Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-07-24
Dailp 1srnnrhec Journal.
SPEECH
HON. JOHN SHERMAN
OF OHIO.
On the Financial and other Issues or the
Times

accepted the invitation OF NOnr dlstln-
gushed Senator to speak in the State of
! Maine during my brief vacation from official
duties, mainly that might present to you
the mode by which, in spite of mach oppo-
sition, United States notes have been ad-
vanced to par in coin, and some reasons why
these notes ought hereafter to be redeemed
| in coin at the demand of the holder instead
of being, as formerly, irro dcemablc, dcpre-
ciated, and dishonorcd You will naturally
expect me, as public officer, to speak main
~ on this and kindred financial topics CON
ncctcd with my official duties.
But before doing so. permit me to say that
there are questions involved in our political
contest this fall more important than those
of hard money or soft money, grernbacks or
bank-notcs
REVIVAL OF oLp IssrEs.
If felt at liberty to choose the theme
most important to you and to the whole peo-
pie of the nitcd States, would present the
recent revival by the democratic party of the
Southern doctrine of States rights This
doctrine has been the evil geniu, of Amcri-
can politics. 1t was born of hostility TO the
Union. 1t was the buiwark of American
slavery. 1t poisoned and estranged large
section Of the country. Under the name of
secession, it led to the late rebellion, and
aimed to destroy the Union bv an open
! a ,f ttl.4
Every life that was sacrificed, and the treas
urc that was wasted in that war wor. tbn Lit.
ter fruits of this doctrine
Now il takes the f,ru Of uulli6cot;,n mot
notification bv State officers as whom General
.Jackson tbroitIed il bu, null;6cat;on Inv
members of Congress, the sworn agents and
officers of the General Government. These
officers would surrender essential powers Of
the National Government unllirv itS law
crinnlc il in cxccutinr ;ts conrcIrJ noy@,s
and make it Confederate instead Of a IA.
,ional Govrrnmcnt In tho orrog,rc. Of
their mower one of their leaders declared ,la,
il wa. thnir fxcJ nrno., IN vino n,,, nyar,
ycstige of war lcGi.lation
Their chief effort in the last two sessions
of Congress has been TO nulIifv law of
/ Congress proyiding for an honest clrction of
members of Coppre.s-a law nossoJ in mr.
! suance of a nlaip nrovisinn of thc Const;tu.
tinn' declared by Mr. NaIison tn M. cssnn,iaI
to the preservation of the Government.
! law which has been sanctioned b,. ,.;,,,,t years
of nr.cticol oxocutiop which b.s Lnnn n,-
ncaJ.d IN hv botb ,,r,ic. wbnso co,.t;t,,-
tionolitv has meyer hcrn d;snutod in ,h.
courts. and which is the only cnard nrnvidcd
NV CONGRESS ia nrotect c;ti,nns nf ,h. Tr;teJ
States in ,he clrctiye francbisc Tha mnve-
mon, for nr II;fvinp This low ,,os ,,,dn 49,;
! blo bv n ssunited South unitod h, ,,rror
yiolenca and frnud anil b,, crimos ',ho+ ds
grace our civilization. Over tho white men
of tho South who wcre WILLING IN orouinscn
in the results of the war the .1uni,cI SINH
practiccd social ostrncism anJ ,;nlnncr
| Over the poor blacks whose RIGHTS yvcrr
granted and as we fnolishlv tboiyht sniff
cientlv secured hv the Constitution !, tram
rled with midniyht rnurd,.r and p,asoucrado
and last wear il canned the climax nv rlection
stutrino and ronoating of Tweod and hi. in.
lannon's ring in 1sGs
Several n,embors of Copoross v,bo ,roro
confesscdly elected hv tissue-b,IIo.hov
/ s,uff;ng the ueanest fnrn, Of crime AGAINST
tho elective Franchise n,rt;cnotoJ IN rnf,s
ina tho nncossar,, onrrnnri,t;nns far ,Lo .,,,,-
mort of tho Government uninss tho prn.idrpt
would onnrove tho rnneal of tho eIact;nn
laws. when bv the frmness of the prr.i
dent, they failed in their main oh;rct thcy
sought Inv cnnd;,ions in ,nnronr;a,inn Iii:
to comncl him to agree to nnlIify Inys in via
l.tiop nf his oath nf Office
When the President again defeated This
scheme by his veto they refused 70 anpropri
ate money TO enforce the imdicial mandates
of the Government and Tho I-nitcd States
courts are now uowerlcss tn enforce their
decrees, or to serve process. or TO keen the
noace unless the mnrsbnls seryn wi,hout the
nav fxed nv law. In this way n majority of
either Ilou.c may nullifv any law and destrov
the Government We thouyht all sucb doc
mas werc oyertLrown hv tho amendments to
the Constitution. Sucb a policv if sane
TONED will nullifv tho amendments and i
moro dangerous tiap secession or State null
ifcation II i rcvolution and an,rrhx
The evident nurnoso or those don,inatino
in the democratic marty is IN beIi,tlo aud do
yrade tho National ,,ovorrn,c,, to olov,,o
proyincinli.m above notionali,m. to weak
en- the tie that binds this vast conn
try into a nation. so tbnt the winds and thc
waves of faction NAV beat upon il and .hatter
it. Gen. Wade IIampton is reported to have
said that he does not care whether tbe candi.
dates are hard money or soft money so they
are democrats. few democrats from thn
North, elected upon any false issue ornrtiice
whatever. rive them with the solid Soutb
the control of the Electoral Collepe and ofthe
Senate and House. Throagh the caucus con
Quoted IN secret ana controlled always ny the