Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-07-31
MIR. BzACKBURN ON THE 1ssUE

Hon. j. G. s. Blackburn, of Kentucky,
delivered brief address at Lexington last
Saturday night to an audience composed of
the best men of that vicinity. He is man
who has of late assumed prominent posi-
ton in national politics, and as his discourse
pertained to national affairs, it is therefore
of more than passing Importance. In allud-
ing to the financial issues Mr.. Blackburn
makes the very common mistake that by the
reconciliation of silver some thirty-six
millions have been added to the circulating
currency of the country. He forgets that
Mr.. Sherman has studiously endeavored to
prevent the circulation of silver, and that,
as consequence, less than half the amount
coined has been issued. The remainder has
been issued to merchants, but, as compen-
sation, Mr.. Sherman has Withdrawn from
circulation much larger amount of green
backs, which are held as the cash balance in
the treasury. There has been no expansion
of the currency as result of silver remone-
tization.
Mr.. Blackburn devoted but brief attention
to the rape of the Presidency by Mr.. Hayes,
though he characterized it in fitting terms.
Proceeding to the vindication of the policy
of the Democratic party for compelling the
holding of an extra session of Congress he
showed that the party was not only warrant
ed but impelled by every conviction of duty
to make the endeavor to repeal the obno1-
ious laws that had been born of sectional
prejudice with the design of abridging the
liberty of the citizen and retaining the Re-
publican party ia power. The repeal of the
jurors test oath was vindicated by the claim
that, though man might be qualified to be
member of Congress, judge or Presi-
dent, he was not, under the law as it existed.
qualified to sit upon jury in the trial of q
case involving only few dollars.
The course of the party in demanding the
repeal of the supervisors of elections law and
the law authorizing the executive to employ
troops at the polls at his own discretion, was
defended in an able manner. He demon
strated most conclusively the nature of the
abuses that have been perpetrated under the
sanction of those laws, and showed that
their repeal was necessary in order to pre-
serve the liberty of the citizen to cast free
and untrammelled ballot. That the party
had met with even the limited success at
tanned was surprise to the speaker, but it
was nevertheless gratifying, as it must be to
every lover of liberty throughout the coun-
try.
MIR. Blackburn has presented the national
issues very tersely and clearly. He has done
SO with moderation and discernment. no at
tempt having been made to excite undue DO
litical animosities or to create sectional pre-
JUDGES. The obnoxious laws repealed OF
sought to be repealed by Congress concern
all sections alike, and every citizen equally.
If it is thought necessary to station troops at
the polls at the South to-day, it may be
thought necessary to station them at the
North tomorrow. If it is thought expedi.
emit to appoint supervisors of elections at the
North tomorrow, it may be thought expedi-
emit to appoint them at the South the next
day. Sectionalism has nothing to do with
the question. It embraces the rights Of
citizens everywhere-their right to exercise
the franchise granted them by the constltu.
ton and laws. Any person who considers
the issues dispassionately must acknowledge
that the party was fully warranted in pursu.
ing the course that it did; that the best in.
terests of the whole country require that the
laws be obliterated from the statute books
entirely and as soon as possible. This result,
cannot be long delayed. It will come as the
legitimate and only possible outcome of q
long reign of despotic and unrepublican