Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-09
THE SPEECH.

| meant something. IL was ueeply AM
/ broadly significant, and il meant busl
ness next week. Il have never seen,
said be, "a vaster and more magnifcen
audience than this gathered 20 hear
discussion of political issues. 1t Is lat'
in the day to begin, but as you nave
done me the honor TO come out IN suef
vast numbers to hear what have Z
say, if il is your pleasure, | will SUI
talk To YOU for some time about serious
and weighty matters. Shall do so?
The crowd sent up an answer like the
roar of tempest: "les, yes. 90 on
Go on.
have come into the Ohio canvas:
with an idea that it is a remarkably
thoughtful one. Great and serious
questions are at issue. | have, there
fore, more than usually prepared my
self TO leave with you thoughts worthy
TO be pondered and considered after
have gone away.
Political parties are necessary TO the
purity Of government. They act rs de
tectives upon each other. They also
form issues for the people to vote upon.
Sometimes these issues involve ques-
tiOns OF little moment or import, but
at other times the outcome of canvass
involves the life OF the very vital prin-
ciples OF free government. No party is
always right or always wrong. Some
times il becomes "a question merely
which party Is nearest right or has least
evil. To-day | venture 10 assert that
The Republican Party
on the political issues as they now
stand, is further wrong, more absolutely
in error, more deeply stepped in in
iquity than ever any party was before,
not even excepting that party which
upheld the alien and sedition law, OPP
posed the war of 1872, and kindled blue
ires on the coast of New England. The
leaders of this party have embraced a
policy which shows them 10 be more
fitted for despOtic countries and bar
barous people. ii their policy is main
tanned and their cOunSels prevails then
the cause Of human freedom will be set
back a century and half and the deeds
of our foreiathers in '76 will be made in
vain.
The Extra Session of Congress
received attention. The speaker said
the head and front OF the Democracys
offending was a determination that the
people should govern themselves with
out let or hindranCe from military pow
er. Ii this sounds like an eXaggeratlOn,
examine the facts. The Republican
party has already arrogated to it's all
miniStratiOn the right to control and
oversee all elections OF every kind. At
this point some one in the audience in
terrupted the speaker, saying that 1t
was only Congressional elections. Alter
giving him scathing answer, Senator
Voorhees, addressed him with these
words "My friend, il you will just
possess your soul in patience, there will
be mighty little left to be said when |
get through" D."
The speaker stated the present issue
10 be merely shall the people govern
OF shall they have Il master.
The Republicans say they want strong
government
Whst Is Meant by Strong Government ?
There Was a struggle at the formation
of our country over this very question.
There was g party Which hied rs innGdelItR
.o popular institutions. That is just the
party OF to-day. We hear
Hamilton quoted as an an-
.hority more than ever before. lie was
a federalist, and his plan provided ior
life term for the Chief Magistrate OF the
Nation. So with these Radicals. They
are i'm power and would stay there.
have heretofore ioretold some things IN
the political world which have come TO
pass. Ipredict now that the coming Is
sue i'm the near future is to be between
the broad doctrines OF Jefferson on the
one hand, and the monarchical doctrines
of Hamilton on the other; the latter
supported by all the monOpolies, banks
and boarded interest-gatherlng wealth
i'm the land. Jefferson announced that
he who feared to trust the people was a
Tory by nature. That was his mode OF
an enemy 10 free govern
ment, and We are rapidly finding out
now who are Tories, or enemies OF tree
government, by the same rule.
The Army at the Polls.
In a single chapter Congress has en-
acted a penal code OF 23 elaborate sec
tions against the freedom of the people
10 conduct and control their own elec-
tiOns. This code, which is too long to
produce here, is filled from end to end
with every cOntrivance known to the
ingenuity OF man for the suppression OF
local seli-government. The punish
ments provided for the infraction OF
many OF its numerous provisions read
like the rawlings of a madman dreaming
Of vengeance. BY section 5,50S if two
persons cOnspire To threaten any citizen
i'm the enjoyment of any OF his rights
under the constitution and laws, al
though they may not actually threaten
him, nor 10 him the slightest injury,
vet they are liable to fine of 5000 and
ten wears imprisonment
Throughout them all We meet the
United States marshal and his general
and his special deputies; the chief super
visor and his insOlent SubordInates;
the United States commissioner ami hlS
deputy commissioners, all armed with
the authority of the Federal Govern
ment To arrest, knock dowIf and drag
from the polls their iellOw-citizenS at
pleasure: all clothed by the hidcous and
damuable legislation, with power to
break into any room where ballots are
being received. open the ballOt-bOx,
stop the election, and impriSon the
Judges wherever party malice or amOl-
ton shall dictate such course. Not a
word of this statement will be denied.
10 was not denied in the Senate when
made there by me. Every man had the
laws before him and knew what they
were. Besides all this, giving destruC-
tive iorce 10 all the vast Federal machin-
erv for the suppression Of free elections,
was the entire military force OF
the Government. There are at least
three sections which specifically pro-
vide for the control OF elections by
the army and navy. Two OF
these sections provide that it
shall be lawful for the President or some
one by him designated, "to employ
such portions of the land or naval
forces of the United States, or OF the
militia as may be necessary, in his
opinion, To govern and cOerce the
people at the polls. The other re-
manning section on this subject IN
flicts even a greater degradation on the
people. Certain United States commiS-
sioners having been created in con-
nectiOn with the management OF
elections their duties are defined by law
aS follows: