The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-06-03
DAVID DAVIS, PLATFORM.
A Letter of the Senator from Illinois III
Which He. .Expounds His Political Opin-
ions OH Topics of Public Interest.
WASHINGTON. Nav %. 1880.

ions OH Topics of Public Interest.
WASHINGTON, May %, 1880.
The following correspondence between
O. H. Browning formerly Secretary Of
the Interior) and Senator Davis, of llli-
nois, has been furnished for publication
by Mr.. James E. Harvey. Mr.. Brown
ing wrote as follows:
QUINCY, Ill.,, May 6, 1880.
MY DEAR JUDGE-The approaching
close of the present session of Congress
will, it is to be feared, leave questions
unsettled which are of large public in
terest, 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 in
deed 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.
1t unfortunately happens amid the dis
fractions of party and the strifes of rival
ambitions that the voice of statesman
ship is hushed too often when wise coun-
sci is most needed. This was never
more true than at the present time. The
country is just emerging from long pc
riod of trial and suffering. The people
seek rest from angry discords and desire
to avoid repetition of the perils through
which they have passed. They crave
good government, stability and perfect
reconciliation between the sections. The
statesman who can achieve these great
objects will be blessed as public bene-
factor. I have ventured to embody in
the form of inquiries appended to this
letter some Of the subjects upon which
your opinions are desired, if it be agree.
able to you to comply with the request OF
a large body of voters and friends, with
out distinction of party. Truly your
friend, 0. Il. BROWNING.
Hon. DAVID DAVIS, is. Senate.
The following is Judge Davis reply
WASHINGTON, May II, 1880.
My DEAR SIR-I have had the pleas.
ure to receive your letter of the 9Th inst.
AS a constituent, friend and an hon
ored citizen of Illinois you have per.
feet right to ask for my views on public
questions, aud I have no hesitation in
expressing them, taking the inquiries in
the order presented.
Peace in the Uuion.-Permament pros
perity and fraternal fellowship are only
to be attained by silencing sectional
strife. A faithful adherence to the con-
stitution 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 will soon end the dis
cords that have too long vexed the coun-
try and injured its material welfare.
The people are weary of agitation and
want peace.
Csntrazizat;on.-The constitution wise
ly defines the respective limits of the
Federal and State governments under a
happy and harmonious system, wherein
each is independent in its appropriate
sphere and both operate concurrently to
protect the integrity and stability Of the
Union. Any encroachment of one OH
the distinctive domain of the other neces-
sarily dislocates the machinery of the
constitution and involves danger to the
whole body polite. In fact, every de-
parture from the great charter of liberty
and law is attended with peril. The de-
mand made by adherents of one of the
great parties for strong government
means substantially centralized govern.
mcnt, destructive of home rule in the
States, and the very reverse of what Mr..
Lincoln twell described as a govern.
ment of the people by the people and for
the people. Carried to its logical con-
clusion such change would finally over
throw the Republic.
The Third 1srm.-An innovation upon
the sanctifed traditions of the Presi-
dency, first established by the example
of Washington, is urgently demanded by
powerful interest in the Republican
party. If the limitations of two terms,
heretofore universally accepted, be de-
stroyed, the way to 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 a
fatal concession.
Great Corporations s.-The rapid growth
of corporate power, and the malign in
fuence which it exerts by combinations
on the National and State Legislatures
is we'll grounded cause of alarm. A
struggle is impending in the near future
between this overgrown power, with its
vast ramifcations all over the Union and
hard grip on much of the political ma
chinery on the one hand, and the people
in an unorganized condition on the other
fox control of the government. 1t will
be watched by every patriot with intense
anxiety.
Civil Service. Neither laws nor COM
missions created under them will effect
ually 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 ex.
ecutive, bent on real and not simulated
reform, has abundant authority to make
it effective everywhere, if he has the
capacity to see his duty and the courage
to perform it.
SuJsidics.--Experience has demon
strated that subsidis in any form are
sources of corruption and ought to be
forbidden. Private enterprises that de-
pend for success on legislation procured
by venal agencies do not deserve public
favor.
Public Lands.-More than hundred
and fifty millions Of acres of valuable
lands and more than s100,000,000, prin-
cipal and interest, have been voted by
Congress to railroad corporations. The
remaining lands should be sacredly re.
served for cultivators of the soil, so that
the laboring man shall have chance to
improve his condition and to open up a
future for his children away from the
seductions of the great cities.
Revision of the Iarif.-Tariff practi-
cally means taxation, and all taxation
not cquitably adjusted is odious. While
the interest on an oppressive public debt,
the pensions earned with the blood of
soldiers and sailors who fought for the
Union, and the regular expenses of car
ryinp on the government are to be met