The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-08-05

framed our republican government ant
its traditions wisely limited the tenure
of office, and, lin many ways, showed
their 1isapproval of long leases of pow.
er. Twenty years of continuous power
is long enough, and has already led tC
irregularities and corruptions which are
not likely to be properly exposed under
the same party that perpetrated them
Besides, il should not be forgotten that
the last four years of power held by thai
party were procured by discreditable
means and held in defiance OF the wishes
of majority of the people. 1t was a
grievous wrong to every voter and tC
our system OF self-government, which
should never be forgotten or forgiven.
Many of the men now in office were put
there because of corrupt partisan SER
vices in thus defeating the fairly and
legally expressed will of the majority,
and the hypocrisy of the professions OF
that party in civil service reform was
shown by placing such men in office
and turning the whole brood of federal
office holders loose to influence the cleo
tions. The money of the people taken
out of the public treasury by these men
for services, often poorly performed or
not performed at all, is being used in
vast sums with the knowledge and pre-
sumed sanction of the Administration
to control the elections, and even the
members of the cabinet are strolling
about the country making partisan
speeches instead of being in their de-
partments at Washington discharging
the public duties for which they are
paid by the people. But with all their
cleverness and ability, discriminating
public will no doubt read between the
lines of their speeches that their para
mount hope and aim is to keep them
selves or their satellites four years
longer in office. That perpetuating the
power of chronic federal office holders
four years longer will not benefit the
millions OF men and women who hold
no office, but earn their daily bread by
honest industry, is what the same dis
corning public will no doubt fully I'M
derstand, as they will also that it is be-
cause of their own industry and econ
omy and Gods bountiful harvests that
the country is comparatively prosper
Gus, and not because of anything done
by these federal office holders. The
country is comparatively prosperous,
not because of them, but in spite of
them. This contest is, in fact, between
the people endeavOring to regain the
political power which rightly belongs to
them and to restore the pure, simple,
economical, constitutional government
of our fathers on the one side, and a
hundred thousand federal office holders
and their hackers, pampered with place
and power, and determined to retain
them at all hazards, on the other. Hence
the constant assumption of new and
dangerous powers by the general gov
eminent under the rule of the republic
can party, the effort to build up what
they call a strong government, the in
terference with home rule and with the
administration of justice in the courts
of the several states, the interference
with the elections through the medium
of paid partisan federal office holders
interested in keeping their party in
power, and caring more for that than
fairness in the elections-in fact, the
common encroachments which have
been made by that party upon the clear
ly reserved rights of the people and the
states-will, if not checked, subvert the
liberties of the people and the govern
ment of limited powers created by the
fathers, and end in great consolidated
central government, strong, indeed, for
evil and the overthrow of republican in
situations.
The wise men who framed our con-
stitution knew the evils OF a strong gov
eminent and the long continuance of
political power in the same hands.
They knew there was q tendency in
this direction in all governments, and
consequently danger to repu blican in
situations from that cause, and took
pains to guard against it. The machin- |
cry of a strong centralized general gov
can be used to pei petuate the |
same set of men in power from term to |
term until it ceases to be republic, or |
IS such only in name and the tendency |
Of the party now in power i'll that direc-
ion is shown in various ways besides
he willingness recently manifested b,
l large number of that party to elect a
president an unlimited number of
erms, is quite apparent, and must sat
sly thinking people that the time has
.Ome when it will be safest and best Tor
hat party to be retired. But in resist
ny the Entertainments of the general
upon the reserved rights of
he people and the states, want to be
distinctly understood as favoring the
proper exercise of the general govern
nent of the powers rightfully belonging
o it under the constitution. Encroach-
nen.s upon the constitutional rights of
he general government, or interference
With the proper exercise of its powers,
aust re carefully avoided. The union
If the states under the constitution must
De maintained, and it is well known
hat this has always been the position
If both the candidates on the democratic
ticket. 1t is acquiesced in
now, and finally and for
ever settled as one of the results of the
var. 1t is certain, beyond all question,
hat the legitimate results of the war
Tor the union will not be overthrown or
should the democratic ticket
be elected. In that event proper pro-
lection will be given in every legiti-
mate way to every citizen, native or
adopted, in every section of the republic
IN the enjoyment of all the rights guar
lnteed by the constitution and amend
ments.
A sound currency of honest money, of
a value and purchasing power CORES
ponding substantially with the stand
ard recognized by the commercial
world, and consisting of gold and silver
and paper convertible into coin, will be
The labor and manufact-
lring, commercial and business inter
ests of the country will be favored and
encouraged in every Legitimate way.
The toiling millions of our people will
be pI detected from the destructive COM
petition of the Chinese, and TO that end
their emigration to our shores will be
restricted. The public credit
will be scrupulously maintained and
by rigid economy in pub
ic expenditu es, and the liberties of the
people and the property OF the people
will be protected by a government of
aw and order, administered strictly in
he interests of all the people, and not
If corporations and privileged classes.
L do not doubt the discriminating JUS
ice of the people and their capacity for
and therefore do not
loubt the success of the democratic
ticket. Its success would bury beyond
the sectional jealousies and
latreds which have so long been the
chief stock in the trade of pestiterous
and in no other way can
his be so effectually accomplished. 1t
would restore harmony and good feel
ng between all the sections, and make
Is in fact as well as in name one people.
The only rivalry then would be in the
ace for the development of material
the elevation of labor, the
OF human rights, the pro-
notion of education, morality, religious
liberty, order, and all that would tend
o make us the foremost nation on the
,arth in the grand march OF human
,rnuraSa