Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-10-30
The Issues.
QUESTIONS ON wuiCm rus rEoRLE OF PENN
syIyASIA WILL PASS JUDGMENT.

present to the people OF Pennsylvania
the issues involved in this political can.
vass. On these issues the intelligent
and deliberate judgment oil the voters
of the State is demanded. The nomi.
nation of Daniel o. Barr represents the
affirmative of the propositions submit
ted by the Democratic Convention, that
of Samuel Butler the negative. A vote
for Barr is therefore vote to affirm
these propositions as correct exposi.
ton of the principles OF Republican
government, while vote for Butler is
a vote to condemn them. Read, there.
fore, reflect and render an honest and
patriotic judgment:
That the just powers OF the Federal
Union, the rights of the States and the
liberties Of the people, are vital parts of
one harmonious system; and to save
each part in its whole Constitutional
vigor is to save the life of the nation
That the Democratic party maintains,
as it ever has maintained, that the mil
itary are, and ought to be, in all things
subordinate to the civil authorities. II
denies, as it ever has denied, the right
of the Federal administration to keep
on foot at the general expense n stand
ing army 10 invade the States for politi
cal purposes without regard to Constitu
| tional restrictions, to control the people
at the polls, to protect and encourage
fraudulent counts of the votes, or to in.
augurate candidates rejected by the
majority
The right to a free ballot is the right
preservative of all rights, the only
means OF peacefully redressing griev.
ances and reforming abuses. The pres.
ence at the polls of regular military
force and of host of hireling officials.
claiming the power to arrest and impris.
on citizens without warrant'or hearing.
destroys all freedom OF elections and
upturns the very foundation of self.
government. We call upon all good
citizens to aid us in preserving our in.
stitutions from destruction by these i'm.
perial methods of supervising the right
of suffrage and coercing the popular
will in keeping the way to the ballot
box open and free, as it was to our
fathers in removing the army to n safe
distance when the people assemble to
express their sovereign pleasure at the
polls, and in securing obedience to their
will when legally expressed by their
votes.
That Rutherford y. Hayes having
been placed in power against the we'll
known and legally expressed will OF the
people, is the representative Of con.
spiracy only, and his claim OF right to
surround the ballot boxes with troops
and deputy marshals to intimidate and
obstruct the electors, and his unprcce-
dented use of the veto to maintain his
unconstitutional and despotic power are
an insult and a menace to the country.
That the Democratic party, as Of old,
favors a constitutional currency Of gold
aud silver, and of paper convertible
into coin.
That we are opposed to the system Of
subsidies by the general government
under which, during the period Of Re
publican ascendancy, political rings and
corporations proiited at the peoples
expense, and to any appropriaNn Of
the public moneys or the public of'Sit
to any ohiec. but the public service.
The reforms aud economies enforced by
the Democatic party since ts advent
to power in the lower house Of Congress
have saved to the people many millions
of dollars, and we believe that like
result would follow its restoration to
power in the State Of Pennsylvania.
That the Democratic party being the
natural friend of the workingman and
having throughout its history stood be.
tween him and oppression renews its
expression Of sympathy for labor and
its promise Of protection to its rights.
That we look with alarm and appre.
hension upon the pretentions Of the
great transportation companies to be
above the fundamental law OF this
commonwealth which governs all else
within our borders, and until they &C.
cept the constitution of 1873 in good
faith they should remain objects of the
utmost vigilance and jealousy by both
legislature and people.
That the recent attempt under the
personal direction of ruling Republi.
can leaders to debauch the legislature