The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-09-05
THE KEYNOTE OF THE CAMPAIGN.
CHAIRMAN MILLER SOUNDS THE SLOGAN or
yICTORY-ONCE MORE INTO THE BREACH.

THE KEYNOTE OF THE CAMPAIGN.
CHAIRMAN MILLER SOUNDS THE SLOGAN or
yICTORY-ONCE MORE INTO THE BREACH.
To the Democracy Of Pennsylvania:
You are again called upon to maintain the
integrity of Democratic principles, and, by
your action and votes establish their supre-
macy in the State. The history and record
of the party in all past time has been con-
siStent, and its force has always been eXpeud-
ed in defense OF the rights OF the citizen,
guaranteed to him by the organic law OF the
land
Your fealty to the party is not the result
of SubSeryiemcy to the dictates of any one
man or set Of men, but rests upon conviction,
that its policy and principles, when fully
carried out, have ever contributed to the
prosperity and material wealth OF the State
To this end it has invariably resisted the en-
crOachments of political power directed
against the rights of personal liberty and
property. 1t is a fundamental principle OF
the Democratic party that the maj jOrity shall
rule-that the will of the people, fairly and
freely expressed at the polls, IS the supreme
law of the land, and should be maintained
at all hazards, and that any attempt to set
aside that will so declared, is a crime against
the State, and SubversiYe OF the rights of the
individuals constituting 1t. To establish
government based upon this principle cost
the best blood Of the patriots OF the RevOlu-
children If ever they should permit it to be
impaired. The highest privilege that can be
exercised by q freeman Is the right of the
elective franchise its enjoyment Is secured
TO him by the bill Of rights, which declares,
That elections shall be free and equal and
no power, civil or military, shall at any time
interfere to prevent the free exercise of the
right of suffrage In the exercise OF this
right, the electOr Is a sovereign, and tame
submission to any encrOachment upon IL
would speedily hasten a condition OF Servi-
tude. In the exercise of the elective fran
chiSe, all are placed upon the same level,
without regard to the conditions OF life or
fortune. The poorest voter, in the use Of
this privilege, wields power equal to that
of the richest and most powerful in the
State. The ballot makes them equal, and
its Importance Is Of no greater value TO one
than TO the other, and hence-in the perfect
security of its free exercise to every voter
rests the permanency of our system of self
government. To its free and untTammeled
enjoyment the Democratic party pledges its
unfalteTing support Under Republican
rule this guaranteed right to every citizen
has been tiagrantly violated, not only in this,
but i'm other states of the Union. But il was
the heroic devotion of the Democratic party
i'm the last Congress that treatiirmed and par
TALLY restored the right Of the eleCtOr to a
free ballot
That was not a contest for political su-
premacy, but a struggle for a lost right, and
accomplished for the people what in other
times could not have been gained without an
appeal to arms
In this State, for years you have submitted
to the rule of the Republican party and not
only by intimidation and fraud have electors
been deprived OF their suffrage, but in more
than one instance you have been disfranchiS-
ed, the legitimate, honest, vote OF the State
having been counted out. More than one
State official has held his office against the
honestly polled vote of the people. In the
city of Philadelphia It l. notorious that the
most fragrant Outrages have been perpetrated
upon the electors, 10y repeaterS, baiiot-boN
suffers, and the paid miniOus OF the National
government, and the right to a free ballot
has been tTampled upon within the shadow
of independence Han, where the spirit Of
liberty was first given birth / think l mis-
take not the temper of the Democratic party
now, in that, they will not again tamely sub
NIT to such an invasion of their rights but
in the approaching election they viii see to
il that there shall not only be a free ballot but
an honest count
Other elements, equally dangerous to the
rights OF the citizen and the prosperity of the
Commonwealth, exist.
The Republican party for Yeas has been
in the keeping OF an organized ring, that
generously has relieved the masses of the
party from the responsibility of taking any
active part in its management. 1t has organ
lied its State conventions, selected and nom
mated candidates for high political positions,
and appointed Senators to represent Penn
svIyania in the Senate OF the United States.
risad the uOwer OF the lobby TO control inn
portant legislation, and by the potent in
fluence OF money and position, its baleful i'll
nucncc has found its way into every fibre OF
our political system. Whenever il became
necessary to accomplish = purpose. its power
was irresistible. 1t pervaded every depart
ment of the State government, and in tlrl
House and Senate were found its efficient
representatives. In the lobby il was Omni-
potent. The treasury was regarded as tEg
object of legitimate plundeT, and the repre-
7 sentativeS OF the people Is the mere iuStrE
meptS to give legal form to robbery. The
most iniquitOuS measures were conceived
/ and executed. The sentence of pOlitica
death without reprieye, was imposed OF
/ anV adhcreHt who heSitated to carry out tn,
/ decree OF the ring, and his place filled by
more plant and supple tool. In the name
/ of loyalty the State was plundered. Tit
I public works, costing the people millions
/ We're given away, and the treasury deplete,
bv the repeal of the tonnage tax. New
/ offices were created with immense emolu
, ments and a long tenure, to which they un
7 heSitatingly appointed themselves. Corpora
7 tiOnS demanded of the Legislature eNtraOT
dinaTV priyileges-they were freely Crante
and in the exercise OF uuwarranted power
threatened the existence Of individual enter
prise and, indeed, 10 IlSe paramount to col
Stitutional authority. The Republican part
was in the grasp of the ring, and the ring be
came, and Is, the Republican party.
It's true that corporations with CAREFUL
! guarded powers are necessary to carry OU
great enterprises, but in granting privilege
. superior to those enjoyed by the individual
/ the greatest vigilance should be exercised b
. the Legislature, otherwise, as all eXperienC
{ proves having once entered the field
| special privilege, their rapacity knows Il
I limit and they become engines of oppression
crushing out every interest but their own,
gathering where they have not strewn, an
reaping where they have not sown." r.
Gently this gTasping tendency of corporal
l power has been displayed in the great q
regions Of the State
l This wonderful natural development b;
! attracted there immense capital, the ncce
= sary and legitimate result Of which has bet
, to add largely to the material wealth of q
, ] Commonwealth. There the widest field
! ! individual enterprise has been opene
) Thousands of the active men, the buSine
Il men. the live men Of the country, OF phYslc
!. . and intellectual energy, have been drawn
V this center. To foster and encourage Il
i interest by proper and protective legisatio
. that tine porducer may reap the legitlma
. fruit of his labor and capital, should be [
:: first card of the Commonwealth, and yet, \
u are assured by the appeals coming from |
S people of that region, that the great carrNl
, | CORPORATIONS in their discrimination again
n the producer and transporter have so para
:, I zed the enterprise of individuals, as TO ma
= ! them their servants, 'the heWerS OF Wo'
Il and the drawers of water.
For these wrongs they must hold respor
II ble the Republican party, which has been
full possession of the executive branches
,s the government
To correct these and many other CTieyan
u and the more effectually 10 guard the
e. proaches of corrupt influence upon memb
n, Of the Legislature, a new Constitution