Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-08-01
Secretary Sherman on the Issues Of the
Oav

Secretary Shermans speech al Portland,
Wednesday night, was mainly devoted TO the
! financial question, in respect TO which he
gave n clear, lucid and convincing exposi-
ton of the policy of the Administration. In
the opening passages, however, he briefly
discussed an Issue before which, as he justly
said, questions of money, labor or property
sink into comparative insigniticancc- that of
the Democratic revival of the Southern doc
trine of State rights the same old theory
of a past generation. now maintained not as
in Jacksonian times by States hut by null
liicrs i'll Congress. Secretary Sherman's re-
marks ON this point are 81 well said and 50
timely as to he well worth quoting in full
lie said:
Their the Dcmocmcy's chief effort in the
last two sessions of Congress has been to null
lily IL law of Congress providing for an hon
est election of members of Congress- law
passed in pursuance of a plain provision of
the Constitution, declared by Mr.. Madison
to he essential to the preservation OF the
Government a law which has been sane
toned hy eight years of practical execution,
which has been appealed to by both parties,
whose conStiluiionaliiy has never been
disputed in the courts, and which
is the only guard provided by
Congress to protect citizens of
the [ United States in the elective franchise
The movement for nullifying this law was
made possible bya united South" united by
terror, violence, and fraud, and by crimes
that disgrace our civilization. Over the
white men Of the South, who were willing
TO acquicsce in the results of the war, the
united South praclised social ostracism
and violence. Over the poor blacks, whose
rights were granted, and us we foolishlp
thought sufficiently secured by the Constitu-
ton, ii tramplcd with midnight murder and
masquerade, and last year it capped the
climax by election frauds more shameful
than the ballot-boN stuiling and repeating of
Tweed and his infamous ring in 1868.
Several members uf Congress who were
coniessedly elected hy tissue -balot-box stuff
iing. the meanest form OF crime against the
elective franchise, participated in refusing
the necessary appropriations for the support
of the Government unless the President
would approve the repeal of the election
laws. When, by the lirmness Of the Presi-
dent. they failed in their main object, they
sought by conditions in appropriation bills to
compel him 10 agree to nullify laws in viola
tinn of his oath of office.
When the President again defeated this
scheme hy his veto they refused to appropri-
ate money 10 enforce the judicial mandates of
the Government, and the United States
courts are now powerless to enforce their de-
cree. or 10 serve process, or 10 Keep the
peace. unless the marshals serve without the
pay tiNrd by law. In this way a majority of
either House may nullify any law and de-
stroy the Government We thought all such
uo5nh's were NerliroWh ny inc aiiiyhu-
r. g.a,,,,;,,,,'J Iii ,,,ii;f,. ,l an,ouIp,ar;,
and is more dangerous than secession or
State notification. II is revolution and
"'i,s,'hy. ,r' ..... .,....... LII.
,,inr in the nrmacr,,ir Marty is In helittIr
and degrade the National Government, to
elevate proyincialism above natlonalism, to
"e'Neu 'n'' TIE ti'''l p'iiuS 'nis N"S' country
Inc remainder "t the secretary speech
Was devoted 10 the question OF the finances.
lie reviewed the hnanclal history ot the
c"uhiry since the panic ol 1875, spoke OF the
Resumption act oi January le'o' and OF the
bitter opposition to 1t 10y the Democracy,
anu passed on To II reference 10 the success
"l resumption congress gave no aiu
Whatever out ra'her Inc reverse lor II
increased the circulation from three nun
dred 10 three hundred anu lorty-slN mil
lions required the redemption OF 1rac-
tional coin As well as United States
notes; increased the annual approprla-
tions from Sl14,oO0OOo, in 1873, TO Sl46,-
3oO,hon, IN 1879, and Sl6l ,SOO.OOO, IN lSS0,
and appropriated c28. 500 900 for arrears OF
pensions OF this last item Secretary Sher
man said the increase OF revenue caused by
resumption and reviving Industries would,
he hoped. enable the Treasury To pay every
dollar appropriated for arrears OF pensions by
the lst Of January next, without any other
Increase of the public debt than that caused
by the temporary application OF the fund for
Inc redemption "l IrHcil"hH' ciiIlei'H- ne
ahllIiN l" pay theSe demands Is largely uue
10 economies elected IN collecting the Gus
toms duties anu other executive savings
ol The results oi resuihpii"h' most OF sec
retary SHERMAN hsureS nave neeh hereto
lore punished; hul thrS Tell Inc Story oi an
ti"n, The kepnhlic'sn party and The Nation,
llil hii"i summary "i them may wen DC
introduced Nlhln one hundred days aiter
resumption edij' lo' @'ol lonr per cent pohdS
were S"hi"i'h "hi'h I" pay ah equal amount
OF "per cent bonds, securing saving oil
S"'oo -'|o' Il year. Nor IL ihis all ihere
were OUTSTANDING a' 'hht Time el'4' 'o"' "oo
h'e per Gem teh-i"f'S "oHuS' reueeiii'ipie at
Tue f''"'"'e '' '''e i'''u 0ia'es' ~ pay
on 'h'Se ""i'"S 'iT treasury hepa''iii'ii'
"Hefea Sloo'ooV'o"o l"ur per eeht
nh"'S nj premium "i "he-h'l "i "ne
l"r cent t'' "S'u"e 10 !" p''u
i'"hi 'i' l"''tr"s III ''n n-''ii'i 'ei.'''''iS
''''''' aus VI '''' ''''''' '>'''''"' VI "o"i''
ih' ""h''9 "'i' s'"i III '"' "'SS' anu INV
i'h-'h'lihr ''i'iii'a'eS "eie eagerly '"Aen'
"' ''''i"'' ''''hS III INV '''''' -
eh''ten nv 'h'S' i'i''''''''i' "i''''i'hs' s'"'s
lhe Isl "' january H'''' II eo'oio'f"'' anu
since Inc Isl "i Marrh, 1884, TO lhe present
timr' Si'S'''i''- III III" "h'lc history "i
the world n" nation ever sold MS bonds III
less cost OF on more iaNofanIe 'erlllS'
AS la th' general results oi resumption
the rdte III lh''r's' "h p'''N"'e u'"'s nas p''"
reduced AMI There has been marked revival
oi business III Tue year CHUNG
''i'' '"' ''''
exports was H"'''""'oo"' ""''e
that ending June |, 1872, II WAS >'oJ'Vuo'-
OOo TIN, Internal commerce. of the country