Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-10-16

Following is the able address delivered
by Hon. John Sherman at Portland, Me-,
on July 23d:
| FELLOW CITIZENS: 1 accepted the invitation of
your distinguished senator to speak in the state
of Maine during my brief vacation from official
duties, mainly that might present to you the
mode by which, in spite OF much opposition
United States notes have been advanced to par in
coin, and some reasons wy these notes ought
hereafter to be redeemed in coin at the demand of
the holder, instead of being, formerly, ire
dee enable, deprecia ed, and dishonored. You will
naturally expect me, as public officer. to speak
mainly on this and kindred financial topics con-
nected with my official duties
But before doing so, permit me- to sly that there
are questions involved in our political contest this
fall m re important than those of hard money or
soft money, -reenbacks or bank-notes.
REVIVAL OF CID ISSUES.
If felt at liberty to choose the theme m ost i'm
p2rtant to you and to the whole people of the
United States I would present the recent revival
by the Democratic party of the southern doctrine
OF states rights. This doctrine has been the evil
genius OF American politics. 1t was born of hos
tility to the q lion. 1t was the buwark of Amer
lean slavery. 1t poisoned and estranged large
| section of the country. Under the name of seces
sion, it led to the late rebellion, and aimed to
destroy the Union by an open armed conflict with
and the treasure tn It wasted in that war, were
the bitter fruits of this doctrine
| Now it takes the form of nullif 3ation-not NULL
! hcatIon by state officers when General jackson
throttled it, but notification by members of con-
gress, the sworn agents and off cers of the general
government. These officers would surrender
nullify Its laws, cripple it in executing
| its conceded powers, and make it con-
federate instead of national government. In the
arrogance OF their power one of their leaders de-
cared that it was Their fixed purpose to wipe out
| every v-stige of war legislation.
Their chief effort in the last two sessions of con-
gress has been to nullify law of congress provid
ing for an honest election of members of congress
"a law passed IN pursuance OF plain provision of
the constitution, declared by Mr.. Madison to be
| essential 70 the preservation of the government;
a law which has been sanctioned by eight years of
| practical execution, which has been appealed to
by both parties, whose constitutionalty has never
been disputed i'll the courts, and which is the only
guard provided by congress to protect citizens of
the United STATES in the elective franchise The
movement for multiplying this law made posi-
| bic by a united SOUTH" united by terror, vio-
| fence, and fraud, and by crimes that disgrace our
| civiliz alton. Over the white men of the south,
who were willing to acquesc9 in the results OF the
war, the "united sJuth practiced social ostra-
cism and violence. Over the poor blacks whose
| rights were granted, and as foolishly thought
sufficiently secured by the'constitution, it tramp
| led with midnight murder and masquerade, and
last year it capped the climax by election frauds
more shameful than the ballot box stuffiing and
repeating of Tweed and his infamous ring in 1868.
Several members of congress who were confess
sedly elected by tissue-ballot-box stufing, the
meanest form of crime against the elective fran
chise, participated in refusing the neces-
sary appropriations for the support of the gov
eminent unless the president would apl rove the
repeal of the election laws. When, by the firm
ness of the president, they failed in their main
object, they sought by conditions in appropriation
bills to compel him to agree to nullify laws in vo-
| laton of his oath Of Office.
| When the president again defeated this scheme
| by his veto they refused to appropriate money to
| enforce the judicial mandates of the government,
and the United States courts are now powerless to
enforce their DEGREES, to serve process, or to
keep the peace unless the marshals serve wlthout
| the pay fixed by law. In this way majority of
either house may nulIify any law and destroy the
! government. We thought all of such dogmas were
overthrown by the amendments to the constitution.
Such policy, if sanctioned, will nullify the
| amendment and is more dangerous than secession
or state null hcation 1t is revolution and anarchy.
| The evident purpose of those now dominating
in the Democratic party is to belittle ana
degrade the national government, to
elevate provincialism above nationalism, to
weaken the tie that binds this vast coun-
! try into nation 50 that the winds and waves of
faction may best upon it and shatter it. General
! Wade hampton is reported to have said that he
| does not care whether the candidates are hard
| money or soft-money, so they are Democrats.
few Democrats from the nortn elected upon any
false issue or artiice whatever, give them, with
the solid south, the control of the electoral college
and of the senate and house. Through the caucus,
conducted in secret, and controlled always by the
most violent men, in which the solid south has the
majority, they hope to rule this whole country,
and SIP and mine eli the strong fou dations Of the