The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-08-12

party, its long and unDroken existence
its many years Of unsurpassed usefulness
in power, its fortitude and perseverance
in minority and its nndying faith that
il is again destined to rule and IT, shape
the destiny of the nation. 1t is not a
party, my friends, TO be abandoned for
transitory causes that suddenly arise and
as suddenly pass away. Its foundations
are too deep, its principles too closely in
terwoven with the very nature of men TO
permit its dissolution 80 long as free gov
ernment shall exist. And without 1t free
government in fact, whatever might be It's
name, would soon cease itself to exist,
Democratic principles are the very life
blood of free institutions-without them
freedom would have no place on the
earth.
THE DANGER OF GENERALIZATION.
Passing to the subject of Capitalization
Mr., Thurman reCited the unlawful inter
ference of the Federal authorities in
Georgia, Louisiana and Arkansas, contin-
uing And now if there is any one here
who has disbelieved in the danger of
Capitalization, who has regarded what
has been said about it as the mere clap
trap of a demagogue, the dream Of a Wis
ionary or an exercise of a rhetorician, |
pray him, in view of the facts | have
stated, and of many more of like import
that might be stated, and of the utteran-
ces, at first cautious and faint, but now
bold and outspoken, of the most eminent
and influential of the Radical leaders, to
review his opinion, and seriously and
conscientiously consider the question. rs
there no danger?' Why, what is the in
terpretation placed upon the Constitu-
ton, and especially upon the fourteenth
amendment, by the leaders of the Re-
publican party? Freed fro n all verbiage
and ambiguity, it amounts simply to the
assertion of a supreme power in Congress
over every subject that concerns the lie,
liberty or proberty of any person within
the United States; in other words, over
everything that is the subject of Jaw; this
monstrous proposition, which, if carried
into execution, would loave no reserved
rights or sovereignty whatever to the
States, is the doctrine daily taught by
men standing in the very front rank of
Republican teachers The time was when
every statesman and jurist in the land,
of whatever political party, taught the
doctrine that the Federal Government
possesses no powers but such as are eX-
pressly or by necessary implication con-
ferred upon it by the Constitution that
it is sovereign only in respect to these
delegated powers, and that all other SOW
ereignty whatsoever remains with the
States. The consequence of that doc
trine was that Congress could exercise
no power unless it could be found dele
gated to it in the Constitution and this
was the doctrine of all parties and shades
of parties in the country from the fOrma-
ton of the Constitution down to 1851,
But in practice the very opposite of this
true doctrine has come to prevail, and
the Radical majority in Congress has for
wears acted upon the theory that Con-
gress can exercise any jurisdiction, pass
any law that the Constitution does not
expressly forbid it to exercise or pass
Under this new Interpretation it has
enacted law after law for which no dele
gated power can be found in the Consti-
tuition, and has thus assumed to be the
absolute sovereign in all things of the
States and the people. And here let me
earnestly warn you, my friends, not to
suppose that because the framework OF
the State Governments may remain, the
rights of the States and the people will
also be preserved. The republican forms
of the Roman Commonwealth lasted for
centuries after every spark of liberty had
been extinguished, and the sole deposi-
tary of power was single man. And SO
the forms of State government might re-
main with us after everything of sub
stance and reality had passed away, and
every important power of government
had been usurped by the Executive and
Congress of the United States. Tie
greatest question, then, that ought to en-
gage the attention of the American peo-
pie, the question that far transcends in
importance and overshadows all others,
is: How can we preserve our free repub-
lican system and Constitution how per-
petuate that complex yet wonderfully
wise scheme of rule, by which the pow
ers of government are divided between
National Government, on the one hand
exercising certain delegated powers that
concern the whole Republic, and State
Governments, on the other hand, control
ling all purely local and domestic con-
Germs? Upon the maintenance of this
system depends the perpetuity of the
Union, the character and beneticence of
the laws, and the peace, prosperity and
liberty of the people. To repeat what |
have said on former occasion: without
our system of States the Federal Govern
ment would never have existed; without
them it could never have extended from
ocean to ocean without them happy,
contented, free and prosperous people
would never have been our boast. And
whenever they shall cease to exist, or
shall become but name, the foundations
of the Republic will have crumbled away
and the structure they supported will
hasten to its fall"
FRATEREAL FEELING.
Intimately connected with the subject
/ have been considering is the question,
GLOW shall we best promote fraternal
feeling among the various sections of the
Union?" That such feeling is highly |
important to the material prosperity Of
every section is quite apparent, and that |
it is still more important to the mainten-
ance of the Constitution and the preser-
vation of the Union is equally true. The
most obvious and efficient course to pur-
sue is that of perfect justice and impair
tiality, as far as they are attainable. If |
the laws favor one section at the expense
of the others, if they degrade one section
below the standard of right and dignity !
that belongs to all, discomfort among
those who are thus injured in their pros.
perity or wounded in their feelings must
necessarily exist, and respect and aifec-
tion for the Government and love for the
Union must necessarily be weakened.
This important truth has, in my opinion,
been too much disregarded by our radi-
cal rulers since the close Of the civil war,
and the sooner their errors are rectifed
the better will it be for the welfare of the
people and the perpetuity of the Repub-
lie. Our laws of Federal taxation, both
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