChuSetts or Pennsylvania, whether the Leg
ISIaturc be controlled by one party or by the
other. In what great city are not taxpayers
subjected 10 plumber 10y unnecessary street
openings, unjust assessments, wasteful eN-
peuditure In connection with what public
Office is there not believed TO be ring" with
what patronage no secret gain While men
without principle seeking profit through pO-
litical organization ally themselves with the
dominant party of the momeAt, and call
themselves Republicans in Philadelphia or
. Democrats in New York in order TO WELD
the influence and control the patronage of
the party for personal and selfish ends, until
only now and then some hagrant enormity
raises temporary public Indignation, ard
they are driven, as these walls bear witness,
from the power they abuse and the shelter Of
tue names and the society they have out
ragged. Indeed. taruUE EhOUt q portion OF our
land larger than France, region which sub
mlttcd itself 10 our control nearly ten years
ago, and which has been the special subject
o.; the paturual attention of the Federal
GoNSTnmeut- which has been constructed
and reconstructed and even in fact Tc-re-
. constructed, 4 condition of public demOrali-
zaiicu prevails, which illustrates the results
of rule 10y the worst; in which chose having
. most TO suffer and 70 love, those most inter
ested IN the welfare and prosperity of the
section are shut out from its councils; in
which plundcr under the form of laT has
been so general and so tiagrantas to destroy
publlc credit and paralvZe even private en-
. erEy. Now, what shall we say OF these evilS2
Are they the fruits OF this much vaunted
system OF government OF ours, or do they re-
suit from other and natural causes which the
founders OF these governments did not fore
see and, therefore, could not have provided
against? And how far j. IL possible to over
come or 10 check these evils by any changes
IN our existing governments? ? These are
questions which IL seems to me demand the
( thoughtful, earnest, and diSpaSSIOuate con-
sideraUion of all citizens, and especially OF
all who concern themselves with political or
public affairs Hurried on 10y the cares and
; eNclteuents and necessities OF the hour We
/ have been content 10 adhere TO the forms OF
government our fathers established and.
ascribing to these forms a prosperity largely
/ the result o. natural advantages, have given
/ slght heed 70 the principles these forms
( were designed 10 carry ont, or 10 the changes
J in government which the altered condition
/ OF the country requires, but have gone on
discussing past issues till we find ourselves
: IN face OF demoraIization 80 alarming as 10
/ demand of us now at least to pause and con-
/ slider. During the past year OF war and re-
construction the Democratic party raised its
! voice for the rights of States and against the
/ Usurpations OF the Federal Government.
/ But that cry, though hard. was not needed
not because the people no longer favored
/ limited and localized government, but be
( cause the circumstances and the condition
/ OF the country were changed which the peo-
pie thought involved the nationality and SUI
( premary of the Federal Government. We
/ md curse yes, therefore, face 10 face this day
. with new situation. Our central Govern
. 1nent has 10y amendments, by construction.
t by assumption, but, above all, by the consent
ana VIII oi the people, absorbed all the Sui-
Stautial powers Of government. In poor
and sparse community just establishing
. government, a. this State was = century ago,
the local questions and private claims which
arise are Insignificant. But as the State
grows richer the opportunities for plUuder
IN the form oi grants, special privileges, and
franchises. in.1 rsaS.. aud the Inducements To
. corrupt legislation increase with these as--
rurdmEly- In New York men can find for
tunes 10y the mOUopolics Of ferries and roads
and streets its legislatures can grant The
power that legislature possesses To create
corporations. 20 authorize combinations. TO
grant privileges and confer special rigitsis
. ilr power To enrich ono man al the expense
oi the State Few sought such mouopolies
IN the early days OF the State because few
such mouupoliss were then valuable hut
BOW that such grants hav. become valuable
those ~ no seek them Doslr-C the legislature
for their giu. until !, has of late wears la
come q prey 20 SCurmers Tor private grants
and private gains. Those who seek su,h
grants not only seek 10 influence and to cor
lhlt lGc Legislature, but TO control IT, he
ginning with tho primaries they pur their
l"en forward, carrying them through their
'iElHa'lug conventions and sustaining them
a the polls, 50 that such members il elected
60 10 Albany, not 10 represent the people
but the loobcrs that elevated them. Every
year the number OF private acts increase
] hey number already uine-tenths of ne
whole legislation We have indeed irIst
seen a Legislature continuing to sit for fort Y
days beyond a legitimate session, without
any known or lawful compensation. because
oi the number OF its private bills. These
. evils are not confined 10 New York They
prevail In all the States where private legiS-
= l',l"n Is OF value and is permitted. Never
Hhui all this is completely changed until
Nv me fundamental law so much of legisa-
'ol as especially affects these localities is
tetr&ated TO the county and town authori-
!icSi until claims against the State can onl Y
% recovered through "A court of Justice until
the legislature Is actually stripped of tho
, power Of giving private grants and sneciai