Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-09-30

ries to this Election and OF
His Plans il He Should Win.
When Governor Seymour came for
ward on the stage of the Utica Opera
House last Wednesday evening to ad-
dress the largest Democratic meeting
ever held in that city, he was received
with the most afiectionate greetings.
He was in excellent voice, and spoke
substantially as follows:
Fellow CITIZENS at must not
be forgotten that this government is
no longer the simple machinery it was
in the early days of the Republic.
The bucolic age of America is over.
The interests the Government has to
deal with are no longer those of a
small number of agricultural commu-
mites with here and there commercial
town. They are the interests of near
ly fifty millions of people spread over
an immense surface, with occupations,
pursuits and industries of endless va
riety and great magnitude; large cit
les with elements of population scarce
ly known here in the early days, and
all these producing aspirations and
interests so pushing, powerful and
complicated in their nature and so
constantly appealing to the Govern
ment, rightfully or wrongfully, that
the requirements of craftsmanship de-
manded in this age are far different
from those which sufficed century
ago"
These are not my words. If / had
uttered them it wonld be felt that /
was making a harsh charge against
the Administration. They are state
ments put forth by one of its officials,
who speaks from his experience as a
member of the Cabinet, and as one
who formerly had seat in the Senate.
This declaration made by Mr.. Schurz
is official in character. 1t will be so
viewed in other countries and will
rejoice the enemies of our Govern
ment while it mortifies the American
people.
Until within the past twenty years
the Executive, the Legislative, the
Judicial departments gave honest
construction to the Constitution. They
did not seek to usurp power by strain
ed definition. They sought to carry
out its spirit. They did not summon
crowds of men with schemes, who were
pushing, rightfully or wrongfully, to
get at the public Treasury, by calling
this nation and teaching the false
doctrine that we should follow the
usages of other and not the constitu-
tional law of our own Government.
The leaders in the canvass on that
side are those that hold places as Sem
ators or as Cabinet Ministers or i'm
portant positions under the present
Administration. All of them, in fact,
and in some form ask that their pow
ers 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 your
selves, we can take care of your inter
ests better than you can. Every de-
mand for jurisdiction for the general
Government is q demand for the
surrender of rights by the people in
their towns, their counties or their
States. Mr.. Garfield openly expresses
his satisfaction and his desire if he is
elected President that the Govern
ment should have more power than it
had when Washington and Adams
and Jefferson and jackson filled the
Executive chair. He says there has
been a gain, and that there will be
more by force of gravitation not by
the popular will, not by changes in
the Constitution in regular way. but
that authority, patronage and power
will add to themselves, will by their
own weight increase and grow until
they are up to the full measure of his
desires. He reioices to see this done
in way against which George Wash
ington warned you in his Farewell
Address, which was submitted to
Alexander Hamilton and other states
men before he gave it to the American
people.
Another member of the Cabinet,
Mr.. Sherman, Secretary of the Treas
ury, takes a different view of the
state of affairs from that given by his
colleague. He dwells upon the busi-
ness prosperity of our country. Over
looking the industry of our peo-
pie, the favorable seasons that have
rewarded their labors with ample
harvests, the demands for our products
from other countries, he claims for the
Administration the gratitude of our
people for all our blessings. / have
no unkindly feelings for Mr.. Sherman
| regret that he does himself wrong
when he is ungrateful to God and un.
just to the laborer of the land. 1t was
not the stategmanshiu of the Cabinet