Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-08-06
An Interesting Speech by Senator LO-
gan.

Ehhs
General John A. Logan, United States
Senator from Illinois, recently delivered
an interesting address to his old friends
and neighbors in Jackson County, Ill.
After speaking of the several parties
and their standard bearers, Mr.. Logan
said he was glad the Democratic party
of the country had at last recognized
the fact that a Union soldier was as
good as a rebel soldier, and continued:
Now, my fellow-citizens, do not intend to
deal in vituperation and abuse either OF these
candidates The party that can tind nothing TO
talk about except TO accuse some man IN that
party of being thief and generally to deal in
SANDER is like the idiot that stands and calls
you thief, liar and fool. Anybody can say that.
But the man that discusses principles does not
have TO use vile epithets and denunciation. IL
is a want of argument-it is want of power
in the man to demonstrate the correctness of
his theories if he deals in abuse of the cnndl-
dates of the opposite party. 1t is want OF
power in him to demonstrate the right and the
truth of the principles underlying the party
which he advocates, and attempts to defend.
The Democratic party, my cOuntrymen, has
for the last few years. as fast as the Republi-
can party passed from one idea to another,
taken up and made great noise over those
past ideas. In fact. four years ago, when
General Grant announced in Des Moines
Iowa, the idea that the Government or
the United States should take such steps as
applied to sectarian schools an idea taken up
by the Republican party everywhere, although
advocated many times before by Others-the
Democratic party could not see it then, but
now they put it out in their platform Just as
we do. So it was in reference to specie pay
ment. You all remember how, recently, right
here in this county, all the Democrats advo-
Gated the repeal of the Resumption act. You
heard me denounced for n speech L made in
which | was in favor of the Resumption act,
and the Republican party everywhere; but to-
night, in the Democratic platform, they say
that we are in favor of hard money-gold
and silver, and all paper money convertible
into coin"-just as we have always said. When
l read their platform il reminds me OF u man
who passes along where fire has been built,
and who finds the chunks just nalf alight ly-
ing in the ashes with a little spark ut one end
and he will take up one and blow on 1t and
swing il to and fro till the wood glows and the
sparks fly, and then he says oh, look here,
see what fire can make" So IL is with the
Democratic party. As fast as the camp-nres
of the Republican party die out they come
along and pick up the emhers and adopt their
blazes as new hre.
Mr.. Logan then proceeded to the dis
cussion of the Democratic National
platform, and said of the resolution re-
lating to GENERALIZATION.
remember once that centralized power of
the Government was brought to bear upon
and to crush out treason, TO put down the
rebellion, to restore this Union, TO give peace
to this country. This was one act of CEN
tralization of power. In other words, IL was
an exercise of power of the General Govern
ment against the power of the states, and thai
| is what they then denominated centraiza,
tion of the power Of our Government, and
| denied the right TO aid. Is there any Demo
| crat here opposed to that? Is there any Demo
| crat here opposed TO the centraliZing power OF
the Government when II is brought 70 bear
| against the people of State that revolutionlze
against the Government and strive TO destroy
| it2 Not one. Then, when your Democratic
speakers are here, ask them what they mean III
nnnn9lfInn the
| ton of the power of the Government
/ and then follow il up by asking what they
| ment that bring about despOtism. What en-
| croachments? VIII some Democrat please
| tell me what encroachments they mean when
! they say the spirit of encroachmentY' Can
! anv OF Won understand? Do Won know what
these encronchments are, that, under Repub
| lcan rule, are in violation of the Constitution
| of the United States? would like for some
one to tell me where this despotism is, and in
what 1t consists. Is it despotism on the part
! of the Government to enforce the laws OF the
| United States in the State of Mississippi or in
! the state of Illinois? want to know The Con
! sttutiOn provides that the President of the
United States shall "see to it y that the laws
are faithfully executed. Do these Democrats
mean that it Is encroachment TO collect in
ternal revenue in this country by sending of
! ticers to Illinois TO collect taxes on whisky
and tobacco? Is that an encrOachment on
the rights of the State? Is that the despot-
ism complained of
In respect to the encroachments
which tend to despotism" Mr.. Logan
referred to the resolution declaring thai
the fright to free ballot is the right
preservative of all rights, ETC., anc
continued:
Well, expect that would make the coloreC
| people down South laugh when they read IL
| They certainly do not mean that IL was the EN-
forcement OF the laws for the preservation o
the free ballot that they considered AN en-
! eroachment upon the rights of the people. L
| they don't mean that, what do they mean
"Oh," they say, it is not that we mean w
don't want You 10 send Union soldiers TO assis
the civil authorities to execute the law"
supposed that was il, They will say, 1--WE arr
opposed 10 the military; we are in favor o
the civil authority being above the militnr,
authority" Why, my cOuntrymen, the clvi
authority has always been above the military
authority, The Cher Magistrate Of the Nation
being u civil Magistrate of this Government
orders and the military obeys. The!
are subject TO the courts, 10 the Legis
latures of the country, and sub
ject TO the commands of the highest civi
magistrate of the United States. They arr
subordinate 90 the civil authority. No man ye
has ever attempted in this country 10 pu
them above the civil authority, When hea
them say this il almost makes me laugh. u |
very amiusng 10 hear Democrat say, well
l am opposed 20 the military power, and IN IN
next breath, he says: "Hurrah for Hancock.
They are opposed to the military of this coun
try, hut they nominate for President ma
who has been In the army ever since ne wa
twenty-one years old, and who is now abOu
fifty-eight. That Is an Illustration OF thei
doctrines. They take man who know
nothing but military authority and militar!
law, man used 10 the despotic power of tn
army, a man without experience except in mil
tary matt ers. and yet cry out against miitar
authority. This is on u footing with the cor
sistency OF the Democracy and like the non
ination Of English. They are opposed Z
National Banks, and they nominated the big
gest National banker In the state OF Indian
for Vice-President
Mr.. Logan discussed at considerabl
length the question of State Soyereignt
and cognate questions, and conclude,
his address as follows:
And now, my friends, In conclusion, let IN
SAY let ssWell enough alone" The DemOcrac