Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-03-18
NO. 66.

SVeat paft nom tuuSc VINO nAu
no part in government. were soldiers of for
tune from conquered provinces, and, in some
cases. were hired mercenarics gathered from
barharous peoples Who compose our
militia. They are the sons of our farmers.
cur merchants, our artizans. They are
American citizens who have and will have a
part in the government and are part of the
people in whom all power resides. Nav We
not rely upon their intelligence and patriotism
as well. when clothed in a uniform as when
in citizens dress:
But, sir. this easerness to adorn the docu-
ment with examples from ancient history has
led to a forgetfulness of those of a later time
Twice in the history of this country have we
tested the patriotism of our citizen soliicry.
and of their great leaders. And il seems to
have been forgotten that af(er the reyolution
with its memories of Valley Forge and ayain
AFTER the great civil war tho solI;cr laid ,s;I,
the sword and gun and returned to the farm
the workshop. the counting house-,bc neac.
full vocation of civil life-without a ripple of
disturbance upon the surface of society. In
the first instance. the infant republic weak
and exhausted in the struggle with the mother
country had no means 10 reward her soldiers
Our institutions were nntricd and were an
innovation upop all thar b,d yo,s h.f,r, and
ve, the solJ;ers of tho r.vo,,,;nr w,r, ~ lo,.,I
and patriotic in peac. ms ,bnv had haep hrsy.
and self.sacrihcinr in war. Is tho DANCER of
nm empire greater now Than thenY And whom
shall We cease Ia remember the y,orous mao.
cant which greeted the American nconle an
the morning of the osd Jav of N.v Isf,
Thor, ,a,bercd b.nca,b III. domc az ,ho o.n,
itol nj Washington. marched in reyiew hefor,.
the Chief Magistrate of the Nation and tho
great Generals who had led them 10 victory
the battleworn veterans whose v.Ior had
preserved the constitution and saved IN,
Union. There they were-all save those ,,b h,
had yiyep their live. that the Nations M,
might be preserved. From the hills and val-
leys of New England. from the Middle States
from the prairics of the West. from the Paci-
fic coast, leaving peaceful homes and wives
and little ones, they had been summoned to
fight the battles of the Union Upon many ,
battle. field. in many a bospital and in many n
prison. they had nroycd their ,lcyotion IN
fatherland. And AS they marched in lone
procession with flags tattered by the hail of
battle, and ranks dccimated nv disensc and
death. no man who looked into their bronzed
faces, felt that the highest interests of the
country were not saf, in their keepiny. The
day passed. and the warlikc columns wer,
swallowed up and intcrmngled with the pco.
ple as the mighty river is lost in tho bonud.
less ocean.
Nor is the courtesy extended to Gen. Gar.
field without precedent The inauguration
| of Washington, who was, at least as solici-
t0us for the future welfare of the Nation as
any man of this generation, was attended
with like ceremonies. | read an extract from
"Spark's life of Washington in proof of
what ! say:
The first public act of the President was
that of taking the oath of office. 1t was de-
cided by Congress that this should he done
....l.
day appointed. April Goth, at nine O'Clock,
religious services suited to the occasion.
were performed in all the churches of the
city. At twelve the troops po1oded befoye
the Presidents door and soon after came the
committees of Congress and the heads of de-
partmcnts in carriages, to attend him to the
Federal Hall, where the two Houses Of Con
gress were assembled. The procession
moved forward with the troops in front next
the committees and heads of departments
then the President in a coach alone. followed
by the foreign ministers. civil officers of the
State and citizens. Arrived at the Hall he
ascended to the senate chamber and passed
| thence to n balcony in front of the house.
where the oath of Office was administered to
him. in presence of the people, by Chanccl-
lor Livingston
What dangerous precedent to be set bv
the Father of his country And what a mis-.
fortune il was that he could not have read
this report before taking part in sucb n cere.
monv. for then without pomp and circum.
stance. almost unattended. he would have
walked to the Capitol and taken the oatI,
of his great ofiiee-and the American Rubi.
con would not have been passed, No sir the
danger to this republic does not lie in her cit
izen soldiery. II exists, If ut all, in quite
another direction.
| But more to bc feared than the harmless
pageant Of civic and military display is the
undisguised attempt 20 undermine the jnfiu-
| ence of the Supreme Court. and the claim,
Sc. up for irresponsible power in the hands of
the legislature and Executive departments of
this government. Saws the minority report.
quoting the message Of the Governor.
''While it belongs 10 the Executive DE
partment to canvass the votes returned for
Senators and Representatives and certify the
orion facie result. il is made the du,v of the
Legislature TO canvass the returns for Gov
ernor. determine the result and declare il.
And from that decision there i, no appeal cx-
cept 10 force. The Governor and Council
NAV err in certifying who sappear. TO be
elected members Of the Leoislature the Loo.
isIa,ure NAV err in Jet.rmin;ny who ia eIect.
ed Governor: hut in either case, there is no
appeal except to force. So. possibly. either
| OF these DEPARTMENTS in the discharge of these
official du,ies NAV act corrup,Iv and fraudu