Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-04-29
An Impressive Contrast.

The current number of the North
American Revie,g contains brilliant
article from the pen of Judge j. S.
Black, on General Grant and
Strong Government" 1t is exception
ally able even for Judge Black,
and should command an extensive
reading. We append two extracts
which present graphic picture of
the difference between the beliefs and
purposes of the Democratic party and
the disgraceful abuses of administra.
tion and the fragrant usurpation under
the Republican rule of Grant. OF
the Democracy Judge Black says:
1--WE believe in the Constitution, and
in the sanctity of an oath TO support it
in the traditions of the fathers, and the
principles of free government as settled
by them. We have held fast to this
faith. We never surrendered or sold
or gave up our heritage. When il was
stolen from us we cried out upon the
robbery, and reclaimed our rights as
soon as reclamation was possible. In
the courts we struggled with our ut.
most strength for the restoration of trial
by jury and the privilege of habeas cor.
pus; on the hustings. in popular con.
ventions, and in legislative assemblies
we protested against the domination of
carpet.bag thieves, and exposed re.
morselessly the dishonest measures by
which we saw the public Treasury plum.
dered. We thought it good tradition
OF the fathers that the military power
should be subordinate to the civil au.
thority; and, when we saw elections
carried by the bayonet, Legislatures
forcibly tumbled out of their seats, and
the basest scoundrels in the country
placed by brute force in the offices to
which honest men had been elect.
ed, our sense of right and justice
was shocked beyond expression. We
thought the right of the States to elect
their own officers and their own repre-.
sentatives in Congress by the free suf.
frages of their own people was clear as
the plainest constitutional law could
make il. We therefore looked with
loathiDg on the systematic violation of
this great right, carried on for years by
the Federal Administration and mono
Of US could be reconciled to the great
swindle of 1876 by which the whole ma.
ton was basely cheated.
The following is the manner in
which he touches up Boutwell,, one of
the third term writer's of the Review.
on the shortcomings of the Grant adj
ministration. 1t is a strong arraign-
ment, and it is not ut all likely that
Boutwell, will accept the offer made to
him. The facts are too overwhelming
for any one to gain-say:
"I will make Mr.. Boutwell, PROPOSE.
tion. IL he will name any kind Of vic.
lence or intimidation which the Grant
faction have not used TO prevent @ true
poll, or any form of fraud which they
have not practiced to falsify returns, or
any sort OF cheating in the count which
they have not resorted to, or any species
Of the ermen false which they have not
| perpetrated as a means OF swindling
the majority ; if they have not filed
the seats of Congress with imposters
whose object it was to misrepresent, in.
jure, and degrade the State Office, or
when defeated put them in possession
and maintain them there by force Of
arm; If they did not in 1876 defeat the
known will of the nation by a most stu
pendous swindle-if Mr.. Boutwell, can
show that these things and others like
them were not done at divers times
and places, under the auspices and with
the appreciation Of General Grant and
those friends OF his who are now push.
ing him for third election, then will
give up the whole case and promise to
vote for his candidate. There he has
q chance to make one vote, without the
risk of losing his own for, IL he fails, I
will not ask him to vote my ticket
will merely insist that he shall not
hereafter turn up the whites Of his eyes
and pretend to be wounded in his vir.
tuous soul, when fugitive carpet bag.
ger tells him how he had 10 drop his
plunder and fly for his crimes, because
negroes were buildozed 1T the South.
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