Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-07-22
CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTY.
AND why HANcocK's ELECTION WOULD rRo-
NOTE 1T.

ueOfKo W S"y
"Our government, rs respects the
executive department, has descended
to pretty low plane. The office of
president has been occupied by u man
of the most moderate abilities, who
was content to take it knowing that he
was not the choice of the people, know
ing that the documents which gave
him certain electoral votes were the
productions of forgery and fraud, and
knowing that the majority Of the tri-
bunal which awarded to him his dis
honest title was governed by Il fixed
party determination TO secure posses
sion of the Office however plain it
might be that the Office belonged to
another. 1t has pleased the Republi-
can party to nominate as his successor
one who sat on that electoral commits
sion and voted steadily for the con-
summation Of the great plot which
was formed in the previous autumn for
defeating the popular will. This can
didate the present occupant of the
office will support with all the infu-
ence and power of the executive.
Now, cannot see any infusion of new
blood, any improvement in the char
acter of leadership, any higher tone of
public morals, any broader statesman
ship, among those who are TO govern
the country in the event of Mr.. Gar
fields election. | see no new and
better men coming to the front to take
the management of the Republican
convass, and to constitute an admins
tration in case Of their success. The
same set of public men who have so
long thriven upon their claims of SUI
perior virtue and patriotism, and so
long demonstrated their infidelity TO
many of the most important principles
of our political system, are again IN
the field for a prolongation Of their
power. Certainly the Democratic par
ty presents strong contrast to all
this, and if the people Of the country
really wish 10 put their government
upon a higher level, they have an ex-
cellent opportunity in the person of
the Democratic candidate voice
Good, good" and applause)-and in
the persons Of those whom he can call
around him in the great work of re-
form, and in the restoration Of the
federal powers to their appropriate
spheres. For these important objects
the Democratic candidate is well fitted.
You know that ] never anticipate in
the making of nominations, and never
put myself in positions which imply
an obligation 10 support any aud
every man who is nominated. Ny
humble support of General Hancock
cloud and long cheers therefore.
does not depend upon the force of any
such obligation. justify it upon en-
tirely different grounds. Gen. Han
cock is a soldier; but he is one of the
few military men who made distin-
guished regulations in our late civil
war, the brightest and best parts of
whose regulations have been made by
their reverence for the principles of
civil liberty. (Applause.) The real
objection TO putting military men at
the head of our government does not
consist in the mere fact that they are
military men. Nor does it consist in
the fact that the individual has never
held civil office. 1t consists in the
want-when there is such a want-of
the power to appreciate the supreme
importance, in government like ours,
of constitutional limitations and the
fundamental truths of public freedom.
In my youth / cast my first vote with
the party which was opposed to Cen
eral jackson and | had to unlearn
many things in his public character
before | could admit his great quail
ties as a civil ruler. Later in my life
| was one of those Wings who were
dreadfully exercised by the nomina.
ton and election of Zachary Taylor.
He held the office of president for a
very short time but j believe that all
men were agreed that if he had lived
he had so much sterling good sense
and sound judgment that he would
have administered the government
we'll. / did not vote for General Scott
when he was made the Wing candi-
date because / believed that the men
who had the most of his political con-
fidence were not the men of whom |
wished to see an administration COM
posed. OF General Grant will only
say that many of the errors of his adj
ministration did not spring solely from
the fact that he was military man,
but they are attributed TO his want of
all power to understand and appreciate
such constitution and system of gov
ernment as ours, and therefore he did
things which were entirely inconsistent
with the first principles of such a gov
ernment. But now desire to say
of General Hancock-(cheers)-that