The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-11-20
POLITICAL DISCUSSION.
Some Recent Public Utteranceso Of Prominent
Democrats.

am under SO many and great obligations,
against dissensions in your own ranks Men
are apt to think that the results of an election
chiefly affect candidates for high offices. This
is great error. They fall upon the mass Of
voters in a tenfold greater degree than upon
those who are called leading men As . rule,
these are advanced in life. In little while
they will pass away. Personal controversies
among the young and active may live for many
years, to harm and embarrass them. 1tmay be
in the power of men to crafty some passing
prejudice or interest ny defeating those Of their
own political faith, but it never fails, in the
course of time, that such things come back to
harm and plague those who indulge personal
prejudices. New York is by right, by tradition,
by interest, a Democratic State. This county,
In its better days, upheld the principles OF
Jefferson and jackson A majority
Of the citizens Of Utica hold to the same
faith. II the young and active members Of our
party will be true to themselves they will re-
cover that power which justly belongs to them.
If they allow themselves to fall into dissensions
they will destroy their own heritage, and whenit
is too late willregrettheir folly. lam now an old
man, and 30 far Withdrawn from active life
that don't think am governed in my views
by mere partisan prejudice. feel deeply my
obligations to my political friends, and hold
my principles as sacred because believe them
best fitted to promote the welfare Of my coun-
try. Yet respect the earnestness and sim
cerity Of those to whom I am politically op
posed. 1t is uncertain if l shall ever again
stand before an audience in Utica to speak
about public affairs. I wish, therefore, in the
light Of lifelong experience, to say that be-
ieve parties are necessary for the prese vation
of our form of government, for the education
of our people in political truths, and for lib
eralizing and enlarging their minds We hear
q great deal of cant about the corruption in
There are no corruptions in public affairs
which are not generated and nourished by other
influences at work among the people as q peo-
pie. ALI efforts, all zeal for cause, if it is q
worthy one, tend to lift men above mere personal
objects, and by exertions for others and by
dwelling upon considerations outside Of them
selves; tend to make men better and more
generous. We have selfish men in our public
life, but they were not made selfish in their po-
sitions, for these, dealing with general inter-
este, tend to hberalze mems purposes.
in parties, but they have been made
corrupt and self-minded in other rela-
tionships of life than those which
grow out of their association with others in the
promoti,n of a common cause. There are
many ignorant men to be found in all political
organizations but they are not so ignorant as
they would have been if there were no public
discussion of matters which concern the public
welfare. As rule, those who clsmor against
selfishness of parties are those too selfish
to perform the duties Of citizenship.
Those who shake their heads at corruption are
noted for their greed Of gold, gained by specu-
lative schemes, and who mourn over the cost
of carrying out their own corrupt measures. /
have been an actor in public affairs during
period of great bitterness and excitement in the
| minds of the American people. / have felt
more than most men the warmth and kindness
Of party support, and have felt too, thesharp
and angry criticisms of opponents excited
by passions aud prejudice. must in fairness
say that those opponents most active and earn
est in their zeal for their parties have been in
the end more ready to do justice than men who
satisfy themselves that they are right, and that
all who differ from them are wantonly wrong,
and who are too selfish to learn in the sharp
conflict of parties that there are two sides to all
questions, and that honest difference of opinion
should always be respected by honest men. 1
am believer in zeal, even in those who hold
views in conflict with my own, for never yet
| knew an active, honest man, whatever his er-
rors may be at the outset, who did not IN the
end become useful, just and liberal member
SPEAKER RANDALL ON NATIONAL AND LOCAL
DEB1s.-Now let me show you what is expect
ed from taxing the people in this country. The
Federal debt exceeds $4,000, ,OOO, 900, the State
debts amount to $4OO, ,OO0, 900, and the city and
county debts arc beyond 81, 600, ,0000O OF
this enormous city and county debt Philadel-
phia has very large part Here is IS, ,5U,,
000, 600 upon which the people must pay inter-
est You thus see the importance Of COM
pelling public servants to pay not q dollar
unless there Is absolute necessity for doing
so. The tendency of the Republican party has
been toward extravagance ever since I last
| ho6 ha tn in
capacity. Figures prove this beyond all con-
troversy. We are led by history to believe that
there are two great dangers to o republican,
alton and q tendency to grasp power unduly.
The Republican party has moved In the direci
way of centralizing the Goyernment-that il
of the people. We have seen how the power
Of the army has been used The Republican
party, by sending soldiers to intimidate voters
has given expression to its policy OF keeping in
force in time Of peace the laws that authorized
the sending of an army into certain States il
time of war Not only in distant and adjoining
States has this policy been enforced, but In thii
very district the use of the marines has beer
Witnessed. Yes, and at one of my elections
was sorrow-stricken to see that the votes oi
freemen had to be given under the point Of tht
bayonet We triumphed, but we should beal
in mind that there are not many districts like
this The Republicans have claimed the righ
|
one side. horde Of unnecessary electoneeri
paid out of the common treasury. There wer,
$50 of these Marshals in the Eastern district o
Pennsylvania, not because any Republican vot'
was in danger, but because it was the aim Z
influence this Congressional district, and, thani
God! they got rebuke that they won't forge
in an increased Democratic majority. Repub
hcan extravaganza was extended further tina
the public treasury. Between the close Of tn
war and the advent Of Democratic House G
Representatives the Republicans gave away no
less than 13O, 1000 acres of the public dc
main. Why, the thirteen colonies had onl
100000 acres. Think Of It'll Territor
equal in extent to four States of the eize of Ne,
York presented to six corporations! The resul
ls that any of you who may be disposed to tax
Horace Greeley's advice and go West will hav
to buy your land from corporations, payin
them $40 an acre for ground that might be ha
for 81. so an acre but for the extravagance an
injustice Of the Republican party.
SENATOR WALLACE ON SECTIONAL HATE
Ought passion and prejudice to control us
our judgment? Are we to be blinded by hat
and sectional antagonism to our own wrong
and true interests? Is this the form of min
in which we ought to approach consideratio
Of the grand issues of 1880? What of the re
public as whole? Has not your debt in
creased? Are not your expenses lessened
Are not economy aud thrift the rule? Has nc
crime decreased? Are officials as corrupt a
they were ten years ago? Do you long for ths
era of corrupt rule and vicious administrator
that the country saw from 1869 to 1873? Ha
not civil power replaced military in the Who'll
land, and he mild and strong government q
law supplanted that of the bsyonet? Ten year
ago three of the great States of the South
Virginia, Texas, and Mississippi yet ur
der military rule Is not their condition bette
now than then? Then Virginia had twenty
seven military districts, and elections wer
held by military order. Texas had thirt
counties without civil organization. Fifty-nin
cases were tried before military commission
in one year; there were 3S4 murders betwee
'Gsas i9sIssippi was 'e0sSMdesf SndeT military " COZ
troll military commissions were foun
uI,ab to cope with crime that courts and il
ries low successfully meet Local govern
msnt in the South has given US the measure
pace and order they now have. Without
al would be still disorder. Individual contrt
and oversight in every department of you
Government are as necessary as they are
our own affairs. 1t is this that brings ordt
out of chaos, and gives society and govern
ments their force and purity, fits man for II
zsnsLip, unites him to society by his person,
interests, compels him to govern himsel
Ninety thousand officials with their power an
MONEY are part Of the machinery that is wielt