Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-12-02
:. Democracy vs.. Capitalization.
THE JEFFERSON ASSOCIATION OF. YORK TO
THE JEFFERSON ASSOCIATION or
SHREWSBURY.


THE JEFFERSON ASSOCIATION OF. YORK TO
THE JEFFERSON ASSOCIATION or
SHREWSBURY.
At full regular meeting of the JEFF.
fersonian democratic association of
New York. November -, 1880, the fol-.
lowing was ordered:
To the jefferson Democratic Association nj
Shrewsbury, Pa.
yellow CITIZENS: We hail with great
pleasure the advent of your organiza.
ton as the eldest sister of our own.
Your twenty propositions of jefferson.
ian doctrine have been read in our hear
ing. They are sound. safe and indispen.
sible. Upon the body of principles, of
which they are the most essential, rests
the whole superstructure of American
lnstitutions-the union of supreme but
limited powers, the independence of the
states, and the personal liberties of the
citizen. Strike these stones from the
foundation and the whole edlfce must
crumble into dust.
We call ourselves after the great apos.
tie of American liberty, the author of
the Declaration Of independence, and
the founder of the democratic party.
We propose to return to the principles
upon which he led our foreiathers to
the due settlement of the blessed re.
publican institutions we have enoyed
through the better part of century,
We shall cherish them as the sheet an.
chor OF peace, of order, and of security,
and we here declare our solemn purpose
TO avoid all political association which
subordinates those essential principles
to any other doctrine or purpose what.
ever, and to rcpudiate all leadership
which tends to sacrifice them to local or
temporary success. To this end, we
shall employ, to the best OF our ability,
the press and the rostrum, and apply
our personal eXertions, in the dlssemlna.
ton of the pure, life.giving principles
OF government "of the people, by the
people and for the people, And to
this end we shall, IA an organized body,
take no part in struggles at primary or
delegate elections, OF suiier any person.
under any circumstances. to make his
membership stepping stone to public
Office. Our mission ls 10 bring together
men OF like mind, that they may know
each other when occasion requres-tO
take counsel together for the preserva.
ton of constitutional liberty, TO give
warning of impending danger, and to
arouse the jealous watchfulness of the
people against the cncroachments of
OF centralized power.
1t will be observed that our method
OF organization is that of Jefferson
himself, and his compatrots OF the rev.
olu,Ion. 1t Is that of popular associa
tion--the popular committee of vigil.
ance, the liberty club which began the
struggle against the British crown, and
is now again invoked for the preserva.
ton to the people Of the sacred rights
which were then won. Never. since the
adoption OF the constitution, have the
Jetiersonian theory of government by
the people and the HamIltonian theory
of strong government by power. beyond
the reach OF the people. been brought
into sharper collision than AT this time.
We see 30 called business interests" in
close alliance with the party in power
IA union far more odious and more
dangerous than union of church and
state. We see the power OF corpora.
tions and onOpolies-both enjoying
enormous undue privileges, under laws
enacted in corrupt and trou ublesome
tlmes-exerted to peryert the will of
the people at the polls, and even to
change the results of the voting after
they have been ascertained and declar.
ed. Elections have, 10y these means.
become hideously corrupt; electors are
assaIled with brides or confronted by
open intimidation. 1t is expressly said
that a change must be made; that capi.
tai must be given larger and more
exclusive control, "a against the suC
irages OF the plain people; and that the
government bequeathed to US by our
democratic ancestors must be made
stronger, more expensive and more
| splendid, and be administered by priv.
! ileged class, whose qualifications shall
be measured 10y the volume of their cash.
1t is even proposed to disregard the ex.
ample ot the immortal Washington, of
Jefferson, Of Madison and OF Jackson.
and elect to the presidency for a third
| time successful soldier, whose acces
SION under these circumstances would
be universally understood as the begin.
ming OF that dire change which has
been and il still so freely threatened.
Under these circumstances we feel
that the time has arrived for the friends
OF the people to associate, for Jeffrrson.
ian democrats to organize in Jefferson.
ian clubs, for patriotic minute men to
mount guard
We invite from you permanent and
cordial correspondence. that the results
OF our deliberations may he freely com.
municated to each other and be made
mutually helpful. c. F. BLACK.
President.
II. l.. WILLIAMS, Secretary.