The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-13
Shall We Save Our Heritage +,

Our fathers were freemen. Whore Is our
herinse' not sod not given away. but stolen now o.,
slsep ar yvrin, fr, a. ,i,h w. ,i a.., y, ,r
enes and struggles" RltNzL
In these melancholy words, attributed to
the last of the Roman trbuncs we find
faithful, though brief description OF the
means by which Liberty has been subverted
In all ages and in all countries. II is start
lingly applicable to our own condition at
the present moment. Government like
that OF medieval Rome. carried on for the
benefit Of few rapacious families, and the
unprlnciplcd hirelings whom they called
their retainors, bears a close resemblance to
the American system rs now administered;
for the CoLoNNAs, the ORsfNIs, the SAvELLIs,
and the CAsTELLAs were but the heads OF
Roman Rings who used their political
power to Zurich themselves, while the plum
Tered people were degraded from their high
state as freemen, and left 10 suffer the last
Extremes Of want. Our Government like
that, is now Government Of the Rings. 10y
The Rings, and for the Rings Here. to far
greater extent than there, the Rings have
given themselves lands and goods and
money and privileges and rich revenues,
while honest labor robbed Of the bread 1t
earns, is taxed and starved to death.
But one great right was still supposed 10
be left us-a right which comprehends all
other rights and sufficient in itself to cor
rect all wrongs-the right TO reform abuses
and cleanse our political system: the right
10 choose new rulers whom the States and
people might think fit 10 be trusted. 1t was
the possession OF this iuestimable right
which made our fathers frcemcn. But whore
IS the heritage they left us We never sold
it, no consideration could have bought it,
We never gave it away or surrendered it.
How comes It, then, that we have lost it
Tho will OF the people, as legally expressed
by an overwhelming majority of their bal
lots, Is cOntemptuOusly disregardcd; their
chosen Chief Magistrate is kept out Of the
Office to which their voices called him, and
the place that belonged TO him is occupied
by the nominee OF corrupt Returning Boards.
Where is our heritage; Stolen Tho cum
ming knaves nlched it from US while we slept
in security; or more daring robbers wrung IL
from us with brutal violence. Now by fraud
they falsify and forge election returns now
by force they uphold the criminals, drive
elected officers from their seats, and
threaten US with civil war II we dare to tell
lh'lll lllhl Alfll " II - loA hObl. 10 uKkIu-
vate these enormous injuries, they make
the people pay for committing them. The
corrupt instruments of their fraud are,
every one Of them, Quartcred on the public
Treasury, and out of the public money they
regularly draw the wages of their inquity.
We are heavily taxed 10 support an army
which, instead Of protecting our rights, Is
used against us to trample down the most
sacred Of our institutions.
Doubtless these things are too well UNI
derstood TO need any mere thcorctlc dis
cussion But the time is at hand for the
practical reclamation Of our stolen heritage.
Despite all efforts of the anti-popular party.
"now by fraud, now by force" to cripple or
control the elective franchise, the national
Legislature has been won by the friends Of
liberty and justice. VIII an Executive
whose power is the bastard offspring Of a
fraud, look in the face OF the natiuI's repre-
scntatves and veto law to forbid such a
cheat IN the future lie had better not try
conclusions with them; for if he does, hc will
find himself not merely contending for a bad
cause, but soroly oyermatchcd. The author
ity to give or withhold supplies is greater
than the veto power Many times has free
government been saved by a judicious
tightening Of the purse strings. II thcact-
Ing President wants money for his soldiers,
Let him promise to Use them for no purpose
hostile 10 tho rights u the States or the
liberty oil the people. II he desires the
means ofpaylng his hundred thousand Office
holders give him all the millions he asks:
but with the distinct understanding that no
part Of it shall be used as IL corruption fund.