American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-07-27
SENATOR BAYARp'S VIEWS.


| Radicals of Lesser Note.
Senator Bayard wrote the following letter
in response TO an invitation from the Tam
WfLMfNdfoN, Del, July lion. THoM.-
| AS DUNLAP, Chairman-Dedr SIR: 1 am
obliged to you for the invitation of the So
ciety of Tammany to join in their celebra-
tion Of the Nations birthday on next Thurs
day, but regret that II. viii not be in my
power to accept It. The political occur
FENCES OF the last two years, as they are he
ing daily brought to light from their re-
cesses of dishonest concealment, should
teach the people of the United States the
ever-recurring need of stamping with the
severest condemnation every thing that
tends to weaken, and impair The great prin-
ciples of free ana fair elections.
The distinguishing feature-the very safe
ty-valve in our plan of Governments the
means provided, in the process of free cleo
tons, for the people to correct their errors
and retrieye their political mistakes, wheth
er by fevoking misplaced tttists. and pun=
ishing those who have deceived them, or
changing the drift Of political measures that
have proved btirtftil. SO that. taught by ex-
perience they may prevent the repetition Of
disaster. The great issue of The immediate
future is, in my Judgment, the reassertion
Of this idea, and the solemn and resOlute de-
termination by Our countrymen that cleo
tions shall be free, shall be the actual es-
pressioh OF the opinions and wishes of the
citizens, and that they shall be honestly and
fully acquiesced in by the defeated party.
See to what consequences different course
and theory have led the party called Repub-
lican at the last Presidential election, and
how close upon the rocks the ship of State
was driven; until, thanks, to the patriotic
and mastery SELF CONTROL which animated the
Democratic party. she was resctied and rem
dered capable Of Clarifying her precious
freight of human happiness and hopes upon
new, and, let us trust, successful voyages.
The underlying idea of our Institutions
free choice by the people, and honest and
nruh 10 nj on nj no
dict as final by all parties-has been wholly
disregarded end condemned by the Repub.
lican leaders; and, TO use the Language OF
one of the most conspicuous and influential
ent Secretary II the freasury;-i a late letter
to the Ohio Republican Coniefen5c, The
only threat that endangers the public veal
and safety is the restoration of the Demo-
regard its restoration to power as the only
danger ia. really threatens eur public
peace and safety"
Mr.. Sherman is called Republican, and
has often held, and now holds, an office
which is coupled with an oath to support
the written charter of his country's Gov
ernrIeit yet he does moi hesitate, In. his
partisan zeal, to make this open, defiant
ordinated to the one idea of preventing a
political organization embracing in its MEM
bership a large majority of his fellow-citi-
zens, from agafn, obtaining under law the
tutional powers of their Government, which
for 70 years of unbroken honor and pros
perity 1t had exercised.
The light already thrown by Congression-
al Investigation Upon the aetiOh Of Mr.. Sher-
man and his visiting associates Ii; Louisiana
in the fall of 1s76-the means and methods
then resorted to, and of which they SO freely
availed themselves to accomplish the one
great end of depriving their political oppo-
nents and the American people Of the just
fruits of 1aboricus and earnest effort by the
lawful methods Of popular election to OBJ
tain reform in ADMINISTRATION and relief
from local niisrile SO vile that It was SPREAD
mites where he and his party had establish
ed and kept it throughout all the arteries of
our federal system-may now be better COM
pretended las they clearly appear in the char
acters and careers Of the Andersons, the
wellses, the Kelloggs, and the Jenkses, that
motley and ribald group Of political miscre-
Ants, male and female, in whose hands Mr..
Sherman and his party had placed the wires
OF low and pfofigate political management
which has converted popular elections into
what would seem a horrible farce, were II
not so filed with tragical consequences.
The American people have o sure remedy
for every political evil In the periodical re-
course e ffse ballot on, aeass that hat, risnt
rors and correct their mistakes and follikS:
but il deprived of it, they will be reduced to
the single alternative Of perpetual and de-
n
resort to forcible resistance to rid them
selves of oppression.
Mr.. Sherman and his allies would close the
door of relief through the orderly and law
est and honorable acceptance of the results
of popular elections, and his brother, the
General of the Armies, is reported lately to
have made the gratuitous but pregnant
At the tSe ntsG States n%s
his command, would unhesitatingly be EN-
ployed to sustain the tenure of a President
without regard to the right or justice under
law Of his title to the office.
The Fourth of July, 1878, and every day
between that and the election day in 1880,
are the fit and proper days for the American
people to consider what answer should be
given at the polls to such propositions-for
the calm and deliberate contemplation OF
stich ideas SO as to shape their issues In the
simple integrity and manly spirit of 1776.
Let them proclaim as their resolves:
/. That they will have free elections in all
the States ,undisturbed and unawed by Fed
eral interference, civil or military.
2. The verdict of the people rendered at
the polls shall be faithfully recorded, and
shall be accepted and Obeyed.
8. That the men or the party who shall
stand in the way of these resolves shall be
withered by the wrath of an earnest and
honest people, who love civil liberty as en-
shrined in republican institutions, and in
tend to preserve it for themselves and their
posterity.
The issue is not less vital than this, and,
until it shall have been settled definitely in
accordance with these resolves, and so I'M
mistakably that no man shall venture to
question or gainsay them, all other ques-
tions, however interesting, may wisely be
postponed.
1t Is now the great essential in support of
which not only every Democrat but all just
minded and conservative citizens of every
party must rally; and when it has been Sc
cured then we may afford to differ and array
ourselves at will upon questions of political
economy, whose Importance l fully recog-
nize, but which pale into insignificance be-
fore the pressing and primary questions,
results be acquiesced in and obeyed by allf