The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-05-14
SPEECH OE
HON. M. G. GEORGE,
Upon the Issues OF the Day, and
our Local Interests.


:. complexion OF political belief. gathered t.
hear the views on political and local topic
of our chosen stanlartl-bearer, Hon. NJ c
: George. The speaker was introduced by
Judge Powell in a few we!l-chosen remarks
:, and proceeded at once to business. Mr.
It George promised his remarks by saying
e that to glance over so many familiar faces
reminded him of home. 1t had become
his duty, in response TO the call OF the lie
. PUBLICAN Convention, to travel over the
entire State, the better to become acquaint-
ed with the special needs and interests ot
the several sections of the State. He
, opeu afresh the wounds of the fratricidal
struggle, when brother was arrayed agains:
brother, and neighbor against neighbor i'm
deadly strife. He would bury that sad
! record In eternal oblivion. When the
people, seeking to remedy the official
corruption which the great commotion OF
the civil war, naturally and of necessity
brought TO the surface, placed the Dem
ocrats again III power I'm Congress, the
Democratic party became again the party
of action and not of mere theories, and as
such is open to criticism. He proceeded
to expose in a mastery manner the true
inwardness of the extra session. He be-
lieVeS the masses, whether Democratic or
Republican. are honest and sincere in their
actions and convictions. He has faith in
American civilization anil in American
citizens, both Northern and Southern.
He paid glowing tribute to the devotion
and heroism of the rank and file of the
Southern cause, who laid their lives
sacrifice on the altar Of devotion TO their
political Eelies. What lie had to say was
not i'll condemnation of the masses of the
Democratic party, but he believed they
had been misled. He fears the influenre
o! Democrats who are looking out, not
for the rights and interests of the people,
but of their own pockets and power. He
said when caucuses and partisan politics
endanger the liberties of the people, down
with caucuses and partisans forever. He
alluded to the shotgun tactics and intimi-
tiation process as operating TO consolidate
the solid South. The Democratic party of
the North had been used as the mere tool
of the solid South. In 1868 the State of
/ New Yhrk was carried for Seymour by
| 80, 900 fraudulent ballots, in the city of
New York. under the management OF
Boss Tweed, Oakley Hall and their pals.
Besides the solid South the Earry needs
but few Northern electoral votes. Hence
the importance OF controlling few of the
great cities. Cutting of the south end of
Indiana where II per cent. of the voters
cannot read or write, and giving 10. 900
Democratic majority, and the Five Points
district of New York city, Seymour would
not have received single Northern electo-
raj vote. He briefly explained the super
vision law, passed on account of the giar-~
ing frauds in New York city in 1868, to
supervise elections and spot fraud so as to
secure fairness. This was the great object
of Democratic attack and assault in the ex-
ira session. because imperlling the success
of the Democratic leaders by and through
fraud. The same object was aimed at in
regard TO the law for supervising elections
in the South by U. S. Marsl.als. 1t is by
existing law criminal offense to use
military force at the polls for any purpose
but to preserve peace thereat. He would
like to know the danger OF u. s. military
interference when there were no u S.
soldiers to interfere. There were only
5000 soldiers east of Omaha. of whom
only a few hundred were stationed in
Southern States, in many of which there
were none. Ee related the fact that the
only authentic case OF military interference
at elections that ever occurred in the
United States was by order of Gen. Gee. B.
Mcclellan, who was the idolzed standard |
bearer OF the Democracy 70. the Presidency
in 1864, and who gave orders to his subor-
dinates in 1861 to stop disIoyal persons
from voting at an election III Maryland
He is opposed to large standing armies in
time of peace, but we need to have soldiers |
enough to protect settlers on the frontiers |
from Indian outrages. He believed the |
army, the elections and all should be |
under the control of law, and the law |
under the control of the good sense and |
sound reason of the masses of the people |
He believed in State Rights as strongly as
ary Democrat in the land. BY our Con-
stitution the control of all national affairs |
had been given to the general government;
purely local affairs to the States, and all |
purely personal affairs to the discretion of |
the individual people. 1t Is essential that
the rights and constitutional prerogative |
of the States should be protected. When
ever they are usurped and overridden our |
Government is failure and our liberties !
at an end. If ever the Republican party |
should take position inimical to State
Rights as contemplated by the Constitn-
tion, he would deDounce it; but the per-
nicious doctrine OF State Sovereignty is
the baneful parent of secession, disorder
and anarchy, the mere prelude to over
throw, despotfsm and eternal enslavement
Of the people. This he clearly illustrated.
The Constitution has provided the general
government as the common judge to
preside over and regulate the several
States, each the peer of the other. and
as related to each other, but
subordinate TO the supreme constitutional
An. 4