Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-09-02

There YOU will find the pathetic stories OF
,he v;c,;ms of these atrocities, and the num-
her of the dead who persisted by them.
There Won will find the confessions OF tne
ou;lty. You can read the story in Ine
Fools Errand. by one of the Fools, mar
ratiye written by Union officer, and VINO
presents with the atrocities committed AL
the validating circumstances as clalmeu py
the Klans.
You NAV read it in the eloquent denuncia-
tons Of Reverdy Johnson and Henry Stah-
bery, sent South to defend members OF tne
Klans. No man can honestly deny thaI ,i,Is
conspiracy. lis existence, IFS aims, anu us
crimes, have been proven and are true anu
vet the strength and power OF the ue"ociat-
ic party in the South this day rests upon the
sucee,s of this crime. or elimination OF
crimes. IL is this that gives them the Soiiu
Soutb. These crimes entered into the title
by which Tilden claimed 10 be elected fresl-
dent. II WAS in 1873 that the Mississippi
plan of terror was enforced in that state
with savage barbarity ami IN 1870, MiSsiS-
sippi. with known republican majority OF
% 900, was heiplessly in the power OF rine
clubs. who cas-, its vote for 1ilden. III
Louisiana and South Carolina, the same
plan was attempted. but only inacomparitiveiy
few counties and in these the same terrlole
agencies of murder, burning, whipping, and
.error were inflicted by disguised demo-
Gratis. and solely with a view to prevent re-
publican votes. Don't tell me you don't be.
lieye these things, for the man who would
not believe upon such testimony as has been
furnished would not believe his own mother
who It stifed to his birth. 1t Is fortunate
that this conspiracy was defeated by the laith-
full and loyal performance OF pubic duty I'M
der the law by the election officers OF
Louisiana and South Carolina, in spite OF ef-
forts to bride them. But for their honesty
and courage, a President would have been in
stalled whose title rested upon murder ana
bribery, and the blessing of God never could
have rested upon such an administration.
Do you want me TO prove to you the second
crime connected with the election of 1861,
viz the attempt made by the agents OF MIR.
Tilden to bride electors from the discharge
of their duties! The cipher kilograms which
were deciphered and published to the world,
written and signed by leading members OF the
democratic party, speak for themselves. They
show the most reckless and shameful attempts
at bribery of the officers Of the government
charged with important duties in connection
with the returns of electors. Great brides
were offered to electors to violate the honora-
BILE duty intrusted to them. and returning OFF,
GERS were tempted with promises of money
and office, if they would make false returns.
Ii is to the honor of our country that this
movement utterly failed. Not single officer
accepted bride. and. to use the language OF
Mr. Tilden. the whole resulted in futile
dallance' So much for the great cry of
fraud.
But, fellow citizens, this cry is now the
sheerest hypocrisy. Ifthe democratic party be-
:.
mated? Then the people could have tried the
alleged fraud. But the fraud practiced by the
democratic party in the South is continuing
fraud-two years ago, last year, and this year
continued openly with grim humor, and
justified by the dominant opinion South, and
by the acquiesence of the democracy of the
North 1t is only by this fraud that that
party hopes for success. If now there is a
change in the executive branch of govern
ment. it will be caused by the grave and start
ling fact that the rebels of the South have, by
bloody means, succeeded in OverthrOwing the
rights of five millions of freed
men, and the democratic party Of the North.
eager for power and place. cooperate with
the rebels of the South in this crime. by shar-
ing in the power and places secured by it.
Senator Thurman says they want to bring
about a change, so as to restore the old time
honored doctrine of the demOcractic party in
respect to State rights. This, I believe, is
an honest statement of the chief desire of the
party. They wish, under the forms of
party contest, to turn back the dial of time
for twenty years from the national principles
that have guided the republican party to the
sfctionalism that prevailed before the war.
We accept the issue
The dividing line between the two parties
is difference of opinion as to the powers and
duties of the National government. We be-
lieve that this is a government of the people,
with powers limited and defined by a written
constitution. but embracing all the great and
essential functions Ct a National government,
with ample authority to make execute, and
construe laws. and to enforce them upon and
execute them against every citizen of the
United States, without respect to State lines,
We believe it to be the duty of the National
government to protect all citizens in equal
civil and political rights, and to maintain
existence and authority against all
who resist it, whether they muster under a
foreign flag or under State or local authority.
We believe that the States are also mere
agents of the people, intrusted by them with
limited powers. set out in written cOnstitu-
tions. Their powers and duties are highly
important. They affect the local and
uOuiestiC TelHtloHs vi lie ana projection OF
property. No republican would impair, in
the least. the dignity, Importance. or rights
OF the States; but, after all, they are subord-
mate to the United States in all the great
powers of the government defined by the
The State cannot be made a
shield to prevent the National government
from protecting all the citizens of every State
in the rights conferred upon them by the con-
stitution of the United States and in case of
a dispute as to the limit and extent of these
rights, the Supreme Court of the United
States is the final judge and arbiter
Here the democratic party takes issue with
us in principle and detail Under the dogma
of State rights, that party gradually subord-
mated the rights and powers of the National
government to those of the several States I'M
til it finally claimed that any State might
nulify the laws Of the United States and Sc
cede from the Union.
You will always find the democratic party
opposed to our view of National authority. 1t
seeks to belittle, to degrade, and cripple the
National government; to subordinate the
rights of the citizen and the Nation to the
law or public opinion of the State: to
treat the National government as confed-
eracy of States, without power to enforce per-
sonal rights or national interests within the
limits of the State without the consent of the
State. You will find this radical difference
cropping out in every contest on every aues-
ton, great or small, that enters into Ameri-