Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-09-05
3 Pc ECH
ON. w. H. WEST.
DELIVERED AT
-amilton, O., Saturday, Aug. "a, 1878.

IS anu lrrepreSSlD1e cOQQlcL WITHOUT t0e SupreIQ
cy of rationallaws there is neither rational liberty
Ajor social order The eternal vigilance necessary
haintain this is inseparable from eternal warfare
efhile convictions differ or interests clash, or au
billions machinate, this warfare must be wsged. y
row weary in the fight. or Indifferent to its resul
IS fatal Either power will usurp. or corruption
Permeate, or anarchy consume, If the people sleep
ang opinions the destiny OF American institutions is
Committed. Again, for the hundredth time. the
iecks are cleared and the annual battle commenced
IN the 18th Of this month the great Burbon gun,
Thurman, opened fire on the Republican Sumter
n this harbor of Democracy, and its Presidential
echoes are reverberating throughout the nation.
.They are always ready in fighting
If those, who, because they fail to
vangelize the nations abroad refuse to employ the
means of grace at home; but always true TO the
household of faith bearing the ark of the covenant
before them. Why should they not be? Armed
With me saT h 1us5 nS Sqse t 40 6Se iST If pe
cratic rule experienced, why should Republicans
kulk in their tents like Achilles, and refuse to do
right because Agamemnon is thought to have done
wrong? Suffrage is not given TO be thus made a
mockery. 1t is right the most sacred which Re
publicanism has bestowed on universal manhood, TO
the end that the governments of the people shall be
maintained by the people. not neglected
But not more sacred is the right than is the obli-
cation exercise it. To obstruct prevent il by
force fraud is crime against liberty. Is it less
crime to Jeopardize liberty and the common veal by
sment and overthrow Of Republicanism by the der
ringer and shotgun in Mississippi, shocked the
and ne elected the Es eHefIsti0nf fSs Ss,- Of
of Republicans with just pride when by their self
imposed disrancisenenT the institutions and honor
O'Connor & Co.? When, because their banner
ceased to be borne aloft by the bayonet above the
Pelican and palmetto, they also suffered it. by with
holding the ballot, to be lowered in disgrace from
the Buckeye.
Shall this policy of inacton, this mastery mac
Tr-Ter ha and
mer cloud? What fruit has il borne 10 us already?
The answer is as brief as it is humihating-thea afic
ton of the State with the OConnor legislature and
its hdeous brood of iniquities. If military non-n-
tervention permitted conclave of sinners more
Eraceless than this 70 gather about Hampton or
Nichols, the proposed impeachment Of the President
by the Essex porcupine is not without reason; its
existence could have had place in the divine pur
pose but to exempfy the doctrine OF total depravty
and give the country foretaste of what it may
pect IRON Bourbon rule in it should be so un
fortunate as to experience such calamity.
Obtaining power under professions of economy.
reform, and honest government, its practices are
the principle that to the yictors belong the sDois
For these IL is arraigned at the bar OF public opinion
awaiting the verdict of approval or condemnation.
THE PUBLIC WORKS.
Previous to 1861, the public works had been the
punder ground of jobbers and the spoil of political
the lean kline of Pharaoh infested the legislature
and corruption dominated its halls The regime OF
in the nostriis OF the State From these it was d-
vorced in that year by lease Of the works, since
which time that lobby has ceased TO rule. By their
contract the lessees bound to restore the
at the end of twenty years in thorough condition
of repair This Legislature relieved them from that
obligation. took the works off their hands in con-
dition hardly fit 10 float canoe, and turned them
to the State again TO become the plunder ground
of the jobber and the spoil of partisan service
and to once more subordnate legislation to muskrat
rule. Thirty thousand dollars, wrung from the
-weat of tax burdened people, have been already
paid the lesSees for their decayed implements and
diapidaed dredges with which to begin the work of
repair. How many times $4,000 will be engulfed
by this vortex in the future only be judged of
by the past
THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.
Those temples of refuge the curative benevolent
and charitable institutions of the State have been
children were intrusted with an abiding confidence
that they would receive therein whatever of atten-
ton and care experience, skill, and the kindlier i'm
pulses of humanity could bestow; but that conf
dence has been changed to distrust that pride to
shame They were founded 10 be asylums for the
afflicted children OF the whole people, and not to be-
come the stake of political gambling Through all
the vicissitudes of political fortune the noble pur
pose of their founders had sacredy protected them
from partizan spolation and held them in the
keeping of unselfish devotion. But what signifed
this TO the Dantons of the dynasty? Reckless of
the fact that they curative aSylums for relieving
affcuon and healing infrmity, they are dealt with
es prison houses. requiring for their supervision
only the qualifications of the turnkey, the baillf
and the butler; and no skill, no eminent ability
could exempt their efficient and unselfsh officials
from Jacobln prescription. His three and twenty
years of devotion could not save the veteran Gun
dry. and the accomplished Rutter is pushed aside
for the Confederate carpet bagger whose experience
OF mental infrmity is chiefly derived from refec-
ton in his own mirror. and his commendation that
as regimental surgeon in the Confederate army,
more rebels fell by his skill than in battle.
THE ORPHANS HOME
The vandalism practiced on the Home of the sol
dier's orphan merits especial reprobaton. Some
acts of baseness have become historic Judas Isca-
Glencoe was compassed by Argyle to whom had
been given protection and hospitality The
warmed to Life iS his who osn% had
But il reserved for Ohio Legislature to fur
uish an instance which in meapness obscures them
all-robbing the dead soldiers widow of the mite
which nations gratitude bestows the condition
of admitting the dead hero's child to the Home
which the states gratitude has reared. There shall
be received and continued in the Home only the
destitute children above twelve years OF age OF such
soldiers and sailors who fell died of wounds re-
ceived in battle, who. whose mothers shall receive
and pay into its treasury pension on account of
sucn qeatn inns Is the provision OF oaseness. Was
the liberty to dishonor his native State? Did Lytle
and McCook and their 1000 comrades shed their |
blood Tor the State that II might furnish their |
children the guardianship which wolves afford to
lambs? Their $1,000 surviving companions in hero
ism will respond in October.
THE GERRYMANDER
The disfranchisement of a 100000 Republicans of
the State by the gerrymander of its Congressional
districts in such manner that the Democracy
Expect to secure toureen S ehe Of popular 3Re tweHs ySs
members making gain of FIVE is invasion of |
popular rights which the people can not afford to
smartness or local concern, but one of vital mo-
Znent in which not only the people of Ohio, but of
the whole country. are profoundly interested. 1t |
strikes down the principle OF government by major
1tes, and denies 10 integral portion of sover-
eign State its due weight and proper voice in the |
councils of the nation. Shall it be crowned with |
success or Indignantly rebuked? 1t effects, under
the forms and color of law in Ohio what is accom-
plished in Mississippi and other Southern States by
laess violence. When it is desired there to over
come majorites, or gain few members of Congress,
the shot gun policy is employed to diminish Repub-
lcan votes. Here legislation is shaped that Re-
publican votes shall not count. The result is in
both cases. virtually and in effect the same-bull-
doing and ddisfranchisement-and springs from the |
same desperate spirit 1t is the outgrowth of Ku |
Kluxism, taking root in the soil of Ohio and threat
ening to sap the foundations of representative gov
eminent
KU KLUX SHIRT.
From this crime against liberty in Ohio, which has
purpose reaching above and beyond mere local
significance, as shall presently show public atten-
ton is sought to be diverted until crowned with sue
cess in October by the stop thief cry of Democracy
over their Presidential discontinue in Louisiana.
This is its bloody shirt 1t is not one colored in