The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-03-19

ton bills Ia that shape. the respoosi.
bility will rect with him. And"
continued Mr.. Beck. these conoi.
tions, whether right or wrong, VIII
be insisted on"
II was hardly necessary Tor MI
Beck 20 illustrate the methods oil bis
party as be did 10 the last sentence
No man who knows enough about
the history of the Democratic party
10 express an intelligent opinion
needs 10 be told that the question oil
the right or wrong of any policy was
never vet suffered TO distract the
councils of that party. The nearest
the party ever got 10 the conslders-
ton Of the moral aspects of any ques-
ton was in the days when it said OF
almost every propositioo-"ls II ex-
pedient ?" The question of right
was mover raised 10 any other way ;
and il was only raised in that way
by the rule of the psrty-"Whatever
is expedient is right" Ii ~ss Mon
te-quieu, we believe, wLo said, jus
lice includes equality. but equality
does not necessarily include justice"
The Democratic leaders never ia this
country reached anything like 50 hue
a point as that Their Legislation is
intended TO bridge time with days,
not with years ; or. better still, with
ages Their methods are those OF
untbrift, which lives from hand to
mouth, and sturdily scorns the man
who sees an inch beyond bic nose.
Because the Democratic party must
win the fight in 1880 or never expect
20 via ct eli, aud because with d iair
and a free ballo. it cannot possibly
vic. il % down TO the footlights
AID revolution. Mr. Beck
simply says. emove every defence
against fraud upon the ballot, or we
will refuse the money 10 carry on
public business
Very well Let that be the under
standing. and let US go TO the 'ubtFy
on that issue. If Ihe people OF To
country want revolution, they eau
so signify by their votes. Aud il
they want revolution, they csnnot be
baked Of iheir want Bot it is well
20 remark tbst the F~orty-sixth Con
gress was not ELECTED upon that is
sue. The repeal of the election law
was not made q question snywherf
az the last election, not even In The
South. So fsr as the Democracy are
concerned, that could maze 10 differ
ence. The leaders never consult the
views or wishes of the people. They
assume that the people want wbs'
the leaders want, and drive on with
that assumption. At certain memo
rsble periods in our history tbe Dem
ocFatic leaders have learned, 100 tate
that the people rot only did not wan
what they wanted bat would bay'
none Of it. The leaders wanted 4
make slavery natiopal aud freedom
sectional in 1854 They voted 10 cs
tablisb that peculiarly Democratic
order of things. But the f%ree-soiierI
vent to the country upon that issue
and then, much to their surprise, th'
Democrats found that tbe people di'
DOT want what they wanted,
The same leaders, having tired o
the Uaion because it no longer CAV
milk to their suck, concluded 4
abolish it in 1861. But the peopl
concluded not to have the UnioI
abolished. The same leaders con
clnded that the war was a failure il
1854, and so solemnly proclaimed ii
national convention. But the peopl
did moi so conclude, and taking fires
courage, drove on until the worl
confessed that the war was a success,
: Thus on Q te~ OCCASIONS it must b
tolerably clear that tDe leaders OF IN
Democratic party did not inlerpre
; popular viii Srigbt. Aud if we ar
not greatly mistaken, ;he ceqn,ry !
once more to witness The ~oyerwhein
ling rebuke Of those leaders for sssun
log that the masses pre as stupid az
unscrupaioas 81 themselves. Fhe il
/. relllgent of all parties know that tb
Federal election law is as fair for on
party as for n other; and homes
: voters know that it never impede
E any honest voter In its operation.
I is not denounced by honest voter
D soywbere, nor can it be, because
only lays al injunction upon fraudc
lent voting. No man 10 Philadelphia
, legally entitled to vote IN the PR
0 Il ct where be offered his vote, ca
r say that be has eyer been deprived {
his privilege by the operation Of tbs
: law. And the same Is true of homes
voters every =
North american