Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-09-30
Judge Black on Garfield.
"IHe Issues 1H Uith Us and the
accidents Not against U.s."
How Garfield Thinks Treachery to
Country Fidelity to His Faction.

ply to an invitation to attend the great
Democratic mass-meeting of Thursday
evening, but not received in time to be
read that evening, will command the
attention of thinking men of all shades
of political opinion:
BRocKIE, YORK, Pa, Sept. %, $780,
GENTLEMEN | cannot attend the
meeting of the Democratic. Republicans
at the city of New York on the 23d
inst. But | can assure you of my con.
currence in its object, and if time and
space permitted could give you rea-
son for the faith that is within me.
trust we are approaching the end OF
our long struggle against the oppression
and fraud OF the unconstitutional
party. They have sought the destruc.
ton of our Government by every posi-
BILE means in their reach. BY our Gov
err,ment | mean the whole system of
fundamental law under which we live,
including the granted powers of the
Federal Union, the reserved rights OF
the States and the personal liberty OF
the citizen. These three are all vital
points of our political organization, and
the life of the nation depends as much
upon one as another. If you want to
kill man it makes no difference wheth.
er you knock out his brains, stab him
through the heart or tear open his
bowels-either way he is done for.
Certainly an American who forcibly
tramples on civil liberty or by violence
extinguishes the rights of the States IS
not less a traitor to his country than
one who ressts the just authority OF
the Federal Government.
| need not remind you with what
manifold treachery our opponents got
possession of the power which they
have so frightfully abused. At the be.
ginning OF the war they solemnly
pledged themselves to use the forces
put into their hands for the sole pur.
pose OF defending the Federal Govern.
ment and maintaining the supremacy
of the Constitution and laws, with all
the rights of the States and the people
unimpaired; and they promised that
when this was accomplished the war
should instantly cease. In considera-
ton of this special pledge, superadded
to their oaths, the men and the money
were put into their hands which com.
pletely subdued the armed opposition
of the South to- the Union. But when
the conflict was over they announced
that the victory instead of defending
the Government had revolutionized and
overthown it that the whole dogrine
of State rights was exploded and per.
sonal liberty was consequently q thing
nF q ha l,uf las yf-u uHn
the civil authority, and through that
instrumentality they (the central oil
garchy) might kidnap, imprison and
kill citizens for political otienses with.
out judge or jury. The right of suf
frage had ceased to exist except when
il was exercised by their permission and
in q way which suited their purposes.
Destroying all the election laws of half
the States in the Union, they filed the
State offices with notorious thieves and
crowded Congress with redemptionless
rogues who did not pretend TO any title
except what they got by force and
fraud, and in all the States they claimed
the right to be represented at State
elections by the bayonets of their stand
ing army. Would you have me enum
crate the corruptions generated by this
infamous system? Count the stars If
you can try to number the sands on
the seashore.
Their idea of strong government
was fully developed. Six years after
the war fraud and force had made it so
much stronger than liberty, justice and
law, that the Constitution had but seven
friends in the Senate and less than
third of the members in the lower
house. But the principles OF free and
honest government were not destined
to be crushed out forever. The moral
influence of the Democracy was itself
power which abashed the anti.constitu.
tional leaders and benumbed their fac
ulty Of evil doing. Thousands of true
men, who in moments of error or alarm
had wandered from the track of their
principles, "hastened to retrace their
steps and TO regain the road which
alone leads to peace, honor and safety"
Truth and justice gradually regained
their natural ascendancy in the popular
heart. First, the Federal House of Rep.
resen tatives was redeemed then the
Senate, and in 1876 an overwhelming
majority of the people attested their
devotion to free principles by voting for
Democratic President. This looked
like a successful vindication of free
government, but it was not The anti.
constitutional party has an advantage
which more than counterbalances the
strength of the people. 1t can cheat at
elections, it can falsify the count, it can
forge returns. "There's the respect
that makes calamity of so long life."
We are about to repeat the expert.
ment. We may be swindled again, but
there is not any doubt that our honest
majority is greater than it was before.
The issues are ell with us and the acci.
dents are not against us. Our candi.
date is not only unexceptionable, but
admirable, and has the unbounded con-
fidence of the whole country in his tai.
ents, integrity and patriotism.
The impulses of personal friendship
and the duties of fair political opposi.
tion alike require me to speak of Gen.
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