The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-08-07

w AOAH IN Os ~ L.
or metallic, and that they will neitht
surrender altogether the power
make paper money, nor divide it wit
two thousand private corporation
In monarchies or empires where th
sovereign is not the people but som
one man, the holders of accumulate
wealth come in to share the spoil
wrung from the sweat and toll of tn
masses through exemptions, privilege
and monopolies. They become, il
part, the sovereign. But in this Re
public, founded on the idea that th'
sovereignty is all in the mass of tn
people, to tbe exercised unde
the constitutions and laws ant
| through rulers of their own making
the axiom of Democracy, seQual right
to all and special privileges to none,
is the vital spark of our free institu
tons. When we reflect that this pow.
er to increase or diminish the volume
of currency involves the power to in.
crease or diminish all the values Ol
labor and property throughout the
Republic, TO make good times or hard
times at pleasure, to give prosperity =
to the masses or inflict distress upon
them, how can any true lover of the
people be willing to see that power
lodged in the hands OF private corpo-
ratiOns whose interests are not EN-.
barked with the masses who are the
taxpayers and the borrowers of mon.
ey. bat with the small class who hold
the vast public and private debts, and
whose interest is in having prosperity
and high prices when debts are being
made, and adversely and low prices in
the seasons Of payment.
The Republican party appeals to
what they call the 'thard money Dem
ocrats" Oh the one hand, and to the
Nationals on the other, to become
their allies in defeating these two Fl.
nance propositions. If there be Dem.
ocrats who are opposed to Govern.
ment paper money as against bank
money, and are in favor of striking
silver from its constitutional place as
q money metal, and who are so totally
opposed to the attitude of the Ohio
Democracy that they would see not
only these traditional Democratic
principles lost, but would also wit.
ness with satisfaction the swallowing
up by the general Government of the
reserved rights of the States and the
people, / know not how to appeal to
them. They certainly are not in sym
pathy with that great party of the peo-
pie which cherishes the priceless lega-
cy of Jeffersons' and Jackson's tame.
The Republican party appeals to the
3S. 600 Nationals of Ohio TO also be-
come its allies in giving Ohio's en-
dOrsement to its finance policy, and
Ohio's vote next year for President to
John Sherman, the author and execu-
Tor of that policy. They tell them the
Democratic party can't be trusted to
carry out these great measures be-
cause seven Democrats in the House
and as many in the Senate have for
gotten the traditions of their party
aud now stand with the money power.
If the Nationals so appealed TO be sim
cere. as know the mass of them to
be, they surely cannot be SO blind as
to believe that the great battle
in Ohio, fought and won on these is
sues, backed by the concurring senti
ment of nine-tenths of the Democracy
of the Union, will be made abortive
by the petty minority of Democratic
dissenfers. No, gentlemen, this is the
decisive struggle of this generation Of
Americans for these two great funda-
mental propositions. If lost in Ohio
this year it will be lost in the Repub-
lie next year; and the money power
flushed and strengthened by success,
will so impoverish the people and ag-
grandize itself, that it's rule may new
er be shaken in America. The starry
ing Esau was a prophetlc type of the
laboring masses of America, stricken
with scant employment and pauper
wages, and thus made powerless TO
resist the temptations with which the
crafty Jacobs of the mOneyed class
may win their birthright-theb ballot.
The third propositions on which the
Democracy appeal from the Republi
can party to the people is that the
General Government shall not inter-
fere TO direct or control COngressiOn-
al elections. These elections, from
the foundation of our Government
down to 1871, have been exclusively
in the cOutroi of the States. Even
now the form of the ballot, the bal
lot box, the place of voting, the trial
Of the rights of voters, the counting
and canvassing, and the declaration OF
the result in short, every step and in
cident in the process of the election
are conducted entirely under State
laws, by State officers, and under PEN
atty of indictment, trial, conviction
and punishment in the State Courts
aud Penitentiaries. The Constitution
of the United States expressly left
with the States the power to conduct
the Congressional elections. But it
gave to the general Government a
power to take the subject under its
control only out of abundant caution,
lest some of the State might possibly
fail to make any provisions for elec-
ton of members Of Congress-. None
of them have failed. ALI of them have
exercised and do still exercise the
powers reserved to them in the Con-
and assert as PROPOSE
lion, which no sound lawyer In Cleve.
land will question, that with this body
Of valid State laws in force, the State
officers executing their duties uuder
them cannot be subjected to espion-
age and supervision by Federal officers.
There is not and cannot be an instance
under our dual system CT Government
in which the Federal Government
can constitutionslly appoint officers
TO supervise and direct State officers
when performing duties under valid
State laws, and the assumption by the
party that the Federal
may do that ia set up now
10 utter defiance and contempt Of our
system of Government.
If when the issue is fairly made the
people shall decide to let stand the
avs which allow the use of Federal
supervisors and troops to inspect and
1irect State officers, thus conducting
State elections, the decision will be
aiken as warrant for such aggrandize-
nent of the powers of the Federal
as will abaarb all su-
oreme power in the General Govern
nent aud leave the States. to stand
With only such powers as Congress
md the President may deign to CON-
nit to them.
Nv fellow-citizens, the war was not |