Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-09-16

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man only limited amount of power, and
they placed the power of the government in
departments, and only gave it to men for linz
tied terms. The object of that was this: 1t
was, in my judgment, the safety valve by
which they could hope to make this govern
menta success. The people, in choosing their
rulers, would inevitably make mistakes. The
people in following certain policies of govern.
ment would necessarily find themselves in er-
ror, but the election was the path which
they left open, by which they could retreat.
We were to be enabled to change our rulers
when we found that they had violated our
confidence, and to change our policies when
they were found to be unwise. But in order
to do that the elections must be free, and to-
day, one of the dangers which confront us is
the declaration of the leaders of the Republi
can party, that the safety and welfare of the
Republican party require the power to be
kept in their hands, and to serve their country
under that pretext, they have resorted to Off
cial interference with elections, that threatens
to make our elections no longer free. We
must check it now. There are 105, 900 names
of officials on the blue books Of this country.
Each one of those men is armed with some
such power and authority, and has so much of
the public money. What was it given to them
forY To serve the public? Was it given to
them to keep them in their places, to resist
the popular choice, or to give them the power
to prevent the public from changing their ru-
lers !? If so, then the whole object and intent
of our elections have been destroyed. The
safety valve of the American government is
free elections, because the people are given
the chance Of relieving their mistakes and are
not apt to make the same mistake twice The
officeholders say you people of the United
States may think change desirable, but we
think it better to remain in power, and there
fore, we will use all the official power given to
u.s. more than was intended to be given US, to
continue ourselves in power beyond the term for
which we were elected. Tilden received $780,
900 more votes than Hayes, and yet he was
cheated out of the election. These 100000
officials were told to bring so many voters
each, and to give their money and the public
time in aid Of the campaign. They bring
man from Austria, who is paid one thousand
dollars a month to represent this people in
Austria, and heis earning his money by stump
ing Iowa for his own election. They are call
ing upon the clerks to pay part Of their money.
They are to pay two per cent. this month.
What does this amount to? If you take into
consideration the enormous mass of officials,
and calculate that even if each of these men
only controls FIVE votes, you have an enormous
number of votes cast, not in the interest Of
free elections, but to keep these men in power.
The single case in which the Constitution
speaks of officers elected under its own pro.
visions is the case of president and vice.presi.
dent, and it expressly forbids any man who
holds any Office of profit or trust under the
United States government to serve as elector,
and yet this is one of the evils and one Of the
dangers to which call your attention; be-
cause now is the for you to make the
struggle These evils will intensity themselves.
Every success of the Republican party drives
the ship of the Constitutional party
FARTHER OUT TO SEA
and makes it more difficult than before to re-
turn to the rock of the Constitution.
do not see that there is any reason why.
should tax your patience farther, and yet
would not like to close this visit of mine
to your people here in Columbia, right here
in the heart of South Carolina, without con.
graduating you from the bottom of my heart
upon the kind of men you have chosen for
your leaders in this contest. Cheers |
tell you, gentlemen, it is as fine thing for
YOU Southern men to vote for Winfield Scott
Hancock as it is for him to receive your votes.
SC, oho
splendid figure in American history; this fine
straightforward gentleman who never did an
unsoldierly thing in his life; fair square
specimen of an American. 1t is a fine thing
to see you men of the South coming and
standing by him for the sake of your united
country. 1t cannot but make you feel the
dignity and privilege of American citizen
ship, and feel scorn for the bad and small
sectional feelings with which the Republican
party emblazon their banners and affect to
call forth the prejudices of their people.
These thoughts and aspirations must raise
you in stature of American manhood. 1t
was wise thing to nominate him and it will
be wise and blessed thing to elect him. 1t
may be that on this scene my eyes may nev-
er rest again, and those who hear me now
may never hear me again and to-day if you,
young men, you upon whom the active work
of this life and this canvass dependsAdepend
upon it that, in all this line of American his
tory, from the battle of Camden to this day,
there never was time in which it was more
necessary for you to give a steady, upright, and
1 had almost said religious, devotion to the
task that shall secure to your country peace,
and to yourselves and your posterity happi-
ness and prosperity.