Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-02-09

For the Age.
-.Tnmnk God the People Rule"

'EEank GOD the People kNle.'
The common phrase Of every dem
gognc i'll every party.
Il salute the august majesty of the
people, says Gen. Banks. Shall the
people seize this power from the office
holders Uheir servants) and use it as
their lawful rights, and make this gov
eminent purely democratic, as intend
ed or go Oh with fulsom tlattery
from intriguing politicians, and let
them elect themselves; make their
own salaries, increase the army and
navy, build and repair public build
ings, appropriate millions Of the peo-
Pies funds for centennial and the like
purposes, and at time, toe, when the
people are verging towards bankrupt.
cy and reputation. Could the tax.
paying people realize that the capital
and White House and all their fixtures
and all public buildings, and repairing
and furniture, all public property, the
army, navy, lighthouses, post Offices,
court houses, and everything pertain
ing to the government was their prop
erty and should be nnder their care
and supervision, so much so as the
school houses in the district in which
they live. Should the people watch
and care for the government with the
same scrutiny that a Stewart, Peabody,
or an Astor have watched their bust
ness operations. how long would they
permit such eNtravaeant expenditures
as are going on at the Presidents man
snn ycarly' Read the exposure
made by u democratic member This
is only a fair representation Of all
other departments OF government.
Mr.. Knott Dem., KY, Chairman of
the Judiciary Committee, closed the de-
bate. Quoting the maxim in regard to Of
lccholdrrs, that "Few die and none re-
sign" he pictured the allurements of the
Presidential office as follows: A salary Of
$50, 900: q mansion sustained in style of
luxury that few persons dreamed of, fur
nished, repaired, and heated at an annual
expense of $25,000 with the very air
brcathcd there perlumed by rare eXotics,
propagated in $55, 200 garden house,
maintained at an annual expense of ST.
600; private secretary at $4,000 u year
to do the Presidents writing; two assist
ant secretaries ut $4,000 year to do the
work Of the private secretary; two clerks
at 81, $50 to do the work of the assistant
secretaries Laughter.) A steward Of
81, 900 to supply the Presidents table with
the choicest wines and the richest viands
that could tempt or satiatc his appetite;
with $4,000 Il year for books, periodicals,
stationery, kilograms, Ga comical pause)
other contingencies. What that meant he
did not know, but he thanked God for the
contingencies" daughter. If the
children of Israel sighed for he flesh pots
of Egypt, what must be the anguish of
sensitive soul when taking Il last long
farewell of such salary and luxuries. He
asked the gentlemen to go home to their
honest, hard-worked oyer-taXed constiu-
ents and tell them why four years was not
4 sufficient length Of time for any Ameri-
can citizen to enjoy such an Office.
What we want Is to economic, az
any corporate. body would do that in
tend to pay their debts, and have cred
it at home, and abroad. Our national
debt never will oe paid until the COM
mon people take the matter into their
own hands, and look after this gov
erDment with the same care they do
their own home interests. There new
er has breh SO good a time as at the
present. both parties being greatly
distracted and but little confidence in
themselves. Let the Democrats las
they have the right name) strike for
more radlca, democratic, practical
and mean it too. Presi-
dent one term only, and elected by
the people the Presidents power of
Of giving grandparents,
brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cous.
ms and lck-splttles, remunerative Of
fees without regard to capability.
Postmasters should be entirely under
the control of the people that patron
lie the office. Womans suffrage
should not DO questioned hese. The
party that strikes out thus will be sue
cesstul in bringing together the dis
satisfied ones of both parties who sup
ported Greeley in the last Presidential
campaign. NAru'L RANDALL.
MI 1Orn