Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-10-17
Senator conkling's Speech.

Senator Conkling made his first speech in
the present campaign in the Empire State III
the Brooklyn Academy of Music, on Wednes-
day evening
In reply to Gov Robinson's declaration
that only State issues this year divide the
two parties, Mr.. Conkling asserted that the
great issue is the National one. Next
year, said he Presidential election is to oc-
cur. 1t will be the last under the present
census, the last at which solid South will
need but Al Northern electoral votes. Be
fore a succeeding election happens the scep-
ter will have changed hands. Before 1884
the great West will have been counted again.
and her growth since the present census was
taken will give her preponderating weight in
the House Of Representatives and in the
electoral college. But now and next year
the South lacks A of majority of all the
electoral votes. There is a wrong in this.
The constitution ordans that if the right to
vote is denied any who are entitled 10 it in
any State, the representation of that State
shall be reduced accordingly In violation
of law and right the blacks of the South are
in large numbers denied the right to vote,
and in violation of the constitution they are,
Notwithstanding, counted to swell the num-
Der Of representatives in Congress and the
number of electoral votes. Thus 4, 900, 600
people are used as a football in the game of
| National politics When the blacks were
| slaves, the evil was not the largest. They
did not vote then they do not vote now.
| When they were slaves each soul counted
| three -fiftls of one person. Now they are all
| counted each as one person, and, because
they are So counted, a body of representa-
tives sit In Congress who are not rightfully
there, because the ballot is denied to those
| they profess 10 represent. a Democratic
Congress may tolerate this, and will tolerate
| it. A Democratic President would be COM
PEELED to sanction it, but it will meet just
and stern end, unless the Nation forgcts JUS
ticc and mercy and self preservation.
With this quantity in the sum next years
election is full of danger and full of far
reaching results Thirty-iive of the AZ need
ed Northern votes are in the State of New
York. Her decision this year will 20 far to
cast the die for next year. Here comes an
issue which rises high above all State issues
now. 1t is not financial only though finan
ces are involved. 1t embraces everything
for which the war was fought, except Afri-
can slavery in name Every State
which went into the rebellion save only |
Texas, has recently rcpudiated its debts
5000 DOC, 900 of indebtness has been thus re-
pudiatcd. Suppose the forces and the senti-
mcnt Of which such acts come are allowed to |
dominate the Nation, what shall we expect !? |
The National debt was incurred to put down |
the rebellion. Is it, can it be- more honorcd |
or respected in the South than their own To-
cal bonds and promises to pay? The great
body of Southern men make no secret of their
hostility to the policy of resumption, under
which every paper dollar has become as good
AS gold The Republican party carried re
sumption against a solid Democratic opposi-
ton. of course the Republican party is
pledged to resumption finally; it cannot cs-
cape. Do the people Of New York wish to
hand over to the Democratic party, which
means now the sway Of the solid South the
currency and finances of the country, safe,
prosperous and stable as they are and will
he, il only left alone?
These are some of the questions and dan
gers of the hour, questions the coming cleo
ton must do much TO settle one way or the
other. The Northern States are the tax pay
ing States. They pay the most of the revenue.
New \ Ork is the greatest taxpayer of them
all. Nearly one dollar in every three put
into or taken from the treasury comes from
the commerce and people of New York.
New England and the West make up most
of the remainder. With all the schemes con
stantly aiming at the treasury, is the Nations
money safer under the party whose Cunsli-
tuency pays it, or under the party of the
South, whose constituencies feel hut little in
the pocket whether the expenditures are
more or less II makes vast difference to
n man sitting in Congress whether an appro-
pration he votes comes out Of his own con
or out Of somebody else and yet
men of all sections are apt to 20 with their
party.
But there is an issue broader and deeper
Than all this, said Mr.. Conkling. lie then
went at length into the question of State =
rights, stating the benefits conferred upon /
he South since the war by the North, and !;
ienying that any act has been done of which /
he South can justly complain. The tendency q
he added, has been toward ex-
rene clemency and generosity. The cleo
ion of 1876 shows how false is the pre- +
cnsc that National bayoncts have influenced '
he elections. In 1876 troops were stationed fl
lerc and there i'll the South. If they con n
rolled the elections, how shall we explain a
he result? Who does not know that mobs Il