The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-09-23
Vice President Wheeler on National
Issues.
From his Saratoga speech.


Issues.
From his Saratoga Speech.
Who are these demanding that their
statesmanship aud patriotism shall
shape aud control the destinies Of a
nation? In the knowledge of every man
Of ordinary intelligence in the land they
are a minority of the legal voters
of the United States; max
ing up in force what they lack in num-
ber, suppressing by fraud aud oppres-
sion the vote of the emancipated citi-
zen of the South; standing always
across the pathway of the masses; de-
spising the rule OF the majority; edu-
Gated TO despotism and violence, and
impelled by one controlling purpose
born of the barbaric institution-to
rule their section in their own way
/ They are party led aud dominated by
those whose violated constitutional
oaths and foresworn allegiance TO the
government are the only testimonials
of their fidelity TO the union, and whose
contempt for the government and law
defying spirit are shown by the neglect
in their entire domains TO bring 10 JUS
tice even one OF the numerous foul AS
sassins of United States officials, guilty
only of attempting TO discharge their
duty in executing the laws OF the
| United States-a party whose leaders
launched the spurious confederacy, with
negro slavery as its cornerstone, and
which was buried in the abysmal
depths of that outgroTth of treason
but which resurrected by the beneh-
cence OF the government rewarded lts
clemency by resisting at every step the
work of reconstructing, the amend
ments to the constitution aud the legis
iation necessary to give them effect
Who are those who demand to be made
the sole custodians of the national
faith? A party which, on its demise
from power in 1861. left the credit of
the government dishonored; which.
during the war, flooded the south with
its confederate promises until they be-
came as plenty AS the drifting leaves of
autumn, aud as worthless as the wasted
parchment signed at Montgomery;
which, since the war, has been engaged
in the south in the open work Of scaling
down and repudiating its State and
municipal obligations by the wholesale;
which has waged unceaslng war upon
the obligations OF the nation; which in
national convention aud Congress, has
resisted TO the last the great measure
of resumption--the crowning achieve
ment of the Republican party, and the
first instance IN the worlds history IN
which a nation has redeemed its forced
loans on demand without discount aud
in the money of the world, under the
influence of which every PROSTATE in
dnstry in the land is throbbing with
new life, and the whole country enter
ing upon a career Of unprecedented
prosperity. This solid South. to whom
our obligations are the irritating tokens
of their subjugation to the national au-
thOrity, now demands that 10 shall be
invested with the sole power of regu-
lating, collecting and disbursiDg the
revenues of the country, upon which
its faith rests, through which we saved
the government, and which, perverted
or abused, would cripple aud destroy
its ability to maintain resumption or
even its own existence. Who are these
who, to infame the partisan ignorant,
coniure mp the use of the army as an
instrument 10 oyerawe State authority,
aud shout themselves hoarse over the
!
Davis, under whose order as secretary
Of war in 1856 United States dragons
rode down aud dispered the free State
Legislature Of Kansas. Who are these
that prate of the freedom Of elections
and sanctity of the ballot? IL is the
party which, by denial of free discus
sion. by lawlessness, violence. aud as
sassinations, ballot-box stuffing aud
the invation of meetings and polling
places 10y bands of armed rufiians, has
Knocked the sanctity Of the ballot aud
made in the South the Republican
form of government guaranteed by the
constitution by word and farce.
To these demands the Republicans
~ New York make this answer. We
love honorable peace and hate cOnten.
ton. But we put the supremacy OF the
constitution and the law. justice and
our -own equality IN the government
before cOwardly peace aud craven sub
mission. We acknowledge the sover
eighty OF the people within the rules Of
the constitution. The war Of the re-
bellion was fought In vain If 1t failed
TO establish the doctrine that the will
Of tho majority fairly expressed, shall
be the supreme law of the land.
We, too, make our demands. and
will exhaust all constitutional and legal
methods To enforce them. We will
have the equality in the government to
which we are entitled under the consti-
tuition, aud will not submit to the ex-
cessive power usurped by the South in
the subversion OF law and citizenship.
We assert the right of the government
20 control national elections so that
every man entitled 10 suffrage may
cast, in peace and security, one free
vote and no more, demand one Law
Justly enacted-equally binding upon
every citizen Of the land--tO be Te-
spected and obeyed alike by all, and
when all other means fail, To De en-
forced by the strong arm which sub
dued the rebellion.
We make no secret Of our partiality
for the regulated bayonet in the hand
OF men wearing the blue OF the govern
ment as against the shot gun in the
hands of the red-shirted moboracy of
the South
We demand that this land,
"sho that lifts up the manhood Of the poor.
she Of the open soul and open door,
With room about her heart for all mankind"
shall be made the land OF supreme con-
stitutional liberty, as Interchangeable as
the stars symbolized upon her banner.
We demand that the faith OF this nation
TO its creditors shall be maintained mp
on the basis upon which we placed il
in the hour Of its peril, and have stead
lily upheld il through weary years OF
privations. reverses. sacrifices, and van
ishing values, until now, every dollar
of the public debt commands its face
in gold. Insisting always upon the
equality Of the national obligation
with gold, we will keep the nations
honor unsullied, and never permit il te
be tainted by the touch OF a repudia-
tor, whether he comes in open assault or
in artificial guise. with silvery tongue.
Senator Thurman declares in his
stump speeches that specie payments
have not been resumed That settles