Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-06-26
Federal History of the Past, in
Contrast with the Present
Hayes Vetoes.

Hayes Vetoes.
| Written fDr the CESrRE DENocRhT
The object of the American Constitution
was to pcrpctuatc the liberties of the people
who established the Union Of States The
trainers Of that instrument well knew that
when State IS divided into parties, wha,
| political impositions may be committed
even in the name and under the nssumcd
authority Of Il majority Of the people and
therefore cndcayorcd to proven, thcm--thry
understood human nature. Tho language
they have used is plain, simple and pcrspira.
cious. There is no occasion 10 resort 20 the
rules Of construction to fix IL. meaning.
It explains itself Bu, u.urpcr may be
I placed by hts stalwart conspiratn-s In
The Presidential chair and permitted t.
otiiciate in tina, capacity hy the indulgence,
/ if not cowardicc Of ,imd people, who
should have conicuicd for their political
/ rights and liberty in choosing their Prcsi-
dent. II they had, Mr.. Hayes mover
would have been the acting Executive and
dictator. Ia the Guberna,orinl contest in
our own State in ls3s, between Gen. Por.
ter and Gov Eiincr, the people by a de-
cidcd majority Of their votes elected David
L. Porter as their Governor. The ballot.
boxes proclaimed that the people had ,ri-
umphcdr but a conspiracy had been entered
into by the leaders Of tho Whig, now Re-
/ publican party, before tho election, and
after the election there existed a fixed
determination to deprive the people Of their
Congrcssmon, Senators and Representatives
Of the City and county Of Philadelphia,
and the Democratic party Of its elected
Governor, and place In their stead men
who had been defeated by the people
Thaddcus Stevens, the leading chicnain
Of this plo, OF treason against the rights
and elective franchise Of a majority of the
people, expected every member II bis par
ty in the Legislature to sustain him, and
We End him writing secret letters to cer-
tain members previous to the meeting Of
the Legislature, and among oihcrs, the
following toJohn Montclius, Wbig mcu-
Der from Union county
"HARRIsHURG. October %. 1898.
Dcar SRI am much graiiacd at your
election. hope YOU will be here tho
Friday before the meeting that ,ce may aH
act togefher. We shall have turbulent
times at the opening Of the House, but we
must be determined not 10 give an inch
Please come then and let VA consult with
friends. You're,
THADDEUs STEVENS"
This was followed by circular from
Thomas II. Burrows, Secretary Of State
under Gov. Ritnor, "to the friends Of
joseph Ritncr, concluding in these words
"Let us trent the election ef ne ninth in.
slant as j 'ss had not been bcaten, and in
that attitude abide the result
["No one can fail to sec how strikingly
analogous these reasonable proceedings arc
to those resulting in placing Hayes in the
position to perpetuate the power of treason
by the veto."1
Gov. Ritner we find sustaining this rev.
olution, issuing an order as Cammander-in-
Chief of the armies OF the State, TO General
Robert Patterson, dated 9th December.
1893: "Iou are ordered and requested
forth'0ih TO call out from your command,
&c. and march them Immediately to the seat
Of government" Gen. Patterson complied
with this order and marched the Let Di-
vision 7. NJ, TO Harrisburg, and on ar
rival, reports TO Gov. Ritncr the presence
of the lst division at the scat Of govern
ment awaiting further orders. In the
meantime Gen. Patterson made thorough
examination Of the position and on the
10th December, 1888, wrote to Gov. Rit-
ner rs follows III take pleasure in stating
from my o,en personal observation that there
was tranquility during the night and not
the slightest impcdiment thrown in tho
way of the troops in discharge of their
duties. / am also gratiAed in being able
to report to you, that from information
communicated to me, believe the citizens
of all classes will use every exertion 20
preserve that order that now exists, and
asks permission ITO order portion of his
command TO return 10 Philadelphia Gov
Ritner answers this Of the same date and
says II will accordingly consult with the