Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-07-07

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Of the people TO rescue the govern mont from the
greed Of the spoismen and from the grip OF the
corporate agencies. which modern Legislation
ouR RENEDY.
Organization. free discussion, then intelligent
action at the ballot box must be our weapons OF
pro.eft.cn ana astohs9 IN add,,Sn 20 snle ISl ro
strain the executive, legislative, and Judicial
functions Of the government and more clearly de
the functions now claimed by law and custom,
and constitution for our national, state and
municipal governments. we're denied them In
our organic law and all special legislation pro-
hibited by express provision Of the constitution
as also all authority TO- incur an indcbtednoss-
purpose teSes pt defensive wari beyond limit
cd per centage upon commerce aud value Of
taxable property, IN any state o. county, or
upon having government approaching more
nearly the the democratic idea. Denying ne
Dc the C, sst Of a. ,.o %"osiy
laturcs or county and municipal government,
to mortgage the toll and labor Of future genera
tOnE to enrich or beneht tho present. / can
confidently appeal to all who hear me. TO unite
In demanding OF their respective parties such
promises Of reform IN this respect. rs will give
Indebtedness without limit can be incurred and
special legislation Is to continue. with all the
the time Is not far distant in which this will
he happy country only TO those ,chO hare large
INCOMES md coWntyp Of sorroto for all IuhO labor.
NATIONAL REFoRMs SUGGESTED.
In addition to the constitutional limitations
already suggested, the new, century upon which
we arc about to enter will demand new and i'm
portant reforms in ever, department Of the
public service. We must hnvo n better admin
istration in all the Executive. Legislative aud
Judicial departments of National, State and
Municipal governments.
Aud first and most i'm portant Of all, we must
nominate and elect the President by n direct
vote of the people by ballot. without tho inter
vention OF eaucuses. conventions, Presidential
electors, or the House of Representatives.
Sccond-The veto power of the President must
be modified so that the Executive shall form no
part of the law.making power, and majority Of
Congress, aud at the time qualified, shall have
authority tO pass bill over the Executive veto.
President nm onportunity to secure n recousid-
oratnu nf any bill hastily passed By Congress,
and TINS secure all the check which it is safe or
prudent 10 give nn Executive, as restraint
upon improper or inconsidcrata legislation.
Third-Wo must have an honest civil service
reform, but this cannot be had, so long as eau
cuses aud conventions dictate for whom the
people shall vote for President and NIL officials
to be elected in the National or State govern
ments.
Fourth-We must have reform in the mode
and manner of conducting all popular elections
SO as TO secure more perfectly the purity OF the
allOt- box, but so long as the caucus System
(where ballOt-box stuihng was inycnted) is
maintained. such reforms arc i'm mpossible.
Fifth-We must have reform in National and
State legislation. but this cannot be obtained
without constitutional restraints substantially
such as have named together with the right
of the minority to Rn equitable representation
In all law.naking bodies.
Sixth-We must have reform in tho govern
ment Of all cities, So as to defeat ring manage
mont and ring plunderers, but this cannot be
without radical chnnges in our municipal codes.
Seventh-We want and VIC must have local
self government for local purposes, in every
State municipality. free from the intcrmcddling
of the National government, either through its
civil or military departments, recognizing only
NlaA NHf.WN faff I'm RfG nd
that of the Executive for repcilinR or SUPPRESS
ing force ms provided in the constitution.
tMSsS w bs earv gve in nav ~
we shall have u gnvgTlment free from the obvi-
ous and giarins defects Of the present agov-
ernment omhodying more nearly than any other
known In history, the perfection of the demo
cratic iioa-a government that shall mako lib
erty, equity and peaea a living fact.
rHK DurT or sEvEGY CITIZEN.
If democracy is 20 come during this century
in its fullness and completeness, as the fathers
of tho constitution contemplated it would come,
ere this wemusthavethese reforms, for the nation
cannot endure forever, the corruption and con-
spraci-s of corporate wealth, and the monOpo-
lies of the present. If we would faithfully
follow in the pathway which the men Of the
Revolution "binged OUT through our political
wilderness for US, we cannot afford to fold our
arms with indifference, and say that the gov
ernment may take care of itself. Nor should
any citizen attempt to escape his fair share of
the responsibility, but all must dedicate them
selves to the noble task Of vindicatiug the mem
stitution and sought to establish the trucst and
best government on earth, real ideal demo-
cratic republic.
wAsHISGroS AND LINCOLN.
While the century Just closed has given our
country many extraordinary men. men who
have been recognized leaders and benefactors of
the human race there are two names which stand
out with clearer diStinctncss than all the rest
and around which there will be forever a bright
err halo, names that will live rs long human
liberty is priced and humnn history is preserv-
I /,
tury two such illustrious names rs Washington
and Lincoln. One was the child Of fortune and
privilege, tho other the child of poverty and
toll; One is recognized by all the world as the
Father of his Country, the other will yet be
/ recognized by all us its Savior. One led US
| triumnhantly through the stormy struggle of
! our Revolution to Independence, the other
| brought Us safely through the dark and troubled
night of our Civil Strife to the haven of union,
| liberty and pence. Never before in human his
! tory did two men employ their great opportu-
! mites with more unselfsh herosm or consecrate te
! their lives to higher or nObler purpose. If the
| true greatness Of nation consists in the noble
! types of manhood which it produces, America
/ may, without undue boasting. present the
names of Washington and Lincoln As types OF
| men pre-cmineutly entitled TO mention among
! those who honor and adorn the worlds history.
| To honor such men and the cause they served,
and tO commend their example to the present
| and future generations patriotic rejoicing and
public demonstrations, corresponding TO our
| own. are taking place to-day, not only in all
| parts of our own country but wherever around
! the globe an American citizen may be wander
| ing and two or three can be gathered together
! beneath our radiant flag of stripes and stars.
! But naturally enough today the great heart OF
| the Nation. all who are Mt home and all who
| are abroad, turn to Philadelphia and tn old
| Independence Hall, whore more than = million
! of her children from all parts OF the Republic,
| from Virginia and the Cnrolinas. from Massa-
| chuSetts and New England, from the golden
| shores of the Pacific and from every State and
| Territory, with uncovered head are now gath.
! cred around the old homestead to offer up with
| reverence and gratitude their THANKSGIVING fol
! y restored Union, and to exchange pledges o
| fidelity for its enduring unity, prosperity and
peace. OF the material grandeur of the nation.
| which have risen and fallen much might be said
| had the time and you the patience. Then
material and martial glory. which for a time
/ dazzled the world with its splendor. might to-
day be contrasted with the true glory Of Amer
lea.
Greece and Rome. in succession. mistress or
| the land and on the sea, each rich. powerful
and luxurious, into whose laps the Orient
| poured its exhaustles treasures and built their
palaces and monuments which even now. while
| crumbling into decay, tell the story of thcil
greatness and grandeur more el0quently thar
| human words when clothed in the golden
| thoughts of master. Bat each in turn neg
| lerted, or rejected. the highest and best Interest
| of the state They made monopoly and privil
ege the rule, and disreglrdcd the rights and lib
critics OF the citizen by degrading AMI enslavina
their working men. They thus exalted the ma
tterial above the ideal and attempted TO make
%STs thH9 Tisht and in sG d"sn' sn
| ally wrought their decay and death. How
closely we ms a nation followed in the path
/ Nnlcn Lnty nNu LrOuuen IN wrong anu IN OlOou
you and l. alas know, to our shame and sor
row.
our REPUBLICS FUTURE.
With MS as with all nations history has beer
repeating itself. and SO we have learned tht
only
" Through weary march and binding tears
And passion boats an btttle's din,
The hoped for boon, for coming years,
So long delayed. is ushcred in"
And now, as we enter upon the new century
charged with obligations and higher
sponsihilitics, let each for himself. resolv
10 cuusecrate some portion of his life TO the no
bic work of preserving the unity and peTpetuit
and glory of his country. With heart and sou
let everyone write np0n the tnhlets Of his mem