The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-08-14
LETTER FROM EX-GOVERNOR PALMER.

Ex-Governor Palmer, in "A letter tc T..
l.. Merritt. Secretary Of the Democratic
State Central Committee. says that. though
il is impossible for him TO be in Chicago on
the 10Th. he will take the liberty 10 make
few suggestions.
He says the party which now holds pos
session of the Government il so complete
w under the control of mere political man
ayers and their adherents that hereafter its
formal platforms will declare any form of
political doctrines 10 be Republicanism
which will catch votes and repudiate the
soundest and best established truths when
ever and wherever they may happen 10 be
unpopular The letter continues:
Ii cannot and will never again submit To
the country an honest, frank and well de-
fined platform of principles. 10 would
have gone to pieces during the last session
of Congress but for the agreement that
everything in craftsmanship and politics
should thenceforth be regarded as nom
essential, and il must be apparent that
what is known rs the Opposition have as
vet determined upon no common grounds
of action. Nor do suppose 1t to be pos
sible now TO present TO the country a
declaration of principles upon which all
opposed to the party In power can agree.
Ii Is true every citizen must perceive, in
the recklessness and extravaganza of Con-
gress. and in the corruptions which dis
grace almost every department of public
service. and in the encroachments of Con-
gress and the federal judiciary upon the
people, and their contempt for the limita-
tons of the Constitution, occasion for
alarm. but the difficulty to be surmounted
is to find some basis of union which will
enable the people TO cooperate for the
In t,tI. a,,I
can be secured In but one way. and that
is to 30 before the country upon
declaration of principles that shall be frank.
unevasive and true, and which shall by its
plainness carry the proof with which IL is
presented. As the finance of the country
l. the subject of deep interest. let IL speak
out frankly for an early return To specie
payment. for the honest discharge of the
public debt in coin, and denounce the
specious but delusive idea of discharging
any portion of the obligations of the Gov
eminent In irredeemable promises. The
people of the United States are engaged in
a contest with the great corporations that
have monopolized the carrying trade, and
through appropriate agents State Govern
ments are attempting 10 compel them TO
submit to rules of reason and Justice. while
corporations have attempted To escape TO
the jurisdiction of the United States.
Weary of restrictions imposed upon them
by public law and charters granted by
StateA that ask the intervention Of Con-
grcss and federal courts. II Congress can
be induced. under the specious prcteNt Of
aiding i'm the construction of trunk lines,
10 engage in the creation of railroad cor
porations, at no distant day, State charters
will be abandoned for organization under
federal law, and the whole subject of rail-
road control will pass beyond the author
ity of States.
A platform should reassert the authori-
" of the States to regulate their own
affairs, and the authority of Congress
TO interfere with their internal affairs
should be denied. Taxation is at once
a necessity and a burden In civilized
government. Taxation can only be jus
titled when imposed for public neces-
sity. The people Of the United States