Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1881-04-23
SPEECH OF HON. GEORGE G. VEST,
lan ga oF MISSOURI.
isd Ds.diii.s.'r.a.s, y slaT r. Il. s...s. Of tn.
Unitsd states, Monday. April
@i'A .t'- ii, 1881.

Mr.. Vest said: "a
Mr.. President, congratulate the
dsmeeratic party and the country
upon the fact that At last the issue
between the two parties in the pres
ent remarkable contest il distinctly
and sharply aud unmlstakabls de-
fined. Tho democratic party have
never been actuated in this conflict
by the desire simply to attain pos.
session Of the Offices Of the senate. Ii
such had been the case two years age,
with an absolute control, the demo-
cratic party would have taken every
Office IL the senate without question
or debate. With that absolute power
in our hands the pay.rolls Of the
sanate to-day develop the fact that
within q very few hundred dollars of
one-half of the patronage Of the
senate 10 in the control Of the repub-,
Iican party. MY own state of Mis-
souri,. RlviGg to the democratic party
the largest electoral vote Of any state
In the Unisn, received out of the
patronage Of the senate the miserable
pittance Of two messenger. places
amounting together to $1,000.
Sir, the Offices Of the senate censti-
tute mot the Issue between these
partiss. Ths.issus 10 =defind aud we'll
known to the senate and to the coun-
try. It was read to rs by the senator
from Pennsylvania. (Mr. Cameron y
i. ItSx %ss dso!.msaa e 4; oZ shs senator
campaign speech. alripgsthe delivery
Of which i could sslmost smell the
barbeoued meat and hsar the shouts
Of the approving multitude. 1t has
been shrieked and yelled to us by the
republican senators from Massschu-
setts. Finally in the grave and de.
liberats accents Of tho -sanator from
Ohio. ,(Mr. Sherman. We have had
laid down th4emphstic jprscision
the object Of his party aud the ques'
ttion between us. &C
This object, in 80 many words AND
stripped Of all rhetoric aud all sur
plusage, il simply this: The nation
al republican party of the United
States proposes, with its vast pres
tige, its great influence, its patronag,
in the senate, aud its federal aud ex
ecutive patronage, to throw itself in
10 the contest in the. state Of Virginii
between. the two. factions of tn
dsmocratic party, aud to crush ou
with this unequal aid the real AIT
true demOcraey Of that gleEious oil
commonwealth Tho democrats il
the sonata are called upon In th'
name of the constitution and unde
penalty 0f.being denounced n revolu
tionists and traitors to SIT supinel.
here aud sec this monstrouD outrag
perpetratsd upon that gallant demo
1 Iscracy in) the state Sef Virginia.
democrats in, the senate should si
here snpinely aud submit to any sue
, thing a. that they would dessrv
Ito be branded 5aa dishonorsd mel
Livery consideration Of principle
levery .consid Grafton al honor, ever
! instinct Of chivalry, calls upon US
. stand by our .brethrsu ia the state G
! Virginia in making their last gres
! contest. after everything else 10 lo'
: save honor, for tae historic, glory
that commonwealth, the mother (
states and statesmen aud Of the dem
cratic party .&E 49,
l tell the gentlemen now, in Il
spirit of brsvado, that, rather tbs
submit to this interference by tt
national republican party In that CO
test; rather than see the real dem
cracy Of Virginia stricken down q
ter this fashion, We will stay her
!. God willing, until the ice again gor
ss the Potomac aud the snoWs-
Decembsr wreath these hills in the
Mr.. President, beeauso the dem
crhtie party in the senate have tax
this position, We are denounced
guilty Of revolution and of treaso
Tho senator from Ohio, (Mr. She
3. man. who. 1 am glad to see, 10 q
. teriDg the chamber, announced to
.. but the other day the monstro
doctrine that the only rights Of {:
3; minority hero are to debate, q
9 when the debate has closed the II
jerlty4ete, and the voice Of the n
tjority 10 the voice of God. Sir, it
i . INDUSTRIOUS doctrine 1t 10 parl
II mentary sbs0lutism.s sa - 5
i. The senator from Massachusetts
., eloquent tones told US the other d
at that senator of the Unit
". States was responsible alone to
!. conscience and bis God. What
comes of individual responsibilit
What becomes Of the answer Il
every honest man must make in
IS official capacity to his own judgm'
= and to his own conscience if the d
the trine Of the senator from Ohio is tr
10. that the only right given to q min
oed eed ity 10 the right of debate, and t
iso the voice of the majority 10 then
ss. voice of God .- ..
~. Sir, it 10 not true that the vsice
the majority 10 the supreme law
the United States. A president
= the United States may be elected
. minority of the votes of the p
30 pie. Gen. Garfield received 50 !
for jority in the electoral college ,
$500 aud odd plurality Of tho po
ular vote. The president of.
United States has been elected
minority of the popular vote Of {
Uuien. The constitution Of the I'm
On States Is the supreme law. Tho
jority must act aud WELD their p
and or under the constitution and
,.go Law made in pursuance thereof.
WHAT is revoIu:ion2 1t ia &C