The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1880-10-23
GOVERNOR HoRATIo SEYMOUR.

The Venerable statesman's Warning
Against the PeriIs OF q Centralized Gov
crnment-The Republican Party's IDsidi-
Gus Encroachments Upon the Limits of
the Constitution-Th Positions of the Two
Candidates Contracted.
Governor Seymour recently delivered
political address to his fellow-townsmen OF
Utica, N. ", from which we make the Ioi-
lowing extracts, fegretting that wani OF
space will not enable us 10 give in full the
words OF wisdom that fell from the lips OF
the '.old man eloquent" Governor Seymour
said:
at must not be forgotten that this Govern
ment Is no longer the simple machinery II was
in the early, days OF the Republic. Inc
the Government has to deal with are no long.
err those of a small number of agricultural
communities, with here ana there CONNER
ciaI town. They are the interests of nearly
fifty millions of people spread over an I'M
mense mface, with occupations, pursuits
and industries of endless variety and great
magnitude, large cities with elements OF pop
ulstion scarcely known here in the early days,
and all these producing aspirations and IN.
terests so pushing, powerful ana compncateo
20 the Government rightfully or wrongfuliy,
that the requirements OF statesinanship de-
rnanded in this age are far different from
These are not my words II Ihad uttered
them, il would be felt that was making
harsh charge against the Administration.
its oi,icials, who speaks from his experience
us a member of the Cabinet, and as one " no
formerly had a seat in the Senate. This dec
larftion made by Mr.. Schurz is official in char
acter Il viii be so viewed in other countries.
and will rejoice the enemies OF our Govern
lnent, while it mortifies the American people
The speech from which this extract was taken
WIS made as q leading one in this canvass
with "A view of directing its discussions. 1t was
received with applause by the Journals OF the
Republican party, and by the leading mem
beers OF that organization. Its startling decla-
ralions force upon our minds the questions:
Are the disorders, the temptations, and the
confusion which press our Government due
to its character and structure, or to the man.
ner in which il is administered! No other
subject 80 grave or SO urgent Is involved in
the pending contest. II tits true that the diff.
ncuities in the way of an honest conduct Of
our affairs are so great that there must De
other qualifications for the Presidency OF the
United States than those of intelligence, hon
csty, and patriotism; our Governmen, Lea, can
who may not always be at our command, then
we have undergone a revolution. When we
are told that statesman ~ essential IN the
rs when we are told that physician OF UNI
usual skill is needed in our families 1t means
disease and danger. They are usually the
words we hear but a little while before the
Grape upon our doors informs our neighbors
of the sad result. II our Government Is so In :
numbered with the confusion growing out OF
csts and pursuits, 1t is clear that when that
population within the lifetime of many before
Inc shall have grown to one hundred million
and the complicated interests of our country
are multiplied four fold, that our Government
must be overwhelmed or there must be
marked reform in its conduct. This Is not a
remote orunccrtain danger. 1t Is one that we
must confront now; it already taxes our In
dustfy and endaBgers our prosperity.
EVILS nor DUE TO THE CONSTITUTION.
Is this state OF affairs due 70 the structure
administered? 1t is not necessary ut this
time that we perplex ourselves with questions
about the way our Constitution was adopted.
w, Whether it was formed by compact between en-
the people In their primary individual ca
pacitv, IL Is enough for our purpose that 1t Is
an indissoluble bond Of union thar it makes q,
General Government1 and It recognizes the
rights of States and of persons; that all these
are equally sacred; the dissolution of the
Union, destruction of States. usurpation Of
power, or the wiping out of lines which limit
their respective jurisdictions, would each be
equally revolutionary and disastrous. When
we read the Constitution we find it makes the
that, beyond any other system, it protects the
rights of persons and of 1ninOrities. IL meas
ures out with careful terms the jurisdiction of
Congress. 1t gives to each citizen rights of
person. of property. of conscience, and of
speech, so well guarded that single man may,
with regard to them, defy the Government,
every Citizen but himssif It places the Pres /.
dent, and Congress, and States under the su-
pervision of the Judiciary. This Is to act as
all questions which concern the jurisdiction
or the rights of either. This method of de-
inning and securing the rights of all depart
ments, and the Liberties Of the people. is nm
In Britain, proud of what IL calls its constitu-
tional law, and of the protection which is
thrown around its citizens, Parliament can, II
It will. unjustly destroy life, liberty and prop
erty; there Is no power to resist its DEGREES.
The Judiciary itself Is but an instrument to
carry ont its purposes, however destructive of
whatthey term their constitutional principles.
Here, an unconstitutional law Is q dead law.
ABUSES CAUSED RY THE REPUBLICANS.
As to the evils, corruptions and abuses which
are set forth by Mr., Schurz, let us see the
e what tSdPse dons wSo
have been intrusted with the duties of ad-
ministration and who seek to hold poweri
We have seen that the methods of those who
have controlled public affairs and not the
Constitution of the United States have caused
the dangers which threaten us. In the first
place the candidate Of the Republican party
thus enlarged its jurisdiction, and, TO use his
own phrase, he Is glad "fhaf 1 graritoses TO-
rord MORE power" He not only wishes the Gov
eminent to gain this, but he is willing that IL
should do 90 by fndirection and subtle con-
Btruction. He does not say as he should do II
he seeks change in the character of our
and direct amendments, but he tries to bring
It about by the use Of doubtful phrases.
speak particularly about his position, as he is
now the exponent OF the great party which
has placed him In nomination for the Presi-
dency. The leaders In the canvass on that
side are those that hold places as senators or
as Cabinet Ministers, or important positions
under the present Administration. All of
them in fact. and in some form, ask that their
powers should be increased by taking from
the people some of their home rights. They
say In effect, Give to us your rights of making
laws for yourselves; we can take care of your
interests better than you can. Every demand
for jurisdiction for the General Government
Is demand for the surrender of rights by the
people in their towns, their counties or their
States. Mr.. Garfield openly expresses his sat
isfaction and his DESIRE II he is elected Presi-
dent, that the Government should have more
power than IL had when Washington and Ad-
ans and Jefferson and jackson filled the Ex-
ecutive Chair. He says there has been a gain
and that there will be more by force of CRAWL
tafion; not by the popular will, not by changes
In the Constitution In n regular way, but that
authority, patronage, and power will add to
themselves, viii by their weight increase and
grow until they are up 20 the full measure of
his desires. He rejoices to see this done in q
way against which
GEORGE WARRINGTON WARNED ioU