St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1880-08-07

no do dOnbt fully understand. as they will also
| that is because of their own industry and econ
omy and Gods bOuntiJul harvests that the
country is comparatively prosperous. and not
because of anything done by these Federal Office
| holders. The country is comparatively pros
porous, not because OF them, but i'll spite of
| them.
This contest is, in fact, between the people,
endeavorns to regain the political power Which
belongs to them and to restore the pure, sim
pie, economical constitutional government OF
our fathers on one side, and a hundred thou
sand Federal office-hOlders and their hackers,
| pampered with place and power and deter
| mined to retain them at all hazards. on the
other; and hence the constant assumption of
new and dangerous powers by the General
Government under the rule of the Republican
party.
The effort to build up what they call strong
Government; the interference with home rule
and with the administration of justice in the
courts OF the several States the interference
with elections through the medium of paid par
tisan Federal office holders, interested in keep
ing their party III power, and caring more for
that than for fairness in elections, in fact the
by that party on the clearly reserved rights
of the people and States, will, if not
checked, subvert the liberties of the
people and the Government of limited
powers created by our fathers, and end in {,
great consolidated central government, strong
indeed for evil and the overthrow of republi-
can institutions: Wise menwho formed our con
stitution knew the evils ola strong Government
and long continuance of political power in the
same hands. They knew there was tendency
III this direction in all governments, and conse-
quent danger to Republican institutions from
that cause, and took pains to guard against it.
The machinery Of a strong centralized General
Government can be used to perpetnate the
same set of nlenin power from term to term,
until it ceases to he a Republic or is such only
in name, and the tendency OF the party now in
power is in that direction as shown in various
ways, besides the willingness recently mani
tested by large number Of their party to elect
President an unlimited number of times, is
quite apparent, and must satisfy thinking peo-
pie that the time has come when if will he
safest and best for that party to retire.
But in resisting the encroachments Of the
General Government upon the reserved rights
Of the people and State, wish to be distinctly
understood as fayorng proper exercise by the
General Government Of the powers rightfully
belonging to it under the constitution En-
croacllmcnts, upon the constitutional right OF
the General Government, interference
with the proper exercise of its powers must be
carefully avoided
The Union of States under the constitution
must be maintained, and it is we'll known that
this has always been the position of both can
didates on the Democratic Presidential ticket
1t IS acqulesced i'll everywhere now, and finally
aud forever settled as one of the results of the
war. 1t is. certain beyond all question that
the legitimate results of the war for the Union
will not be OvcrthroWn or impaired should the
Democratic ticket be elected.
In that event proper protection will be given
III every legitimate way to every citizen, native
Or adopted, IN every section Of the Republic, in
tic tHjos VI dill INC tights guaranteed Dy
the constitution and its amendments K |
sound currency OF honest money, of the value
and purchasing power corresponding substan- |
TALLY with the standard recognsedby the com
lnercla world, and consisting of gold and silver
and paper convertible into coin, will be main |
tanned
Labor and the manufacturing commercial and |
business interests of the country will be ia |
Y0red and encouraged i'll every legitimate way |
The tOilng millions of our people will be pro |
tected from the destructive competition of fine
Chinese, and to that end their immigration TO |
our shores will be groperly restricted; public |
credit will be scrupuously maintained and |
by strict economy in public ey-
penditures, and the liberties of the people and
the property OF the people will be protected Nv
a Government OF law and order administered
strictly in the interests of all the people. and
not OF corporations and privileged classes |
DO not doubt the discriminating Justice of the
people, and their capacity for Intelligent self
government, and therefore do not doubt the
success OF the Democratic ticket. Its success
would bury beyond resurrection the sectional
eai0usles and hatreds which have been the |
chelf stock in trade of pestifer0us demagog,les
ana Ill no otner way can this be so effectually
accomplished.
1t would restore harmony and better feeling
among all sections. and make us in fact as well
As III name, one people. The only rivalry then
would be in the race for development of
material prosperity, elevation of labor, enlarge
nent or human rights, promotion of education
morality, religion. liberty and order, and all that
would lead to make lis the foremost nation of
,he earth in the grand march of human progress
am, With great respect, very truly yours,
VIM II. ENGLISH