South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-09-22
NATIONAL POLITICS. ;.
Republicm Extravaganza E:rposed.
NECESSITY FOR REFORM.
And Change Of Administration.

NECESSITY FOR REFORM.
And Change Of Administration.
Extracts from o. Speech of
Hon. Henry G.. Darts.
Before the Tilden d Hendricks Club at
Keyser. ". "a, Saturday. Sept. 2, 1876.
Your presence here, the formation OF
this club, and the interest the people Of
this county take in political affairs, in
dictate they are in earnest, and are tho.
roughly in harmony with tie great re-
form movement inaugurated by the Dem.
ocratic party throughout the State and
country, which if followed up must in.
sure success which never seemed so
necessary to the future welfare OF the
people and the government.
The approaching Presidential and the
State campaign is one Of the greatest
Importance and the country appears to
realize the fact. On it hinges far reach.
ing results. The outlook for tho sue.
cess of the Democratic party on which
depends the restoration of Government
TO its original landmarks is mos. encour.
! aging. And unless there is repetition
Of federal interference in the South, OF
bayonet rule, and heavy expenditures
of Government money in some Of the
large cities Of the Union to influence
votes, fair election and success is as.
sured. The people appreciate that they
are not only called upon TO decide pen.
ding issues but must say whether or not
in the future Capitalization, personal
Government, extravaganza, corruption
in Office, shall continue, the existence
and practice of which by the Republican
party has not only brought the Govern.
mcnt almost to the verge Of disgrac c,
but imperiled the liberties Of the cou H.
try because Capitalization and evils
that follow ia its train, have preceded
and mainly caused the downfall of all
former republics. The two great parties
are nearly equally divided. They are
to measure strength.
To my mind the Democratic party
represents the cause of the people, the
Government in its purity and the great
| principles upon which it was founded,
honest, administration of public affairs.
economy, retrenchment, and reform on
the other hand the Republican party
represents all that is destructive of good
Government by the people, extrava.
gance. Capitalization, corruption, and
destruction of states and state lines,
and ultimately the liberties of the PEG
| pie rs guaranteed by the constitution
The contest is unequal. On the side
of the Republicans. party, there arc 100,-
| 600 Federal Office holders and en-
| ployees, fighting for official existence,
whose leaders have not in the past and
| who will not in the future hesitate TO
use the whole patronage of the Govern
ment to promote the success Of their
cause. The honest and prudent will
| give these facts due weight, and when
considered it becomes clear that the
Democratic party is called upon for its
best efforts and best exertions in the i'm.
| pending struggle, and it's members if
succeed must watch and work from now
until November with unceasing energy
and vigilance.
| THE CONDITION OF TIE COUNTRY,
without cXaggcration, is alarming. Re
! form is the watch.word and remedy.
The Republican party has had control
Of the Government for the last sixteen
years, four of war, twelve OF peace and
in these twelve years since the war
closed in 1865, what has it accomplish.
ed? Nothing in the way of progress
and prosperity nothing in the direction
Of curing the sad results Of the war and
restoring peace and harmony between
/ the different sections of the union;
nothing toward reform and honest Gov.
ernment. But on the contrary, every
! step has been backward. and the coun.
/ try has gone with rapidity from bad to
worse until we find ourselves almost at
the lowest depths Of despair and fnan.
/ cal distress rs people and Lation -
/ during this period, Capitalization aud
consolidation Of power in the general
Government has made alarming strides
! constitutional liberty has suffered the
! right Of states and individuals diminish.
/ ed whole State Governments inaugu.
rated by the people under the constitu-
! ton have been overturned by Federal
force, and Governments sustained by
military power sustitutod faithful, ef.
/ ficient and honest officers violently re-
moved from the public service and their
places generally filed Ivy narrow parti-
sans, taxes increased, officers multi
piled, corruption and extravaganza in ev.
cry branch orthc Government has grown
30 large proportions; our financial af.
fairs arc in confusion, managed for the
most part in the interest OF the bond.
holders the Treasury Department has
been invaded and without authority Of
law figures. reports, statements and rec.
ords officially made have been arbitrari.
ly changed, after they have stood in
many instances more than thirty years
and been accepted and acted upon as
accurate and corrupt, by reason OF which
the pubic debt has been increase d hun.
dreds OF millions, the expenditures
many millions, and the revenue decreas-
cd "a many more. Indeed very little