Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-21
A Change in the Federal Adminis-
tratiOn Necessary for the General
Welfare.

tratiOn Necessary Tor tie GenerHi
Welfare.
When an administration fails to re-
gard the general welfare of the people in
the spirit of the constitutional oath ''to
faithfully execute national offices, and
by so doing to preserve, protect and de
fend the Constitution of the United
States" but centres every movement
upon the pivot of partisanship, it is time
for the people to inquire, whittier IS
this policy leading us, and to what re
sult?" In popular forms of government
the intolerant spirit of party surely fol-
lows the long possession of power, and
engenders the impression of an indefea-
sible right to the control of the govern
ment. Such is at present, if we judge
by its political career within the past
year going no further back for evidence
of the Republican party now ruling the
country,
Granting to the Republicans all
they claim for preserving the
Union. and reconstructing it upon
the basis of the MadisOnian
theory of Federal Union, and for other
supposed benefits enjoyed, they have so
revealed in their success as to have for
gotten their obligations to the source of
ali power-the people--and have settled
apparently into the belief that, having
saved the Union, they are entitled to ad-
minister it forever as they shall deem ex-
pedient, without regard to a strict con-
struction of the Constitution. We charge
that the Republican leaders have substi-
tuted party" for people" and rule the
country no longer by justice and equity,
but for their own individual ambitions,
whether for the possession of power or
for pecuniarY greed.
10 support of this charge, and passing
over the Belknaps, Robesons, Babcocks,
Williamses, whisky rings, star route
thieves and the other scores of rogues
protected, and frauds and thefts prac.
ticed upon the Treasury of the United
States, established as true beyond de
NAL, we call attention to the Incl
dents of the past twelve months,
VIZ the interference of the President
with the internal affairs of Virginia
in connection with Senator Mahcne, and
the debt of that State-a matter of
Virginia's interest entirely, with which
the Federal Government can have 40 con
cern; the pettifOging practices of the
President and his Cabinet in the nomi-
nations for the minor Federal offices in
the States, and their patronage of candi-
dates for Office in the Southern States
most offensive to their people, instead of
seeking to restore the interrupted har-
mony of the country by the judicious
| selections of good citizens their indiffer-
ence to the rights of American citizens
abroad; the total disregard by the
Republican Congress of the rights of
members duly elected and certified, and
an economical legislation for the country
in the measures of taxation and tariff
collecting from the toll of the people a
greater revenue than is required for the
needs of the government, and boarding
the surplus for corrupt squsnderiDg in
party schemes OF plumber, intficiency
in military means and plans for protect
ing the frontiers against murderOus In
dian raids; a worthless naval provision
to protect our commerce and our coast
the faltering course of the party in
power in the support of Christianity
against the vile rites of MOrmonism, and
for its invasion of the domestic rights of
the States in judicial, commercial and
Interstate intercourse, thereby seeking
to destroy the individuality of the States
by centering all patronage and power in
the Congress and the President, irrespec
tive of the terms of the instrument by
which the Federal Union was con-
struCted, apd which is the foundation of
our security in our lives, our liberties
and our pursuit of happiness. Do we
exaggerate? Are not these things so?
We indulge in no abuse or vitupera-
tions always to be avoided in searches
for the truth, but simply invite attention
to our statements, as demanding at this
time earnest scrutiny by the masses of
our people, and on conviction of their
business the only remedy for the wrongs
inflicted upon us by the leaders of the
Republican party-G change IN oar
Federal administration.