The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-01-10

pSterished blood of a whole race
rheersi VINO can measure the length,
and breadth, and depth, ana heignt VI
Morton's good shepherd mission, out In inc the
Chinese purlleus OF the metropolis OF Sd4llOi-
mia? Laughter renewed. 80.
But Mr. Chairman. have an abiding 1alth
IN the sober second thought OF the American
people in a matter which Involves tns HIl -
ton of their institutions and the pefpetul'! ol
their individual liberties. This say OF tle
great mass OF my fellow country nenl wlthonil
reference TO their past or present poiltlcsL al
legiance. There have always Deen men PIVn1
inent in the management OIL pouucal
ORGANIZATIONS, who, without cnafac-
ter heart, conscience any decent
sense of responsibility, have cared for nothing
beyond their own selfish ends. There are a
few such restless, remOrseleSS spirits now IN
the senate OF the CniieG stses ar reSt. TO
go TO any length Of usurpatl0n rainier tnah
give up the lease of power they nave
ished and exasDerated pegOle will endure no
longer | do not believe there are many
such perhaps not moSs than pa 9 e2ied from
the high station they have 10 un-
worthily filed, by the stern ealcI
Of popular condemnation Wiser anu
better men, OF more enlarged, patriotic and
humapitarian statesInanshlp, VIII take tnelT
places. Nav we not believe sir, without 20
much as a shadow on our faith, that the ex-
allied and holy purposes ofthe founde-s OF inns
mai the conservation Of our country with the
baptism of fire and blood on 80 many 1elds OF
heroic sacrifice wiz be fully tuSSited In the
learn a. jefferson taught, that republic es-
tabIished by the people and for the people;
hatred of usurpation everywhere, may live
on and on, while monarchleS ana empires
shall rise and fall and pass away; lCheers.
the following declaration for your considera-
ton
Declaration of Principles.
Al the conclusion of Mr.. Hanna's remarks.
which were vocferOuSly applauded, Mr.. W.
W Woolleu read the following resolutions,
which had been draughted by the committee
and were adopted by the convention
THE RESOLUTIONS.
We, the conservative people of Indiana as
sembied in a state delegate convention, do
Thaf while a convention of the people for
deliberation touching The result of an election
long after IL has been held and the votes
counted is unusual, yet the emergency which
be denied that a formidable conspiracy exists
to falsify the vote of the people and impose
Whom they have not chosen. The mpin OBJ
iecis for which we struggled IN the pOlitlcal
contest of 1876 were The restoration OF good
government IN the southern states, puTeI
civil service, and the enforcement OF.
economy in all the the dePartm 1,tdnssst, Of
at the polls. Nearly q quarter of million
majority of the votes OF the people was con-
fsss.tilv cast in favor OF the reforms for which
We contended and for the candid 4tes represent
ing those reforms. This large majority of the
popular vote remains in our favor, even If the
Louisiana is permitted to stand. II the votes
of the electors fairly Apo nted by the people
OF either of these states shall he counted, Til
den and Hendricks will have a majority in
the electoral college. Shall they be so counted?
II is known that in each OF these states the
majority OF the votes actually east were IN
favor OF candidates for electors pledged TO vote
for Tilden and Hendricks, and thatupon the
face of the returns these electoral Candidates
were chosen.
In the state OF Florida the highest judicial
tribunal has virtually decided in a legal con-
fx4-fn rel
that state on tile question OF counting the vote
for governor, that said state had gwen a popu-
lar and legal majority in favor of the demo-
cratic electors, and yet said returning board
declared the vote in favor Of the republican
electors. and it il proposed to so count IL.
In Louisiana that majority was 50 large "a to
defy concealment or dental, but under the
sosT Which ong o renderd Itself nam
Gus, that majority has been reversed Shall
that reversal stand? Shall the decisions of the
returning board be stronger than the judg-
ment of the American people?
In the interest of justice and republican
government, we protest against the accept
ance of the notoriously mise judgment of that
returning board as conclusive evidence of the
elective will of the people of Louisiana.
IL is true in the highest affairs OF govern
meut as in the common transactions of pri-
vete life, that fraud vitiates every result into
which IL enters. Ifthe people are sovereign,
no powercan reverse their choice, and no mere
technicality can restrain their sovereignty.
ject the votes OF whole precincts or districts
on the ground of alleged intimidation Of
voters "A arbitrary, unrepublican and revolu-
1t is the duty of Just and efficient govern
ment TO prevent the intin idation of its voters
and TO restrain and punish all lawless persons
who would modest these voters or interfere
with the freedom of elections. But the Of
tenders only should be punished, and those
whose rights have been disturbed should not
suffer acknowledgements for the acts OF such Of
Tenders. We hold that no just power resides
In a free government to disfranchise whole
community because il may contain some law
less men, whose lawlessness ii is the duty OF
that government to restrain.
The returning board of Louisiana claims to
be invested with this dangerous and deSpotiC
power-a power which any absolute despoi
might envy-and that its exercise of thai
power is finai and conclusive. We denOunce
such an assumption of power by any depart
ment or institution of government as unjust
and tyrannical.
This returning board, which assumes TO hold
the sovereign power OF the state of lsOuisians
in the hollow of its hand this board, which has
repeatedly flsified the vote OF that state and
now proposes to subjugate the federal govern
ment to its despotic Will. is unrepublican in
its structure and in it's purposes. 1t is self-per
pet1ating, having power 10 Ill vacancies in
In III own numbers. Its duration has no pre-
scribed limit: 1t l. above the reach of law. fol
IL can count in its own law makers. Composed
as it is of men who have committed the high
est crimes against repub lean government
IL can perpetuats its deSpOtism at pleasure. IL
is wanting in bad feature of hereditary
Under the constitution of the United States
which gnrantees TO each state republican
government, such an Institution has no claim
70 recognition. 1t could not rightfully exist
even for the exercise of legitimate public
function.
II has arbitrarily rejected many thousand.
of the votes cast by the citizens Of Louisiana
which had been duly certified by the proper
returning officers. This act changed the gov
eminent Of that state, and was Intended Il
change the administration of the federal gov.
eminent.
To hold that certificates by such board of 6
result thus produced, is conclusive evidence
OF the VIII Of the people OF Louisiana, would
be a mockery and an Outrage upon the right.
of the people. A false government set upon
such technically would command no respect
and would deserve none.
hoo ri taH