The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-07-10

fms oeosf 4 lslsssus.sr~se
cue - - lia the hsc1sns % Goy6ea
meat from ths shosldsrs of he riel
sad lay them on tls sAoulAsrs1ef IL
isdsllrial alaesss ; 70 desble ths wsaltl
ef ~ hold Of nossy ssssritisa
90 double the basdsns Of the people
groaaing u14er the aeennnlating load
Of debts al taxation; and also ia
stsaaslhsn - relaxing hold on power
by snsiohinE the privileged classes and
corporations whose means and dispo-
sition to sustain It increase In the
ratio Of the impoverishment Of the
mHssos. s
1t has further fortified itself by
usu-ping . Federal control over elec.
tions which has heretofore never been
asserted from the foundatieu of our
Government. Our fathers, my fellow.
citizens, or our fathcfs' fathers, never
knew or heard ofthe phrase National
elections, which President Hayes and
my friend Mr.. Foster 90 glibly use.
Natienal s1sctionsi Where is the Law
Of tho United States fixing the places
fsr holding National elections Ii States
or providing for the appointment OF
Judges and Clerks, or prescribing
their dnties, or making appropriations
to pay them1 There IL not and never
has been such Federal law. Every
election in every State is and aiways
has been State election held BY State
officers under State laws, Tho States
have always provided for and paid for
aud conducted elections for members
OF COngress the Same - for all other
elective Representatives aud seryants
of TIE people. So purely. local have
these elections been that members Of
Congress are everywhere chosen On
the Same ticket, at the same ballot-box
aud under. the direction of the same
officers, with State, county, city and
township officers. The attempt Of the
Republican party to coerce and com
troll State officers when coudscting
elections under State laws. by the nse
Of the Federal army and swarm, Of
hirsling spiss and Narshals, 10 . ia
grant, monstrous and intolsrabls paur.
patton. II State officers nay be 90
eoercsd and controlled BY the General
Government, then the States sink to
the position Of mere dependencies Of
one great central Government Of I'M
limited political power.
Fellow citizens, this assumption Of
power, il recognized and sstablised.
tends, and will, 1 believe. lead to The
utter destruction Of the beailoent
system Of overnment established BY
our fathers. Under that systsm, form.
ulated In the Constitution. al the
powers Of the Fslersl Government
are strictly defined and limited, vhiIs
the States and the people. reservisg to
themselves AL pewsr not delegated .
the General Government, ara sover-
eayash y fsT wider sphere than IL the
General Government. speak in no
spirit Of partisanship, bat in the can.
dor Of conviction, when say that ths
of the reserved rights of
the States and tho people, and the ab.
sorption in the General Government
Of all political power, regardless Of
the Constitution, has become the con-
trolling tendency, II not the fixed aim,
of tho Republican party.
Thsse policies Of the Repablican
party by which they are impoverish.
ing the masses and absorbing unlimit.
cd power in the General Government
are only steps toward the ultimate
subversion OF popular liberty and the
establishment Of the rule Of . money
In every Government,
there are two great op.
posing forces-the forces proceeding
openly from the masses, tending to
of rights, and the forces pro-
ceedins secretly from the few, tendiag
to exemption, favoritism aud class
rule. The one aims ct Government
by and for the whole people tho other
by and for a.class. The ono at rnle by
tho other by money.
In our Rspablic those opposing
forces have always been 1t work mold.
ing and controlling the action Of par
ties.- The Democratlc party founded
by Jefferson. the inspired apostle OF
liberty, has generally throughout its
history been the exponent OF tho sem
timents and the champion 0f5the In.
terests of the mssses !; while the Fed.
eral party strongly favored policies
tending to rehabilitation, favoritism
and class rule. But never In the his-
tory Of our Government have the
principles aud methods opposed to the
true Democracy been 90 boldly and
powerfully maintained - by the Re.
publican party in the past twelve
years. Its long aud hrm hold Of rap.
idly expanding power and the snor-
nous growth Of concentrated wealth
have developed and ripened tho forces
inimical to popular government until
now, having reduced the labering
masses almost to pauperism, having
stripped the middle classes Of larss
share OF their wealth. having learned
how to exact enormous tribute from
corporations It has enriched by unjust
legislation, 1t seeks by corruption 10
bribe and by forcs to everawe the
aud to perpetuate its power
and the free and unbousht sunrasss
OF the people.
In this great contest No APPEAL to
fha natri0tiam and tina intArAats not "a