The Portland daily press., 1879-08-22

RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.

The conditions or right OF suffrage IS lett to
each State to fix as it pleases subject only to
tuition of the United States. But when SO
fixed the voter for the most numerous branch
of the State Legislature becomes voter OF
the U United States within the limits OF the
State of his residence. 1t is then as much the
duty of the government of the Union to see
that he is protected in the full and free enjoy
ment of that right as of any other guaranteed
by the Constitution of the United States.
ALLEGIANCE AND PROTECTION.
Allegiance by the citizen and protection by
the government are correlative duties. The
same authority that commands and appro-
PIRATES the life and property OF the citizen 1of
its defense in time of peril is bound to protect
that life, with all its rights and that properly
with all its incidents, against all lawless at
tacks wherever its jurisdiction extends.
A government that cannot command the
loyalty of its own citizens is unMorthy the res
pect of the world, and government that VIII
not protect its loyal citizens deserves the con-
TEN pit of the world.
Where is the justice in the government
using the life and the property OF the citizen
for its own protection i'll time OF danger, and
then when the danger is passed OF turning
them over for protection and security to any
local community, no matter what may be its
character for lawlessness or its local and pro-
vincial prejudices against all persons not to the
manor born?
That would be a restoration OF the old view
of state rights, which gave to local communl-
great truths of the Declaration of In
dependence penitentiary offense, and to In
carcerate in loathsome dungeons Christian
philanthropists who gave crust Of bread or
glass of water to the painting fugitive guilty OF
no offense save his love of liberty.
CITIZENSHIP.
I am citizen of the republic of America,
living within the territorial limits Of the state
of Pennsylvania; and so long as l obey the
laws of both, am entitled to protection for all
my rights as a man and citizen wherever l
may 90 within the jurisdiction of the Constitu-
ton and the courts of that republic -:
forfeit no guaranteed rights of citizenship
by crossing state lines; nor is the government
absolyed from it's duty and obligation to protect
me In all rights and privileges secured or guar
anteed by its laws. for by the constitution it.
self they are made the supreme law OF the
land, anything in the constitution or laws OF a
state to the contrary notwithstanding.
owe no allegiance to any petty local COM
munity paramount to that which owe to the
government that guarantees to every state In
She Union Republican form of government
and protection against invasion and domestic
violence.
The craftsmanship that regards the local
community in which man is born or in which
he chances to live as wiser and better than
any other, is akin to the self-ighteousness that
rejected the Saviour of mankind because he
came out of Nazareth.
In our political system the doctrine that a
local community is paramount to the nation is
the child of American slavery, and whatever
injustice there might be in other cases OF visit
ing the iniquities of the fathers upon the chill
dren there can be none whatever in this case,
for it has been Pandora's box of national ills.
SECESSION CANNOT SUCCEED.
The threat of leading representatives of the
Democratic party to undo all the legislation
enacted to save the Union in the night OF its
peril, without the consent of those who saved
it, and the still more violent and inexcusable
threat to withhold, SO long as they have a
majority in either branch of Congress, the
necessary appropriations of money for the sup
port of the government of the Union, unless
their particular notions of states rights are
respected. is akin to the threat made nineteen
years ago to destroy the Union ii its freemen
in the mode prescribed by the Constitution
should elect a President of the United States
not acceptable to them.
The men who vowed then, amid the clash Of
arms and the din of battle, that whatever else
might perish it should not be the free institu-
lions of their fathers, in the same spirit VOW
o.day, Hannibal-like at the altar OF theil
country, by the shades of half million hero
martyrs, sleeping in early graves; by the sighs
and tears of an equal number of widows and
orphans, sitting at disconsolete firesides; by
the hel Ole sacrifices of nation mourning 1T
unreturning brave, that those who wrought all
this misery and woe, shall not accomplish III
peace what they failed to accomplish in war.
AT the close of the address three hearty
cheers were given for the speaker, and three
for the next Governor of Maine, the Hon.
Daniel f. Davis.
While many of the Greenbackers were pres
ent, the eaders of the faction were .conspicu
Gus by their absence, and no one interrupted
the speaker.
The Republicans claim that the Greenback
leaders will not be able to hold their own, and
that very decided reduction of the Greenback
vote of last year may be looked for. The soft
money advocates have been INDUCING in the
game of brag, at which they have become ex
perts, but they are cornered when requested te
name one of the many Republican converts
that they claim. AS one man remarked, aftel
the close of the meeting last evening, "Solon
Chase's steers will find poor pasturing at the
Cape this fall.
The attendance last evening was very large
when the situation of. the town house is taken
into consideration. The men of Cape Eliza
beth evidently share in the confidence felt by
the Republicans all over the state, in the cleo.
ton of Mr.. Davis, and it is also clear that they
have taken off their coats, and have gone to
work with will to help swell the majority
which the Little Corporal will receive. There
was hardly Republican woker of past years
who was not present at the meeting last night
The Republicans of Cape Elizabeth are to be
congratulated on the prospect of achieving a
complete victory over the combination.