The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1880-06-02

Views of Senaior David Davis On Cur
rent Political Qmesstons-rhe Third
Term. Tariff Revision and civil Ser
Vice Re(Urn.


Term. Tariff Revision and civil Ser
Vice ReEorns-
q. III. Browning, of Quincy, ILL.,, re-
Gently addressed "a letter to Senator Da-
viii Davis, asking his views upon GER
tain questions, and received the follow
ing sensible reply:
WASHINGTON, May lIth, 1850.
My DEAR SRI have bad the
pleasure to receive your letter of the
9Th inst. As "a constituent, q friend
and AN hOnOred citizen of Illinois, YOU
have II perfect right tO ask for my views
ON public questions, and / have no hes
itation in expressing them. Taking
the inquiries in the order presented
PEACE IN THE UNION,
permanent prosperity and fraternal fell
l0wship are only To be attained by ST.
lencing sectional strife faithful all
herence to the Constitution and all its
amendments strict Observance Of the
laws i'm conformity Herewith, and
equal rights and equal protection for
every citizen in every part of the Re
public, will soon end the discords that
have too long vexed the country and
injured its welfare. The people are
weary of agitation and want peace.
CONGRATULATIONS"
The Constitution wisely defines the
respective limits of the Federal and of
State governments under a happy and
harmonious system wherein each is in
dependent in its appropriate sphere and
both operate concurrently to protect
the integrity and stability of the Union.
Any encrOachment of the one ON the
distinctive domain OF the other neces-
sarily dislocates the machinery of the
Constitution and involves danger to the
whole body polite. In fact, every de
parture from the great charter Of liber-
ty and law is attended with peril, and
the demand made by adherents Of one
of the great parties for u "strong gov
eminent means substantially u central
ized government, destructive of home
rule i'm the States and the very reverse
Of what Mr.. Lincoln well described IA
"a government of the people, by the
people and for the people" Carried To
its logical conclusion, such n change
would finally overthrow the Repub-
lic."
1.-THE THIRD TERM"
An innovation upon the sanetifie,l
traditions Of the policy first established
by the example Of Washington is
urgently demanded by II powerful in
terest in the Republican party. The
limitation Of two terms, heretofore uni
versally accepted, will he destroyed;
the way To a self-perpetuated Presiden-
cy will lie opened by the use and abuse
Of enormous public patronage. Break
down this barrier, and an end of the
experiment of Republican government
looms up darkly rs the cost of n fatal
concession
GREAT CORPORATIONS.
The rapid growth of corporate power
and the malign influence which ID ex-
erts by combinations ON the national
ami State Legislatures il well-ground-
ell cause of alarm. a struggle is inn
pending i'm the near future between
AN over-grown power, with its vast
qualifications all over the Union and
hard grip ON much of the political ma
chinery ON the one hand, and the peo-
pie in an unorganized condition ON the
other, for the control of the govern
ment. Ii will be watched by every pa
triOt with intense anxiety.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
Neither laws nor commissions created
under them will eifcctually reform the
many and glaring abuses of the civil
service. The former have been con-
stantly evaded, and the latter are pow
erless for good. An honest Executive,
bent on Real and not simulated reform,
has abundant authority to make it eff |
fective everywhere if he has capacity |
to see his duty and courage to perform |
it.
SUBSIDIES"
Experience has demonstrated that
subsidies i'm any form are purses of cor
ruptiOn, and ought to be forbidden. |
Private enterprises that depend for sue
cess upon legislation procured by venal |
agencies do not deserve public favor.
PUBLIC LANDS.
More than hundred and fifty mill
ions of dollars, principal and interest,
have been voted by Congress to railroad
operators The remaining lands should
be sacredly reserved for the cultivatOrs
of the soil, so that the tailoring man
shall have a chance to improve his con-
ditiOn and to open up n future for his
children away from the seductions Of
great cities.
REVISION OF THE TARIFF.
The tariff practically means taxation,
and all taxation not equally adjusted is
odious. While interest ON an Oppres-
sive public debt, the pensions earned
with the blood of soldiers and sailors
who fought for the Union and the regtl-
lar expenses for carrying ON the Govern
ment are to be met, the duties ON inn
ports must continue To furnish the
sources of revenue. So long as these dtl-
ties are levied, manufactures will be
benefited according to the degree or
mode i'm which the duties may be dis
tributed. The existing tariff is regarded
rs a confused mass of incongruities and
mOnopolies, created by special legislation
and open to constant fraud ON the reve-
nue.. Ii taxes the consumer heavily on
those articles especially that are most h
needed by the tOiling masses; il taxes
every newspaper,e every school book,
every bible and the salt OF the working
man with gross injustice, because the