Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-09-03
TO THE DEMOCRACYOF PENN.
SYL VANIA.

in oil past time has been consistent
and its force has always beon expend
en- in defense of the rights of the citi
zen, guaranteed to him by the organic
law of the land.
Your iealty to the party is not th,
result Of subserviency 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 il has invariably resisted tho on.
croachments of political power direct
ed againts the rights Of personal lib,
erty and property. 1t is fundamen.
tai principle of the Democratic party
that the majority shall rule-that the
will of the people, fairly and freely ex.
pressed at the polls, is the supreme
law Of the land, and should be main.
tanned at all hazards, and that any
attempt to set aside that will so de-
clared, is crime against the State,
and subversive of the rights of the in
dividuals constituting it. To establish
a government based upon this pnnci-
pie cost the best blood of the patriots
of the Revolution, and base and degen-
crate would be their children if ever
they should permit it to be impaired.
The highest privilege that can be OK.
ercised by 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 tho free exercise OF the
right of suffrage" In the exercise of
this right, the elcctor is sovereign,
and tame submission toany encroach.
ment upon it would speedily hasten a
condition of servitude. In the exer-
else OF the elective franchise, all are
placed upon the same level, without
regard to the conditions of life or for
tune. The poorest voter, in the use
of this privilege, wields a power equal
to that of the richest and 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 untram.
melled enjoyment the Democratic par.
ty pledges its unialtering support.
Under Republican rule this guaranteed
right to every citizen has been fla
grantly violated, not only in this, but
In other States of the Union. But it
was the heroic devotion of the Demo
cratic party in the last Congress that
re-afiirmed and partially restored the
right OF the elector to a free ballot.
That was not contest for political
supremacy, but struggle for lost
right, and accomplished for the people
what in other times could have been
gained without an appeal to arms.
In this State, for years you have
submitted to the rule of the Republi.
can party, and not only by intimida-
tion and fraLd dave electors been de-
prived of their suffrage, but in more
than one instance you have been dis
franchised, the legitimate, honest, vote
Of the State having been counted out.
More than cne State official has held
his Office against the honestly polled
vote of the people. In the city Of
Philadelphia it is notorious that the
most Aagrant outrages have been per.
petrated upon the electors, by repeat.
ers, ballot.box suffers, and the paid
minions of the National Government,
and the right to free ballot has been
trampled upon within the shadow of
Independence Hall, where the spirit of
liberty was first given birth. 1 think
l mistake not the temper of the Dem.
ocratic party now, in that, they will
not again tamely submit to such an
invasion of their rights, but in the ap.
preaching election they will see TO it
that there shall not only be free bal.
lot 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 years has
been in the keeping oil an organized
ring that generously has relieved the
bilitv of taking anv active mart in ia
management. II has organized its
State Conventions, selected and nomi
mated candidates for high noliticaI M.
s;t;ons and onnointod Senators 10 ren
resent PcnnsyIvania in lbo Sena,e If
the United States used the mower of
the lobbv to control imnortant looisla. |
tion and bv -be notent inAuoneo ot
money and nosit;on its bole,pl ;nf,u.
cnce has fonnd its wav into every
iibre of our noliticol svs,em Wben.
ever II became necessary TO accom-.
plish n purpose IFS power was irresist. !
able Il peryaded every department
of tho State government and in the |
House and Senate were found its ofli.
ciont representatives. In the lobby il
was omnipotcnt. The Treasury was
REGARDED AZ the object of Legitimate
plsnder, and the roprosonta,ives of tho
people as the mere instruments to give
legal form to robbery. The most in
iquitous measures were conceived and
executed. The sentence Of political
death, without reprieve, was imposed
on any adherent who hesitated to carry |
out the decree of the ring, and his
pie tool. In the name of loyalty the
State was plundercd. The public
works, costing the people millions,
were given away, and the Treasury |
depleted by the repeal of the tonnage
tax. New offices were created with |
immense emoluments and long ten
urc, to which they unbestatingly ap-
pointed themselves. Corporations de
manded of the Legislature extraordi-