Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-25
SENATOR DAVIS, LETTERS.

SENATOR DAVIS LETTERS.
Senator David Davis letters in reply to
note from Hon. o. FL. Browning, secretary
of the Interior under President johnson,
asking his opinions on a number of questions
that are at present attracting great deal of
interest, is one of the most statesmanlike
documents of recent emission. Senator
Davis has long been esteemed by the people
for his ability, his Judicial accomplishments,
and his devotion to correct governmental
principles. The letter referred to will not
detract in the least from his we'll earned
reputation, but raise him still higher in the
public esteem.
Senator Davis is of the opinion that peace
between the sections can only be obtained by
the abandonment of the policy that has
governed the major part of the Republicans
in the past, and adopting n policy of mutual
trust and Cancellation. This has long been
apparent to men of perception in all parties,
and the agitation and revival of the hate that
once distracted the country has been brought
about for partisan purposes.
As to Capitalization, Senator Davis is en-
phatic. He holds to the principle that the
federal and the State governments possess
separate and distinct powers, and that in or
der to prevent the subversion of our form
Of government 1t is necessary that these
powers should remain distinct. He appre-
bends danger from the attempted absorption
of the powers of the States by the federal
government; this, he thinks, should be re-
sisted to the utmost extremity.
Senator Davis regards the prospects of
the bestowal of third presidential term
upon Gen. Grant as an innovation that seems
likely to run into a self perpetuating govern
ment, utterly at variance with the spirit of
our institutions. He agrees with the Dem
ocrstic party most fully in declaring that the
unwritten Law of the land should not bs vio-
lated on any pretense, and that
when this is abandoned the expert
ment of Republican form of
government in this country will have failed.
The greatest possible danger is to be
feared from such an Innovation upon the ira
ditions OF the government
On the other questions touched upon by
Senator Davis he shows himself to be pracic-
ally in accord with Democratic the party. He
is opposed to subsiding as being sources of
corruption, believes that the public lands
should be religiousiy retained for the benefit
Of actual settlers; holds that all taxation not
equitably distributed is excessive, and that
the tariff laws should be carefully revised
and as many reductions made as possible,
that the public debt should be reduced as
fast as possible and the expenses of the gov
eminent curtailed through cooperation be-
tween congress and the executive; and that
the polls should be kept free from all men
acing forces, to the end that the people may
have a perfectly free opportunity to express
their views on all matters of public con-
Germ.
The letter of Judge Davis is an excellent
one, and might be adopted as the Democratic
platform with little revision. The doctrines
he enunciates are sound, and if generally
adopted would conduce to better government
and more thorough harmony and prosperity.
If by eny chance Senator Davis should be
chosen as the Democratic candidate for the
Presidency-an occurrence at present un-
hkely-it would not be inappropriate to
place him upon platform of which his letter
forms the essential features. No one, sim
cerely DESTROYS for good government, can
take exceptions to his utterances, and on
such platform any man would be popular,
and receive the suffrages of a majority of
the American people.