The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-06-01
DAVID DAVIS, PLATFORM.
sTATRsMAsIKE VIEWS ON IMF0RfANf
PUBLIC QUESTIONS.


the ThirA TerR-TAe Mn1sgn Nm.
! Aaemce sf CerPsrAse Rewer-eab.
sEAiea - geRrces or Relfkacal Ger.
rwRsien.
WAsHrxeroN, May 2S.-The following CORE
spondence between o. h Browning (larmesly
Secretary of the Interios) and Senator David
Davis of Illinois. has been furnished for publica-
ton by Mr. James E. Harvey:
QUINCY, IIx, May g.
Mr. DEAR JuDaE: The approaching close Of
the present session of Congress viii, il is TO be
feared, leave questions unsettled which are Of
large public interest," and which materially affect
the peace and the prosperity Of the Union Many.
of your friends in this State and throughout The
West had hoped, and indeed had expected, that
an opportunity would have been offered IN the
Senate by which your views on these matters
could have been made known to the country. II
unfortunately happens, amid the distractions Of
party and the strfes OF rival ambitions, that the
voice of statesmanship is hushed teo 0ften when
wise counsel is most needed. This was never
more true than at the present time. The country
Is Just emerging from long period Of trial and
suffering. The people seek rest from angry dis
cords, and desire to avoid repetition OF the
perils through which they have passed. They
crave good government, stability and perfect re-
conciliatiOn between the sections. The statesman
who can achieve these great objects will be
blessed as q benefactor. have ventured 10 en-
body, in the form of inquiries appended TO this
letter, some of the subjects upon which your
opinions are desired if it be agreeable 10 you 10
comply with the request Of large body of voters
and friends, without distinction Of party.
Truly your friend, o. 81. BROWNING.
The Hon DAVID DAVIS, Uniod States Senate.
WASHINGTON, May Il, 1880
MY DEAR SIR: have had the pleasure to re-
ceive your letter of the 9th instant. As q con-
stituent, friend and an honored citizen of ILL.,
nois you have perfect right TO ask for my views
on public questions and have no hesitation in
expressing them taking the inquiries in the order
presented:
PEACE IN THE UNIoN-Permanen prosperity
and fraternal fellowship are only TO be attained
by silencing sectional strife. faithful adherence
TO the constitution and all the amendments, strict
observance OF the laws in conformity Herewith,
and equal rights and equal protection for every
citizen in every part OF the republic, viii seOn
end the discords that have too long vexed the
country and injured its material welfare The
people are weary OF agitation and want peace.
CENTRALIZATI0N.-Thec constitution wisely de-
fines the respective limits Of the Federal and
State governments under happy and haYmO-
nious system, wherein each il independent In its
appropriate sphere, and both operate cGncurreBily
to protect the integrity and stability of the Union.
ANY encroachment OF one on the distinctive do
main of the other necessarily dislocates the ma
chinery of the constitution and involves danger
to the whloe body politic in fact every departure
from the great charter of liberty and law II at-
tended with peril. The demand made by adbef-
ents of one OF the great parties for strong gov
eminent means substantially q centralized gov
ernment destructive of home rule IN the States
and the very reverse of what Mf. Lincoln well
described as government of the people, by the
people, and for the people Carried to its logical
conclusion such change would finally overthrow
the republic.
THE THIRD TERM-An innovation upon the
sanctified traditions OF the Presidency, first e.
tablished by the example of Washington, Is
urgently demanded by powerful interest in the
Republican party. If the limitation of two terms
heretofore universally accepted be destroyed, the
way to q selfperpetuating Presidency will be
opened by the use and abuse of the enormous
public patronage. Break down this barrier, and
an end of the experiment of republican govern
ment looms up darkly as the cost Of . falal con-
cessiOn.
GREAT CoRPoRATIoNs.-The rapid grow th oI
corporate power and the malign influence which
it exerts by combinations on the National and
State Legislatures is q well-groundea cause oi
alarm. struggle is impending in the near fa-
ture between this over-growD power, with itf
vast notifications all over the Union and hard
grip on much of the political machinery, on the
one hand, and the people in an unorganized con-
dition on the other for the control Of the govern
ment. 1t will be watched by every patriot with
intense anxiety.
CIVIL SERvIcE.-Nsither laws nor commits
sions created under them will effectually reform
the many and glaring abuses Of the civil service
! The former have been constantly evaded and
| the latter are pOwerless for good. An honest
executive, bent On real and not simulated reform
has abundant authority 10 make it effective every
where, if he has the capacity to see his duty and
| the courage to perform il.
SUBSIDIES. has demonstrated that
| subsidies in any form are sources of corruption
and ought to be forbidden. Private enterprises
that depend for success upon legislation procured
| by venal agencies do not deserve public favor.
PUBLIC LANDs.-MoTe than q hundred and
| fifty millions of acres OF valuable lands, and
more than hundred millions of dollars, principal
and interest, have been voted by Congress to rail
| road corporations The remaining lands should
be sacredly reserved for cultivatorsof the soil q
| that the lsb0ring man shall have q chance tC
| improve his condition and TO open up q future
for his children away from the seductiOns Of the
| great cities. aa
REvIszoN OF THE TAHIFF-Tarif practically
means taxation, and all taxation not equitably
| adjusted is Odions. While the interest Of An op
| pressive public debt, the pensions earned with
| the blood Of soldiers and sailors who fought fbs
| the Union, and the regular expenses of carfyine
| on the government are 10 be met, dutiea on i'm
ports must continue to furnish one Of the sources
OF revenue. So long as those duties are levied
manufacturers will be benefited aceording to tht
| degree or the mode in which the duties may b
distributed The existing tariff is regarded as q
confused mass of lncongruities and mpnopqlies
created by special legislation and open 10 con-
slant fraud on the revenue. II N1Axes tn cuuanmei
heavily on those articles especially that are me-.
needed by the toiling masses, IT taxes ever
newspaper, every school book, every bible, and
| the salt of the wofkingman with gro8 injuBtiee
| because the poor. pretense of revenue do@ nol
| exist to cover the wrong A revision, therefore
which shall be at once searching and fair 10 de
manded, and should be promptly and efdcientiy
| made s{9 q
| THE PUBLIC DEBr.-The debt Of the Uaite1
| States in round numbers istwo Thousand miilisns
/ deducting the boarded coin in the Treasury Tin
| interest upon II last year was over one hundred
| millions. These are appalling agures 1he RAPID
/ extinction OF this debt ID 10 be desiredE6mt. b
cause 10 diminishes present burdens, and for q,
additional reason that one OF the effects ef /
personal national debt ID to create pfefefret
class 70 live on incomes and free fTom aaxes m
der oar lava Having the protsctionof theRaE
eminent at home and abroad, they would con
tribute nothing 10 it, support. s
EcoNoKY.-M b practicable By co-cpeszfies
between the Executive and ConfFsss . ssll1cl
the public expenaitures many miliioas spAnsll1
withoat impairng the efficiency of the pnblIl
service Retrenchment h needed for he rSdnc
ton Of taxes, but Il h alse needed becAnse prop
erly administered. h would become . pnaea
facior In returning the civl service.
K EKcTI0Na-Theb ballnt- box should Be the safe
guard OF The republic, for Il b intended q
express the me- win Of . ifee people. Thefefbf<
elections ought 20 BE- sxempf lk0m Tho ptnseun
cf aay menaeine fosces and 10 b ,nce ften q
conaaIin4taon @ corupi rsturnipg hoaEdR ~