The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-08-20
ORDINARY ExPENDIruREs, LESS PENSIONS
$1.104. 192,S3S

$l.lU4. 10000 {
Average annual expenditure, s143,456119. ,
Expenditure, per capita, 30 45.
All these figures are derived from Of.
fetal sources, and it appears by them that I
the average annual ordinary expenses Of :
government in seven years Of Democrat. !
ic rule were S61, ,554, 400, while the like i
average annual expenses in seven years I
of Republican rule were $143, ,456, ,119, :
being an average annual excess under
Republican administration of $S1, 1,901,.
TO. +
And the excess cannot be explained
by the increase of population, for the ex
pense per capita In the seven Republican
years was s., As, while In the seven Dem
ocratic years it was only 81, ,94.
Nor CAN'T be explained'as necessarilyre-
sulting from the war; for, as Ihaye said,
have excluded from the comparison
expenses causedb it, namely, pensions,
public debt and interest thereon and the
first of the seven Republican years have
taken was the third year after the war.
8. Ofthe corruption that has brought
disgrace upon the Republic and furnish
ed the advocates Of despotism, the world I
over, with arguments against popular
government, it is not necessary for me to
speak in detail Unfortunately for the
credit ofthe nation, the instances are so
notorious thata bare reference to them
brings forth o picture from which the |
mind turns with loathiug and Indignation
The Credit Mobilier, the Pacific Mail,
the Belknap trial, the villainies ofthe Gus
tom House, the straw bids Of the Post
Office, the Indian and Whisky rings and
the long list OF defaulters in every depart
ment have become matters of history,
and attest too clearly Tor controversy the
need of reform. But no substantial re-
form, you may rest assured, will take
place so long as Republican rule shall
prevail. The evil is too deep-seated to
be reached by anything short OF an entire
change of administration.
But, fellow citizens,
THERE Is ONE GREAT DRAMA OF FRAUD,
One huge black spot. upon the national
escutchecn, that cannot be passed by
with mere allusion. The seat of the
Chief Magistrate-that seat that in times
fpast has been and all times should be an
emblem Of purity and honor-is occupied
by man who was never elected to it, and
whose elevation was accomplished by
the grossest frauds and boIdest usurpa-
tions that ever disgraced the history of q
i free people. have no time o.day to GO
into detailed statement of these frauds
and usurpations have no time to
show you how the Returning Board Of
Florida, in plain violation of the law Of
the State, in equally plain violation OF the
solemn decision OF the highest Court Of
the State, threw out sufficient number
of Democratic ballots to give the vote of
the State to the Hayes electors instead Of
the Tllden electors, who had been chosen
by the people. Nor how, in like man
ner, the Returning Board OF Louisiana
threw out from six to eight thousand votes
given to to the Tilden electors, thereby,
dlsfranchising the people Of whole pre-
cincts and counties, and completely re-
versing the vote of the State. Nor how,
by vote OF eight to seven in the, Elec-
toral Commission, all inquiry into these
frauds and usurpations was precluded,
: and the doctrine solemnly announced and
acted upon that no matter by what
: frauds, no matter by what fllegalities, no
matter by what usurpationsa returning
: or canvassing board may defeat the viii
|, ofthe people,the wrong is remediIess. the
E Constitutionsispowerless, the peoble are
helpless, and usurpation must triumph
Q and prevail.
These, fellows citizens, are now all mat
g ters of history but although the errone-
Gus decision.by which Congress counted
. in Hayes and Wheeler may not be re.
8 versible, that fact only makes it the
] more incumbent upon the people to con
denim the decision and the means by
b which it is brought about. If such az
= usurpation can pass without rebuke, i,
9 will soon be in vain to talk Of Constitu
e tional modes and honest elections II
t the will of the people can, with impunity
d be oyerthrown by obscure. and corrupt
: -Ireturning boards, and there is no remedy
# for the wrong, it will soon be the voice
!. of such boards and not the voice of the
D people, that will make your presidents
II And how long, pray you, could your
+ government stand under such system
r or what claim would it have to be called
a government of the people. Ny friends
s if the people ever condone this great sin
/ if they ever pardon the guilty men whit
} perpetrated it-and nearly every one o.
|, whom has been rewarded by office under
II the administration-the most sanguint
+ advocate of popular government vii
$ have reason to hang his head in shame
It and doubt the possibility of its success
Yes, my fellow citizens, the very exis
e |tence Of. popular government, The ques
s ton whether it is possible to maintain it
and to maintain It in purity, is now OF
= trial before you. As you love the insti
3 tutions bequeathed to you by the fathers
2, as you reverence your Constitution ant
>, value your freedom, as you esteem vir
/ tue and detest all wickedness, you ar,
=, bound, in no uncertain tones, to mani
d fest your. adherence of the great usur
le patton
n 5. Another great topic remains to b
considered, and when shall have Offer
ed some brief observations upon it, m,
). task will be done. Fellow.citizens, moth
: ing in politics seems more certain to m
aS1 than that the Republican leaders res
n their hopes of prolongation OF thei
=, power upon the success that may atten
e studied and energetic effort on thei
II part to excite and perpetuate sections
90 feeling. And nothing seems to me NOR
N unwarranted, unpatriotic and detestabl
!, than this scheme. It is not enough tina
as the South has frankly and manfully &C
: cepted the results Of the war; that, waiv
: ing all questions as to the mode of thei
. adoption. no voice is raised against th
!. binding force of the Constitutions
- - amendments; that every law passed b
I Radical Congress, however donbtfu
- its constitutionality, or manifest its in
justice and impolicy, is nevertheless
4 obeyed; that desire for harmony an
: : peace and a determination to aid in th
- preservation Of the Union, are unmists
. kably and plainly the dominant sent
- ments Of the Southern people-all thi
i, is not enough to deter the Republican