Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-14


"At the extra session OF Congress the
issue between the two parties upon this
system OF Federal Intervention was
clearly made up, and | l,ave brought
IL to your attention for the reason that
you might appreciate the deep and sig.
nifcant character Of the political ques.
tions that are now submitted TO the
people, and must be determined in the
next presidential election. Whatever
might have been the vagaries OF some
of the great men Of the Democratic
party, the party, as mn organization, has,
since the days of Thomas Jefferson TO
the present time, maintained as a funja.
mental principle Of our political system
Il just relation between the powers of
the State and the Federal government,
aud the supremacy Of each respectively
as to the matters committed 10 each by
the Constitution OF the United States.
The Federal government knows no
voters of its own creating il can Meth.
er make them nor uninake them it
has citizens, but not voters. II belongs
TO the State, and the State alone. TO de.
termine the qualifications necessary to
the possession Of the elective franchise ::
aud the State, and the State alone, is
charged with the especial duty of super.
vising its exercise and guarding the
purity Of the ballot box. The Federal
government. under the Consiitution,
may determine the time and manner OF
holding elections for Federal offices /;
the designation Of the fuuctionnries,
the agents and the officials who are to
guard the hallot-box, aud under whose
supervision the election Is to take place.
belongs to the State. and the State alone
with such instrumentalitiesh at com.
maud as are provided by the statutes TO
which | have referred, what Federal
administration could not pcrpeiuate
itself, unless, indeed, against most
overwhelming majority 1t Is true that
at the last presidential election the in.
dIgnation of the people WAS so great,
their sense OF wrong 70 universal, and
their determination TO overthrow the
tyranny Of many years 20 l.pervading,
that the Democratic candidate received
nearly half million majority OF the
popular vote. and was elected President
OF the United States. But forgery, per.
jury and fraud, combined with the
threatened use OF the Federal army.
overthrow the popular will and ,empor.
arily accomplished the suhjection Of the
people 10y putting usurper IN the eX.
ecutiye chair. IL was apparent 10 the
minds OF all thinking men at the time
OF that contest that the great danger
TO the country ia the future was not to
be found IN the attempted secession
of States, for that question was forever
settled, but from the consolidation OF
Federal power aud the destruction OF
the States necessarily followed 10y the
suliugatIon of the people. But this
has become still more apparent since
that damning fraud stained the history
Of our country. And unless the people
are awakened 10 an appreciation of
their danger aud the several States
of the Union speedily find that it is
necessary they should bc prepared to
meet any possible emergency IN which
the rights OF the people may bc en-.
dangered, no thinking man can justly
hope that our system Of government
will much longer continue a. IL was
framed by our fathers.
Unfortunately. within the last de
cade or more the States have bcco me
too much IN the habit of looking 10 the
Federal government in every eKiccncy
that may be upon them. They must
stand Alone-not out of the Union, nor
venture to think that they can or dare
step beyond the limits OF the Union,
but they must learn 20 stand alone in
the Union. feeling the thrill of sympa-
thetic sisierhood, and ready 10 defend
the Constitution OF the United States
and the rights of the people under that
sacred instrument from whatever quar-
ter the attack may come. They seem to
become 80 enervaied that even were
some casual internal disorder to disturb
their peace they are not provided with
the strength to put !, down.
"Our fathers regarded a properly or.
ganized militia force in the States as
the surest guarantee Of success in case
of foreign war, and n sure protection 10
liberty. Their wise ad.
vice seems not now TO be heard from
the far OF time. but, my friends. ! beg
you TO ponder IL seriously and reflect
whether it would not be more in be
coming with the dignity and glory of
your State that she should possess such
an organized force a. would enable her
TO suppress internal disorders when
necessary, and resist any attempt to
overthrow the Constitution and the
rights Of the people.
zone great principle Of the Demo
cratic party. which charge the gentle.
men nominated to-day for the Legisla.
ture Of your State TO recollect, is that
the world Is governed too much. a
distinguished philosophical thinker has
said the greatest Parliament that ever
sat in England was that which repealed
the largest number Of laws that had
been enacted by its predecessors. Some
Congress Of the United States to meet,
| trust, before many years. will rival
this English Parliament in repealing
laws. Among an enlightened, inielii.
gent and enterprising people, such as
the people of America, the hand Of
government should never be felt In the
duties and transactions Of the citizen
except in q very few cases, such as where