The daily gazette., 1877-01-03

of others, thus destroying the indepen-
dence of the individual voter and dealing
mortal blow to that which is the very
corner of free governmental fair and
free ballot. 1t would place the people of
State inextricably in the power of the
party which controlled its government,
and the States at the mercy of the FEEDER
al dmiuistration,-we imperil both
the safety of the States and the liberties
| of the people, and ultimately end in the
| subvervion of free government on this
continent.
Recent occurrences indicate this to be
| the prevailing tendency of power, and
| demonstrate the necessity of a Jealous
and vigilant opposition to its further
increase or encroachments, and inculcate
| the wisdom of leaving to the people the
control of their local institutions and con-
Germs freed as much as possible from all
government connection and influence.
am gratified to feel that the action of
the General Assembly at its last session
was i'll full accord with these views. Ap-
| phcation was thenimade from each of the
three counties of the State for loans of
its credit in aid of certain railroad pro-
jects amounting in the aggregat eto a half
million of dollars. In behalf Of these
measures their respective advocates in
| voked every influence and employed
every argument and appeal calculated to
convince the judgment or enlist the SYM
pathies of the Legislature, but happily
without success. The members were not
unmindful of their solemn obligations to
the entire State and people, and hence
these local projects were forced to yield
to public policy and private interests to
the general welfare. The General As
sembly remembered that the State had
given valuable aid and encouragement to
the Delaware Railroad and thereby con-
fNtl NnxI 81
thoroughfare throughout the State for the
benefit and convenience of ALL that it had
loaned 100000 of its bonds in aid of the
construction of the Junction and Break
water Railroad, and 100000 of addi-
tional bonds to the Breakwater and
Franford Railroad, thus connecting
the main trunk line with the Break
water and Ocean, on the one hand.
with the railroad system of Maryland on
the other, and furnishing an outlet and
highway for the products and travel of a
very extensive portion of that section of
the State.
RETRENCHMENT.
Thoroughly impressed with the truth
of the views have expressed, / am firm
ly convinced that there should be careful
retrenchment in railroad projects, las well
as in all other business enterprises, with
view to speedy return to sound
business basis throughout the country;
that new railroads should not be CON
structed in violation of the plain laws
covering such enterprises, and that
| neither the money nor credit of the State
should be loaned in further aid of such
projects. L profoundly appreciate the
utility and value of all true improve
ment and progress in both private and
public concerns, and heartily smypathize
with the desire of any portion of our
people to improve and develop the re-
sources of their particular section. But
this must be done in accordance with
natural laws to be healthy and enduring,
and not fastened prematurely by the
forcing process. And while L am unal-
terably opposed to every manner of rail-
road injustice and oppression, and would
have them held to strict accountability
| by an injured people, am, nevertheless,
unwilling that, in the effort for redress,
we shall pursue a delusion which may
lead to improvident public Indebtedness
or irreparable private loss.
1t is of paramount Importance that the
| credit of the State shall be maintained at
| all hazards; and all attempts to augment
its Indebtedness by the further issue of
| bonds in aid of any railroad project
whatsoever, may justly be viewed rs ul-
| timately .jeopardizing its credit. If such
loans are to grow into n practice with
| each successive Legislature, the purcha-
sers of our bonds will soon take the alarm
and their depreciation must inevitably
ensue. Moreover, as the State must pri-
marily pay the interest on the loaned
bonds and afterwards look to the rail
roads for repayment, it compels rate of
| taxation for the purpose which might
| otherwise be discontinued to the relief of
| the taxpayer. And in the end, if finan-
cial disaster shall overtake these roads,
I No., .la 90
come permanent burden upon the State
and the tax payer. To point out these
! possible consequences is the constitution
al duty of the Executive. To avert them
| is within the legislative power and dis
cretion alone. But / deem il incumbent
upon me earnestly to urge the necessity
of steadfastly opposing every speculative
project which may result in additional
debt and taxation, or prove hazardous to
the credit of the State.
FEDERAL RELATIONS.
The recognition and careful mainten-
ance of the proper and mutual relations
of the governments of the several States
and the government of the Union, and
the cultivation of union and harmony
between them,is constant and patriotic
duty which is devolved upon every citizen
and more especially upon every one
holding official power under either.
| Events of late occurrence exhibit for
cibly the dangers to liberty arising from
a disregard of the relative duties and
powers, and the assumption of Federal
control over matters essential to the in
ternal affairs and domestic peace of the
States, and the necessity of checking
such attempts.
| The declarations of the Supreme Court
of the United States should always be re-
garded with respect, and are entitled to
be considered authoritative and binding
as definitive of the relations of the State
and Federal powers under our system of
government, and 1 respectfully cite its
latest utterances on this subject, made
since the adoption of the 18th, 14th, and
18th articles of amendment to the Con-
stitution.
In the case of The Collector rs. Day,
18th Wallace's U. S. Supreme Court Re-
ports 124, the Court say:
1T is familiar rule of construction of
the Constitution of the Union, that the SOW
ereign powers vested in the State govern
ments by their respective constitutions, re-
mained unaltcred and unimpaired, except
so far as they were granted to the govern
ment of the United States. That the
intention pf thp frnn1nrS of tho t,oncti