Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-10-29
A MoNsTROUS ABsURDITy.

SHERIFF.
A MONSTRO Us ABSURDTTY.
The last demand Of the republican
party, as expressed by its organs and
leaders, is that tho General Govern
mont shall protect every citizen in all
his rights in oil parts of the Union.
This sentiment has been the central
idea of most of the oratory that has
been employed to entbuse the Radical
masses in the State campaigns of this
year. With few exceptions all the Radi.
cal speakers in Maine, Ohio, Iowa and
other States where speaking has been
done, have demanded protection by
the Federal Government for each ct-
zen of every State and Territory in oil
his rights, Tho Republican papers, as
rule, have echoed the same demand
in emphatic chorus, and have de-
nounced, as undeserving of respect and
unworthy of confidence, the Govern,
ment that either could not or would
not afford such protection. We have
heretofore shown the absurdity OF this
clamor, and demonstrated the impossi.
bility of the central authority hccom-
ing such q protective agency without
a complete change in our system. But
the Radical press and stump speakers
Of that party still keep up the cry. 1t
is heard from the rostrum in Mary
land, Now York, Massachusetts and
Pennsylvania, and is becoming louder
and more earnest as its utter stupidity
and folly become more and more ap.
parent
1t may be fairly doubted if the men
who utter this rhetorical bosh, or the
people who applaud it, really know
what il means, or ever seriously think
what would be the result of such q
change as would transfer from the
States to the General Government the
duty of protecting each citizen in all
hisrights-protecting lifeand property
by watchful care over them and by
Furnishing violations oflaw. The means
of protection are courts, officers of the
peace, jails, penitentiaries, etc. II the
General Government is bound to do
this protecting, the States and muni-
cipalities must give up their courts,
must elect or appoint no moro Judges,
prosecutors, sheriffs, police officers, con.
stables or petty magistrates. All these
must be United States officials, and
every crime, every invasion of the
rights of persons or property, from
murder down to petty larceny, must
be tried by tribunal of the United
States. Is there any community pre-.
pared for such a change as thatY
But that is not all. Not only the
criminal courts and officers of the peace
with the penal institutions must bo
transferred from local Federal jurisdc.
ton, but the civil courts, the tribunals
designed for the protection of the
rights of property, must 60 in the same
direction. If the central authority is
to furnish the protection which the
States are designed to afford, nearly
every officer, and the appurtenances
and appliances OF officers, must be in
the control of the General Government.
We don't believe there is any party
that would undertake to argue in favor
of such change in direct and specific
terms, yet all this is embraced in the
current demand of Radical leaders and
publicists, the demand for protection
of individual rights by the "strong arm
OF the United States" 1t means the
practical abrogation Of States, the an.
initiation of local government, the alb.
sorpton of the functions of the States
and municipalities by the central
power
Add to the 104, 900 Offices now filled
by Federal appointees the vast army
of local offices that this change would
place under the same control, and we
should have such an engine of power
as was never welded by any single
government on earth. II would in.
crease hundred told the liability to
corruption. II would give us such q
Capitalization Of power, such an engine
of oppression as does not exist on the
globe to-day, except, perhaps, the en-
pre- Of Russia. In providing that tho
protection Of the citizen and the vindi
cation Of his tight should devolve on
States, the trainers ofour system made
most effectual provisions for the pro.
motion Of Justice among the people,
and tor honesty and economy in the
administration of their affairs. There
will never be State that will surren.
der the rights which belong to it un.
der the fundamental law, and there
will never be party that will dare to
put into its platform the demand that
the mechanism Of local government
shall be handed over TO the Federal
authorities. The rhetorical gush which
elicits applauses in the hustings will be
detested as the most odions of political
hercsies when put into the crucible Of
common sense, and made to exhibit its
logical inevitable products.-- Washing
ton Post.
ATTENTION, DEMOCRATS -
1T is YOUR DUTY AS FREEMEN