The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-12-06

COnQltlOn IN lie, anu tneu see Win
what security they all enjoy free
thought and free speech, how all are
protected in life, liberty, the right of
possession, and the pursuit of happi-
ness, and how shame would cover US
as with mantle did we characterize
as perjurcrs, public robbers, specula-
tors and enemies of equal rights, those
human benefactors, the lnw.givers of
our nation, who thus guard our inter-
est and save us from the 'oppressor's
wrong In no other age or no other
nation could the broils and revolution
sry thunderings of the last year have
been silenced with such universal sat
isfaction. 1t was the work of the pat
riots and statesmen who to-day fill the
halls of our Congress, and merit all
the honors that men can bestow.
T lie denounced as the vilest repudia-
tors of the public debt, those who
were the authors and supporters OF
that bill which is to restore to silver
its monetary power. How is it re-
pudiation That bill only repeals an
act that passed since the contract of
the public debt had been made and
leaves the contract as il was when en-
tered into. What injustice is there in
that? Morton said it would do foul
injustice to the Government and the
people TO pay the public debt in diff
ferent kind of money than that first
contracted. Thad. Stevens said it
would be o swindIe upon taxpayers
Sherman said it would be eX,ortiop
! OH the part Of bOndholders 10 require
it. The Representatives OF the people
in Congress knew by the late elections,
by the resolutions of the people in
Conventions, what their constituents
required at their hands. By this act
they have only carried out the wishe.
and demands of the people. The in
terest and welfare OF the people re-
quired this measure. Edmund Burke
said in Parliament that sit is to the
property of the citizen, aud not TO the
demands of the creditor of the State,
that the original faith of society is
pledged. The claim of the citizen is
prior in time, paramount in title, SUI
perior in equity What did he pro-
pose for all the evils of the day2 Why,
that the right of the elective franchise
be withheld from tho foreigner, be ta-
ken from the ignorant and illiterate,
aud that those who wear the cloak of
Gospel ministry become the politicians
and Legislators of this Nation. That
is, to build up an aristocracy with an
intolerant priesthood at it's head. LIE:
the foreigner be the hewer of wood,
he said yes ; but don't let the preach
er be preacher, oh no let him be Po-
TENTATE! The preachers soliloquy
should run Il prayed, and talked,
and l exhorted, and l " ore long face
and made folks think I was good,
and knelt by the dying, and L gave
away in marriage, and 1 baptised in
fants, and 1 won an influence. And
then fOrsook Christ and took up pol
itics. And l taught my people to,and
did myself hate, land vilify, and SANDER,
and abuse, and insult and quarrel with
those who did not agree with me in
politics, And instilled discord, en-
Wy, anger, and wickedness into the
heart of the simple ones who were
to my charge
The dangers of Romanism in Amer
lea was also theme for his comments,
and he gave to that a political signif-
canoe. He said in effect that Roma1-
ism was destined 10 upturn and raze
to the ground the free institutions of
America unless some active measures
be mterposed to check its progress.
Does he mean by this to counsel war? T?
What other meaning can be given?
Let me say that Republicsnism in
America is implanted too deep in the
hearts Of the common people, Protest
ant and Catholic, native and foreign
born. to be plucted up by any priest
or power. Let the bulls of the Pope
below, let the Priestiy owls hoot, let
the church bats screach and flap their
wings, this people will be governed
by tolerant statesmen who believe that
liberty of conscience, freedom OF
speech and the press, separation OF
Church andStste are the peoples safe
and are among the cardinai
principles of . tree govern
With this assurance we can sac.
predict that our political ;abtic "'i:
I'm roi".s of seeming truth and trust.
Calm, sly dissImuiGtion;
And unsierdeath golden crest
Turks dirty defl.Ination.''
seek to alarm the people b, j terpr.
ing every commotion as the tnrebod
ing of the nations calamity aud the
destruction of civil liberty
Be not alarmed by the voice OF those
who rubbing the poor itch of their
opinion make them selves scabs, those
would be politicians who manifest a
dissatisfaction with their station in
life, and would rise to worldly dis:inc-
ton by destroying the peace of the
nation. those who counsel revolution
with the hope OF building up Church
upon the ruins of gov
ernment that has made and kept US a
free and prosperous people: those who
would declare war against Roman
Catholicism, free thought and free
speech and dismiss from the council of
the nation those who differed from
them in religious belief.
Turn deaf ear to the complaints of
the dissatisfied and unworthy, who see
no good in anything but self, respect
and honor the conservative patriots