The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-31
Gen. Garfield on the issues OF
the bay.

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The Hon. James A. Garfield, Of North.
ern Ohio, delivered speech on the Issues
ofthe day out at Cambridge on Tuesday
last. He was to have spoken at Bellaire
last night, but through some change Of
programme his route was diverted at
Cambridge in different direction.
In the Courseot his speech at Cambridge
lie vent over the entire ground covered by
the Issues peculiar to the present canvass
n0bio. lie indicated tho President from
the aspersionS cast upon him by certain
Democratic newspapers when they al.
lude to him IA fraudulently occupying
the Presidential Chair. Upon this point
he spoke, in substance, as follows;
never have believed in the old Dem.
ocratic doctrine Of State sovereignty, in
the sense in which they have taught it;
but II there be one right Of the States
which can 10 called sovereign it is their
right, under the Constitution, to choose
electors Of The President in their own
way, and to ascertain and declare whom
they have chosen. When party advan.
tagC was to DO gained, the Democracy in
Congress were ready to abandon their
doctrine Of State sovereignty and make
Congress National Returning Board to
revise and reverse the action OF any State
they saw fit. II this opinion had pre-.
vailed, the power 10 choose n President
would have passed from the control Of the
States, where the Constitution placed it,
into the hands Of Congress, to be the
sport Of political parties and fac
tons. Though the Tribunal was
created by an overwhelming vote
OF the Democrats in Congress, and
was empowered 10 decide the ques.
ton, yet when that decision was reached
II majority Of that party sought by every
means in their power TO prevent the com.
pletion Of the count, and to plunge the
Government into chaos, perhaps into
civil war. The country will never forget
the debt Of gratitude It owes to small
band Of patriotic Democrats from the
South (mOst Of whom had borne arms
against the Republlc) for the opposition
they made to the revolutionary action Of
the Democratic leaders. 1t is true that
they were aided by few Northern Dem.
Ocrats, but it IS chiefly TO the courage
and patriotism Of these Southern men
that the country owes its rescue from an
aTchy and strife Of the most dangerous
character.
Rutherford B. Hayes is President BY
the sanction OF the Constitution and laws
OF the country. He is President by the
votes Of Electors chosen and declared to
be snGh according to the laws OF the sew
eral States; and il fair and pcaceable
election had been held throughout the
South he would have received the Elec.
toral vote Of several States which were
carried for Tilden only because violence,
intimidation and fraud prevented the
free expression Of the popular will.
A considerable portion Of Gen. Gar
fields speech was, Of course, devoted to
financial affairs, and to u historical ex-
PLANTATION Of the legislation OF Congress
up TO this time on the much talked Of
silver question. lie referred 10 the fact
that in 1872 the Democracy had declared
in their National platform that IA speedy
return to specie payment is demanded
alike by the highest considerations Of
commercial morality and honest govern.
ment," and yet went back on this record
in the late Columbus Convention by de.
claringin favor OF "the immediate repeal
Of the resumption act" Abiding further
to this inconsistent financial record, he
said
When greenbacks were needed to suS-
tain the Government in putting down the
rebellion the Democracy denounced them
as unconstitutional, and said they would
go forth with the brand OF Cain, the curse
Of irrGdeemability upon them. During
all those years, when the greenback was
necessary to the National life, it was an
oilense to the Democracy. Now they ia.
vOr its retention "as the beat money we
ever had"
Such absurdities and contradictions
can only be accounted for by the fact that
the Democracy has no principle left, ex-
cept to assail the Republican party and to
catch the shifting breezes Of popular IA
vor in order to gain power. Every effort
OF the National. Administration to pre-.
serve tho public credit and fulfill the Ma.
tional promises by bringing its notes to
par with coin, has been met by obstruc-
ton and assault from the Democracy;
but, worst of all, they have sought to
make party capital out Of public distress
by pretending that the efforts Of the Gov
eminent to improve our currency are in
furious TO the interests Of business and to
the rights Of the laboring man. The
plain fact is that deprecated paper
money has done more 10 destroy business
and injure the prosperity OF this country
than all other causes over which the Ma
tioual Government has any control. The
heaviest evils OF all fall upon the labor.
ing man. Daniel Webster never uttered
greater truth than when he said, "0f
all contrivances for cheating the labor
ing classes Of mankind none has been
moro efIeCtual than that which de-
ludes them with deprecated paper
money! This is, the most eiIectual Of
inventions to fertilize the rich mans field
by the sweat OF the poor mans brow.
Ordinary tyranny, oppression, excessive
taxation, all these bear lightly on the
happiness Of the mass Of the community,
compared with n fraudulent currency
and the robberies committed by depreci.
ated paper" The great statesman is jus.
titled in the Use OF this strong language,
and for this reason: A tluCtuating and
uncertain currency dcranSes all values;
audi rise Of prices caused by initiation
Of the currency, the wages Of labor are
always the last to rise. In 1866, when
the average OF prices OF all commodities
had risen ninety per cent above the old
peace basis, the wages OF labor had risen
but sixty per cent. A days labor would
purchase but two.thirds as many Of the
necessaries Of life as it would before the
war. Again, when prices 1.-THE laborer
suffers most. No class OF our citizens;
therefore, should rejoice more than the
labbriDg nion.to see the value OF the dol.
lars they receive for their labor incrcas.
ing till they become fixed and stable, at II