Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-08-06
THE ONO CANVASS.


THE ONO CANVASS.
The Democrats of the Buckeye State
opened their campaign at Lancaster
the home of Gen. Tom Ewing, the
nominee for Governor, on the 9th ult
A more hearty reception was never
before given to any candidate in Ohio.
Twelve thousand persons were present
to hear Gen. Ewing. We give closing
remarks;
FREE ELECTIONS.
Tho question of FREQ elections has
assumed a prominence never before
given it, although the statutes out of
which il arises have been long in force,
and the Democracy have heretofore
repeatedly attempted to repeal them.
| may as well tell you plainly the
reason the Democracy forced the issue
now, though only six members of Con-
gress are to be chosen this year The
people were swindled out of their
choice for President in 1876. That
fraud was accomplished by the auda.
cious and revolutionary threat of the
leaders Of the Republican party, that
when the election returns came to be
counted, the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives should not count them as
contemplated by the Constitution, and
as practiced from the foundation of
our Government, but that Mr. Ferry,
Of Michigan, who happened to be Presi-
dent pro tempore Of the Senate, should
himself exercise the power of determ-
ining all questions arising in the count.
This threat, backed by President Grant
with a show of bringing troops to
Washington and sending iron.clads to
New York, was successful in accom-
plishing the swindle by the indirect
method of the eight to seven commits
sion. 1t needed no gift of prophecy
To tell that party which was ready to
disregard the Constitution and all pro
cedents in ascertaining the results of
a Presidential election in 1876, would
resort to any measure, however unjust
or violent, TO win second victory in
1880. The army had been used to
terrorize voters at the South and to
pack and disperse legislatures. Why
would 1t not be used again if the law
permitting its use remained on the
statute books Supervisors and Mar
shals had been appointed by the
thousand at each. Congressional cleo
ton in the large cities, made up chiefly
of bummers, and paid out of the public
Treasury five dollars a day, many of
them ten days at a stretch, to force
the election of Republican members of
Congress against the will of the people.
Hundreds OF men in the South had
been indicted for alleged interference
with Supervisors and Marshals, ahd
were being tried under a law for EN-.
paneling juries which packed them
with partisans PREDETERMINED to con-
making the jury trial an odous
and shameful mockery of justice. Was
it right to leave this party with the
lawful authority to spend millions of
the peoples money in hiring bullies to
threaten, arrest and imprison State
electors and State judges and clerks of
election We determined to make the
issue on these laws now, in the year
preceding the great contest in which
we feared they would be employed to
thwart the will of the people.
The result of the struggle, so far, is
the total repeal of the odious system
OF packing juries; the prohibition OF
the payment Of money to send or main
tain troops at the polls, and the with
holding of appropriations for fees OF
Marshals until Congress can see what
the fees are to be paid for. We have
appealed from the President TO the
people. You have to decide the con-
troversy. If you want to pay hun
dreds Of thousands of dollars each Con.
gressional election, to have bayonets
around the polls, and Marshals and |
spies to inspect and control State cleo
ton officers, vote the Republican ticket,
for the Democracy will never spend |
dollar for that service.
You oil know, fellow. citizens, that
we have in the United States form
Of government hitherto unknown
among men. 1t is partly the result of
the fact that the thirteen colonies were
each separate organizations of govern.
ment under distinct charters, and that
they confederated as States and de-
clared their independence, calling
themselves the United States OF
America. Several years after their in
dependence was achieved q Constitu-
ton was adopted which created cen
tral government with certain powers
therein SGT forth, which Constitution
provides as follows:
"The powers not delegated to the
United States by the Constitution, nor
prohibited by il to the States, are re-
served to the States respectively or to
the people"
These reserved powers are the great
mass OF the powers Of government.
You are protected in almost all of your
rights of person and property, and
providing remedies and punishments
for wrongs, which make up the very
body of our civilization, is adopted or
created and enforced by the States and
not by the general Government. Out.
side of the scope of this sovereignty
lie the powers specially delegated to
a.