Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-07-10

States To the other, To aid him IN exc.
cutting the laws on election day or at
any other time, at the polls or any.
where else.
What il the result now after the ve.
tocs2 Some gentlemen have said that
the Democratic party has backed down.
has surrendered. Sir. when we entered
upon this fight we did not expect to
gain tho victory in day. When
power has for twenty years been en-.
trenching behind all possible leRisla.
ton, we cannot dislodge il in "A moment.
We entered upon this contest knowing
that many "A battle must be fought,
many "A victory be gained, before the
ultimate triumph could be achieved.
In the Forty.fifth Congress we said to
the President, your army--our army, |
mean-our army shall not be used as a
posse cOmitdfus. In the Forty.six Congress
we have said our army shall not be used
as a part of the police force. And be-
fore the Forty sixth Congress shall have
closed its term, | say to gentlemen that
we will have taken from the statute
book every law which proposes 10 use
this creature OF ours Mt the polls to in.
tlmidate American citizens in the cxer.
else of their highest prerogative. Great
applause on the Democratic side.
| would have gentlemen on the other
side and the country remember that
there has been no surrender of the prin.
ciplc with which We began this contest.
We claim that the representatives of
the people, 10y virtue OF their power 10
originate appropriation bills, can secure
redress OF their grievances Toy stopping
the supplies for the support OF the
Government, either Of the President or
any other branch OF the Government,
unless our views on the sublrcts to
which the appropriations relate are car.
ried out. | say to gentlemen on the
other side and TO the country, that so
long As the Democratic party is in
majority in this House, II will never
surrender that grand healthful power
which more than any other made I'm.
gland a free nation, and which was put
into our Constitution III order that the
legislative authority might have a whole.
some method of controlling executive
power.
Mr. Chairman, this extra session has
made up the issdc between the two
parties. The Democratic party declare
that the army shall be kept from the
polls that the iuries shall be imparfi.
ally drawn: that the test oath shall be
repealed. and that the Federal author.
ity shall not interfere in election, with.
IN the States. Upon that question the
Republican party takes issue with IA.
Confidently appealing only TO the pa
triotIsm OF the country, the Democratic
party goes into this contest. Never, IN
all the history ot this land, have more
important questions been submitted TO
the American people for their dctermi.
nation. They relate II th" pure admin
istra'ion OF justice; they concern the
graycst questions Of constitutional law
they affect tho fundamental principles
Of civil liberty. Every mon who runs
Tor any office IN any State. and every
citizen who goes to the polls to deposit
his ballot, is interested. The whole
method Of asccrtaiuing tho popular will
IN the Republic j. involved in tho Issue.
So far reaching are these principles that.
If upon this issue the Republican party
shall be successful. then all the power
over elections in states would be drawn
To the central Government. The States
would lose their places in the fcderst:vc
system, aud whether the army shall hc
used at the polls or not would be a
question not Of right and Of consiiiu.
tional law, but Of Executive discretion.
Such result means the end OF the Re
public and the uplifting OF the empire.
Can there be any doubt as to a contro.
versy like this? In Russia, where abso.
lutte despotism silences individual opin.
ion, IL might be doubtful. In Germany,
where imperial power sustains i;self by
an immense standing army, it might bc
doubtful. In France, where the people
under monarchs and emperors for ages
have slumbered, it might be doubtful.
But here in free America, with the ira.
ditions OF our English ancestors, and
with the sacrifices and triunphs Of our
American forefathers in behalf Of civil
liberty. it cannot he doubtful. Ap.
plause Shall civil liberty perish upon
It's own threshold and by its own FIRE.
side? Shall the beacon light which has
shone from our shores for the encOur.
agement of struggling freemen every.
where flicker in its socket and go out
even "a they are gazing upon itf Shall
the sun of free government in this con.
tinent, ere il reaches the meridian, sink
into mghtl Shall the shadow and the
cloud OF The army darkcn our free
fields, and free rivers, and free lakes,
and free prairies, and pollute the air so
that freeman cannot breathe itl The
century of triumph just ended protests
the bright prospects OF our future pro.
test the hopes OF the world protest
and, what is practically Of more value,
the Democratic party, with it's majority
of half million of American people,
protests.
Gentlemen. the contest will soon be
gin. Aye, IL has already begun.
hear the whispering Of American in.
quiTy. hear the mutterings Of Anglo
Saxon resolve. hear the tread of the
legions forming, with the banner of
civil liberty above them. The contest
has already begun, and God give victory
to freedom and the right Loud APP
nlause