Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-07-25

who gave large part of his life to the
study of our complex form of govern
ment, taught his sons to learn from the
Constitution as expounded by the
fathers and the courts, that the general
government is supreme only within the
scope of its limited and defined powers,
and the States and the people thereof
also supreme in the exercise OF all
powers not granted TO the Federal gov
eminent. He taught them that it was
equally the duty of the patriot to main
tain in full vigor all the powers granted
To the general government, and all the
powers reserved to the States respec-
lively or to the people; so that our dual
form OF government might not be lost
through either the centripetal or the
centrifugal forces of the system. He
willingly saw his sons 90 forth TO battle
for the constitutional powers OF the Fed
eral government; and now, were he yet
among us, he would, believe, approve
their effort to resist by peaceful methods,
the attempt to impair the distinctive
feature of our system Of government on
which depends the perpetuation OF pop
ular liberty.
CONCLUSION.
Nv friends, all the policies OF the
Republican party have discussed this
evening, though apparently differing
widely in character, are in fact closely
related in purpose and effect. believe
them all to be part OF general ten
dency OF the classes which control that
party, to practically subvert popular
government. The steps are first to des-
troy the independence of the masses by
immensely increasing the burdens of
debts and taxes and by cutting off the
opportunities and rewards OF labor, and
bv the same act swell the wealth and
power of the favored classes; and then,
by allying the money power to the
illimltable forces OF government patron
age and plumber to control elections by
bribery and force and practically sub
vert the free rule OF the ballot. Look
at the powers which may be brought to
bear TO effect this result! See the vast
growth of corporations, some OF which
already rule with an iron hand the
greatest States of the Republic. Look
at the two thousand National banks,
holding almost every business man and
business interest in their grasp; see the
veteran corps of one hundred thousand
active partisans paid from the public
treasury, and tell me whether, il the
policy which has impoverished the mass
of the people, and piled up the vast
fortunes which have risen as rapidly as
cloud mountains in the sky, shall bs
permitted to go on, these powers,
backed by the army and the navy,
may not soon be strong enough TO make
the rule by ballot as completely farce
as it was in the republic of the bogus
Napoleon. Neither the great wealth
holding powers of this Republic, nor
the party which represents them, can
be trusted with the preservation OF the
sacred fire OF liberty. They have not
sufficient interest in preserving it. They
are at least as safe under a corrupt and
aristocratic rule They want privilege,
exemption, aristocracy; not equal
rights, equal taxation, and the ballot.
II may be long before they strike at the
mere form of our government, but they
have struck and are striking at its spirit.
| speak not OF in lividuals, but Of classes;
for among the weathiest men are many
of both parties who love and are faith
ful to our Democratic system of govern
ment. But it is the mass OF the people
the farmers, the owners OF small in
dustries, and those whose dependence
and hope for themselves and their chill
drcn is in we'll paid labor,-who have
the proioundcSt interest III the prcser-
walton of every part of this most perfect
form Of government, in which is set the
jewel of popular liberty. They have I:
in their keeping-in their children, they
must protect themselves from impover-
ishment by insidious finance legislation,
and prevent the ballot-bOx from being
wrested from the control other home
mt