The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-08-21

Nor can il be explained as necessarily result
ing from the war; for, as have said, fhave
excluded from the comparison expenses caused
by IL, namely, pensions, public debt and inter-
est thereon and the first of the seven republi-
can years have taken was the third year
8. OF the corruption that has brought dis
grace upon the republic and furnished the adj
vocates of despotism the world over with ar
guments against popular government, 1t is not
necessary for me to speak IN detail. Unfor-
tunately for the credit of the nation, the in
stances are so notorious that bare reference
to them brings forth a picture from which the
mind turns with loathing and Indignation
the credit NJ obilier, the Pacific mail, the Belk-
nap trial, the villanies of the custom house,
the straw bids of the post Office the Indian and
whisky rings and the long list of defau1ters in
every department have become matters of his
tory, and attest too clearly for controversy the
need of reform. But no substantial reform,
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.
Bat eoT 5ns bsc s Is ONE gr t
national escutcheon, that can not be passed
by with mere allusion. The seat of the chief
been and i'm all times should be an emblem OF
purity and honOr-is occupied by m IN who
was never elected to IL, and whose elevation
boldest usurpations that ever disgraced the
history of a free people. have no time to-day.
10 go into detailed statement Of these frauds
how the returning board of Florida,
plain violation of the law of the
state, in equally plain violation Of the solemn
threw out a sufficient number of democratic
ballots to give the vote of the state to the
Hayes electors instead of to the Tilden cleo
tors, who had been chosen by the people. Nor
how, in like manner, the returning board of
Louisiana threw out from six to eight thous
and votes given TO the T1lden electors, there
by DISTINGUISHING the people of whole pre-
cincts and counties, and completely reversing
the vote Of the e, state Nor how, by vote Of
inquiry into these frauds and usurpations was
precluded, and the doctrine solemnly an
ThaI frauds no matter nv what iIIeoaiities
no matter by what usurpations returning or
canvaSsing board may defeat the will of The
people, the wrong remediless, the con-
stitution is powerless, the people are helpless
and usurpation must triumph ana prevail.
These, fellow citizens, are now all matters of
by which congress counted in Hayes and
Wheeler may not be reversible, that fact only
makes 1t the more incumbent upon the people
to condemn the decision and the means by
which 1t was brought about. If such usur-
patton can pass without rebuke, it will soon
be in vain to talk of constitutional modes
and honest elections. If the will Of the people
can, with impunity, be overthrown by OBJ
scure and corrupt returning boards, and
there is no remedy for the wrong, ii will soon
be the voice of such boards and not
the voice of the people, that will make your
presidents. And how long. pray you, could
your government stand under such system,
or what claim would il have to be called a
government of the people. My friends, if the
people ever condone this great sin, If they
it-and nearly every one OF whom has been re-
warded by Office under the administration
the most san san, advocate OF popular gov
shame, and doubt the possibility of its sue
cess. Yes. my fellow citizens, the very exist
ence of popular government, the question
wi ether it is possible to maintain it, and to
maintain 1t in purity, is now on trial before
you. AS you love the institutions bequeathed
to you by the fathers, as you reverence your
constitution and value your freedom, as you
esteem virtue and detest all wickedness, you
are bound, in no uncertain tones, to manifest
your adherence of the great usurpation.
8. Another great topic remains TO be consid-
cred, and w cen shall have offered some brief
observations upon it, my task will be done.
Fellow citizens, nothing in politics seems more
certain to me than that the republican leaders
rest their hopes of a prolongation of their
power upon the success that may attend
studied and energetic effort on their part to
excite and perpetuate sectional feeling. And
nothing seems to me more unwarranted, I'M
patriotic and detestable than this
scheme. 1t is not enough that the
south has frankly and manfully accepted the
results of the war: that waving all questions
raised against the binding force oil the con-
stitutiOnal amendments; that every law
passed by radical congress, however doubt
full its constitutionality, or manifest its in
justice and impOlicy, Is nevertheless Obeyed;
that desire for harmony and peace and a
determination to aid in the preservation of
dominant sentiments of the southern people
all this is not enough to deter the republican
managers from resorting to all the weapons in
the arsenal of the demagoeue, by which Sec
tional hatred can be aroused and perpetuated,
and solid north thereby created to rule with
q rod of iron q PROSTATE south. 1t is thirteen
years since the close of the war, thirteen years
since a a hand was raised or word was spoken
against the preservation of the Union, and yet
articles are now written and speeches are now
made by men, prominent in the republican
party. the bitterness OF which is scarcely par
alleied by anything that was written or said
when war was fragrant and the Union was in
danger.
Fellow citizens, nothing more unjust,
nothing more unpatriotic, nothing more in
furious TO the peace, welfare, and prosperity of
the republic, nothing more clearly demon
strative of the necessity for a change of rulers
and the Inauguration of an era of justice and
fraternity, than is afforded by these facts, can
be imagined. Do you wish the Union pre-
served? Then support those who would bind
it together by the ties of fraternal feeling and
a common interest, as well as by constitutions
and laws. Do you revere justice and advocate
equality and rights? Then support the party
on whose banner "Justice and Equality are
indeliDly inscribed. Do you wish TO see the
country strong ana prosperous? Then sup
port the policy that, shedding its benign in
fiuence upon every part, gives irresistible
strength and universal well being TO the
whole.