Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-09-25
Speaker Randall In Montgomery.

On Tuesday week the Democracy OF
Montgomery held their annual meeting,
when Speaker Randall was present by
invitation and delivered a most effect.
i've speech upon the issues between the
Democratic and Republican parties. lie
WAS most enthusiastically received and
frequently applauded. The following is
II brief abstract OF his remarks a. re.
ported in a contemporary
Speaker Randall began by returning
his thanks To the county committee for
the honor il had conferred upon him by
the invitation TO meet the Democracy of
Montgomery county. He conceived il
to be his duty 10 say few brief words
upon the political issues at this time.
The platform adopted at the late con
vention was 20 clear in its expression,
aud there was so little ambiguity in its
terms, while il was withal so compre.
hensive in its declaration of principles,
that he might ~ well rest the issues OF
the coming contest on what was therein
contained. On the statements contain.
ed in that platform the contest is To be
decided. The Democratic party of the
commonwealth depended solely upon
this declaration. 1t had reached the
public mind and received the endorse.
ment Of the people, aud it was happy
fact that their candidate was in exact
harmony with that declaration.
Their candidate, both in public and
private life, was in accord with il and
had given his adherence to its princi.
Piles and had promised in the event Of
his election to be guided and governed
in his administration thereby. at
seems to me- continued the speaker.
THAT when we are appealing TO our
fellow men i'm this comufonwe ealth, and
asking their votes all We have to do is
10 refer them tn what the State Conycn.
tion has said. But may be permitted,
perhaps. to so little further aud elAb.
orate in some degree as To- the issues
therein presented. A great, and to my
mind, oycrshadowing issue between the
two cOntcnding parties at this time is
whether the army OF the United States
shall be used To subvcrt the will of the
people. The Democratic party, through
It's representatives in Congress, has dc.
clArcd that no longer will the people
submit TO have the army used in con.
trolling at the election polls. but on the
contrary that the elections shall be free
and fair and no man to he hindcred 10y
intimidation from exercising his soycr.
eign right in casting his vote" The
speaker thought 1t was not necessary TO
90 back TO ancient history TO cite the
evil effects Of standing armies, and cited
Adams and Alexander Hamilton and
the Declaration of independence at
some length.
Tho I.vrnrvar.. .n.l ID.
publican party that the right OF the
federal power to appoint persons as
United states marshals 10 conduct elec.
tions in States should not be any longer
submitted to. "and in this respect"
continued Mr.. Randall, II may be al.
lowed to say few words and | speak
from experience. At the last election
there were in the eastern district OF
Pennsylvania appointed at enormous
cost to the people $50 in the main 10
intimidate people in my district"
The speaker then went on TO discuss
the third head Of his discourse, which
related to iuries. The Democratic party
had placed statutes on the books which
gave proper juries for the adminisira.
ton OF justice to decide to between lii.
gators as TO the rights OF property and
decide upon the rights of citizens. Bo.
fore this Democratic reform there had
been ignorance instead Of intelligence
in this respect at least had the Congress
of the United States gained signal
victory, and il they would examine the
revised statutes they would find a
remarkable fact that in Legislation Of
this character Pennsylvania was made
an exception TO the general laws and
that United States marshals could. in
consequence, exercise their discretion
in drawing the jury. In the eastern
district of Pennsylvania it was seldom
that Democrat was seen on the grand
or petit jury in consequence OF the
exception. In that respect they had
gained an absolute victory, and had sent
to the jury box intelligent men who
could read and write and understand
right from wrong, instead of ignorant
and depraved men ss before.
Mr.. Randall attacked Mr.. Hayes for
the exercise OF the veto power. by which
means he had prevented reform. but he
had 10 back down, and they virtually
prevented him from using the army at
the polls during the present election
year.
The question of resumption occupied
Mr. Randal's attention, and he showed
its accomplishment TO have been due in
large measure to the economy Of the
Democratic Congress, which in four
years, beginning with the Forty. fourth
Congress, had saved $S4,OO0,000. "Re.
sumption could not have been prevent.
ed any more than water could be pre-.
vented from running down hill.
On the question OF the civil service
Mr. Randall scathed the administration
unsparingly. Mr.. Hayes, the present
occupant of the White House, had
promised civil service reform, but would
they believe IL, there were at this mo.
ment mo less than ffty.six prominent
men who hold public positions under
the United States government that we're
directly or indirectly concerned in the
count of the votes Of the States Of South
Carolina, Louisiana anil Florida, by