The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-09-16


before us.
We can fairly claim that the renewal of busi-
ness is the natural result of the policy of the
Republican party. Every public measure that
has contributed to it was Republican measure
An honest and faithful administration of the
Government "a firm adherence to the Resump-
ton and Refunding acts; the maintenance Of
the public faith as against fat money and the
protection policy embodied in our tariff laws,
are the human agencies, the work of the Re-
publican party, that have contributed to our
prosperity. It is true that Providence gave us
bounteous crops, but these came after resump-
ton was secure and after we had laid the
foundation of honest money and diversified in
dustry, which enabled us to improve the bless
ings OF Providence. Certain it is that we owe
no part of our prosperity to the Democratic
party.
And now, in 1880, they want change not
change inthe Democratic House or Senate, but
a change in the Executive branch Of the Gov
eminent, so that all branches Of the Govern
ment will be practically under their power and
control. It is known very we'll that within q
period of four years the election of Demo-
OF life, convert the Supreme Court into cita-
del OF the principles and policy of the Demo-
cratic party, and change the national tenden
cles Of that great tribunal into machine to
cripple the Government in its power to protect
the right of the freedmen by the adoption of
che narrow notions of State rights which gov
srned the Democratic party before the war.
and who are they who propose this radical
a1ange? It is the same Democratic party that
in 1860 sought to overthrow the Governments.
governed by the self-same men or their lineal
descendants, and the same elements which con-
trolled the policy of the administration of
James Buchanan. Who control that party
row2 The basis the governing power, of that
party is in the solid South. That segment Of
yN1I firm Io1o o1on,~, ~
gress and thirty-two Senators, and, by their
numerical majority over their Democratic asso-
crates, will dictate the policy and laws of our,
Government. Next in Importance would be the
influence Of New York city, whose vote is SO
potent IN welding the political power Of the
years has been governed by corruption, that
practiced the frauds in the election of 1868,
and Is confessedly under the domination of the
moss dangerous elements of American society,"
They can claim no Northern State except what
they derive from the shadow Of the influence
the State OF Indiana but we dispute with them
their ascendency in that gallant State And
thus these elements, embracing the worst feat
ures of American politics and society, would
rule the National Government in all it's
branches, and restore again all the ideas, prin-
c c1 ana acts from which we escaped by the
election Of Abraham Lincoln.
:, Tae bone and sinew, the heart and brains, of
the North are now, then with the Republican
party. That section which furnishes the CAPT.
tai, the commerce, the trade, the enterprise, the
vital energy to our SYSTEM is to be subordinated
to tS section which still clings to the idea that
this is not nation, but confederacy, that it's
powers are dependent for enforcement upon the
narrow and provincial ideas of insignificant
States. This is the change they propose. This
is the revolution they would bring about.
MIR. Iilden says they want change in order
to condemn what he alleges was the fraud of
1877. But this pretended fraud consists simply
IN the fact that the Electoral Commission. q
tribunal which the aided to organize, and whose
emily from what they expected. did not be-
heye IN that tribunal. believed the constitution
and the laws already furnished ample means to
ascertain and determine the result of the vote
OF the electors; but they forced the adoption of
TINS commission as means to exclude votes
G duly returned from some of the Southern States
They failed in this and from that time they
have cried out "Fraud, fraud" The fraud that
existed in the election Of 1876 was the fraud,
violence, and intimidation practiced by the Dem
ocratic party in at least five of the Southern
States, but in such bungling way in Louisiana
ing officers of that State. In South Carolina
and Florida the actual vote cast, as well as the
legal vote, was in favor of the Republican cleo
tors. They attempted in Oregon, where the
people had without question voted for the
clude tho Republican electors and to recognize
the Democratic electors, and large sums of
money were confessedly paid to accomplish this
fraud. y -
But, fellow-citizens, this cry is now the sheer
est hypocrisy. If the Democratic party be-
heved in it, Why was not Mr.. Tilden renominat-
ed! Then the people could have tried the
alleged fraud. But the fraud practiced by the
Democratic party in the South is continuing
fraud-two years ago, last year, and this YEAR
continued openly with grim humor and justified
by the dominant opinion in the South, and by
the acquiescence of the Democracy of the
North. It is only by this fraud that the Dem
ocratlc party hopes for success. If now there
is change in the Executive branch of the
Government it will be caused by the grave and
startling fact that the rebels of the South
have, by bloody means, succeeded in over
throwing the constitutional rights of 5000, 900
Of freedmen, and the Democratic party of the
North, eager for power and place, cooperate
with the rebels of the South in this crime, by
sharing IN the power and places secured by it,
Senator Thurman says they want to bring
about change, so as to restore the old time
honored doctrine of the Democratic party in re-
spect to State rights. This. believe, is an
honest statement of the chief desire of the
party. They wish, under the forms of party
contest, to turn back the dial of time for TWEEN
ty years from the national principles that have
guided the Republican party to the sectionalism
that prevailed before the war. We accept the
issue.
You will always find the Democratic party
opposed to our views of national AUTHORITY.
1t seeks to belittle, to degrade, and cripple
the National Government to subordinate
the rights of the citizen and the nation to
the law or public opinion of the State;
to treat the National Government as
confederacy of States, without power
to enforce personal rights or national
interests within the limits Of the State without
the consent Of the State. You will find this
radical difference cropping out in every contest
on every question, great or small, that enters
into American politics. It was this that led to
the civil war. Under the lead of the Republi-
can party the Union was preserved, the consti-
tuition was maintained in its full vigor and
strengthened by amendments so as to declare
the equal civil and political rights of all men,
without distinction of race, color or condition,
and that Congress should enforce these rights
by appropriate legislation. Upon these terms
the rebels were restored to their rights and
privileges as American citizens, and now, with
their Northern associates, under the name of
the Democratic party, they revive the old con
test, and deny to American citizens the protec-
ton of national rights by national authority.
This doctrine of State rights is the basis of
opposition to national banks, to the protection
of American industry, to the national election
laws, and protection Of the ballot-box. and to
the navigation laws. Whenever the Question
arises in national politics, you will ALWAYS find