Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-23
THE POLITICAL ISSUES.
Lucid Statement or the Difference
Between Democracy and RadI-
calIsm.


I
portant TO understand them and have cleal
conceptions Of their import and bearing
These are to be gathered from the history OF
the two great political parties Of the coun
try, their national platforms, and theiI
| authoritative public acts and declarations In
the proceedings Of the government.
A part Of the issues relate to the organic
principles in the structure OF the Federal
Government, and part to the policy and
manner OF its administration.
First. The doctrine of the present Repub-
| lican party. that the Federal Government is
National Government of the whole people
OF the United States, taken collectively and
SltoordlnGtSng the States, tends inevitably to
the consolidation of all supreme power In the
General Government, to the destruction of
the States and to the creation of q central
lied despotism, finally ending In the ulti-
mate total abrogation and change of the
constitution, as originally made by the
Revolutionary fathers.
On the contrary, the doctrine of the
Democratic party is that the Federal Gov
eminent was created by Union of free,
sovereign and independent States, clothing
1t with delegation of powers specifically
| defined In the Constitution for general and
national purposes, and reserving all the
other powers of government not defined or
thus delegated to the several States respec-
go that while the Federal Government was
made supreme within the sphere of Its dele
gated powers, the several States were left
supreme within the sphere of their reserved
powers.
At the close of the Revolutionary war
eaeh State was distinct, separate and inde-
pendent people, and so declared to be in
the treaty OF peace with England, which
named each and acknowl lodged its indie
pendence separately. And in the formation
OF the Constitution each State acted sepa-
rately for itself, and so voted In the conven-
ton. So that the Union formed as the
basis for the Federal Government was a
Union of free, sovereign and independent
States, for general purposes of common
defense and the general welfare In the
necessary and proper Interstate regula-
tions, leaving the States free and supreme as
to all their reserved rights. It Is clear,
therefore, that "the people Of the United
States" mentioned in the Constitution meant
the people Of the several States as distinct COM
munities UNITED, and nothing more. From
the manner in which the several States
acted in forming and in ratlfying the Con-
stitution, and the declarations of its franz
ers, it was not at the time supposed tnat
anyone would ever claim anything different.
Even Alex. Hamilton, relied upon as
authority by the Republican party, in the
New York convention at the. adoption Of
the Constitution, and in his articles in The
FederGliSt defending the Constitution, in
sisted that there was no incompatibility in
the concurrent supremacy or sovereignty Of
the States and the Federal Government;
that while the United States were made
supreme within the sphere of their dele
gated powers, the States were left supreme
within the sphere of their reserved powers
(See Elliot's Debates, V. 2, PIP. 355 and 356,
and The FsderGliSt, Nos. 9 and 85).
In the New York convention he said fur
ther:
"They (the states) are absolutely neces-
form a leading principle in the most perfect
Constitution we could FORM"
Again. he said:
"The Union is dependent on the will of
the State Governments for its Chief Magis-
trate and for the Senate. The blow aimed
at the members must give a fatal blow to
the head, and the destruction of the States
must be at once political suicide" etc.
(See Elliot Deb, V. Q, p. 352).
And Hamilton says In The FederdliSt
"In fact and in theory the Union is an
association of States, or a confederacg; the
States are the parties to the compact (See
John G. Hamilton's edition of The FsdeTdtist,
No. S5, p. 644).
II is clear and certain, therefore, that the
doctrine and course of the Republican party
tends directly to Capitalization; that is, the
consolidation of power in the hands of the
Federal Government, utterly destructive Of
the coordinate powers of the States, inevi-
tably producing a controlling centralized
despotism, and thus insidiously destroying
and revolutionizing that wisely devised
political system which Clay denominated
"the fairest fabric of human government
that ever rose to animate the hopes of civil
lied man."
This is a vital and fundamental issue.
Second. A strict construction of the Con-
stitution, the only means OF preventing the
the Federal Government from absorbing all
supremacy and destroying the coordinate
powers OF the States, designed to be salu-
tarY checks upon the abuse and accumula-
tion of power in the hands of the General
Government
Third. Opposition to the tyranny of party,
to the spoils system of Office, and to the
partisan system of Supervisors and Deputy
Marshals of elections, which tend directly
and inevitably to the destruction of popular
government.
Fourth. The strict maintenance of the
public faith, State and national, and econo-
my in the public expenditures.
Filth. sound currency and honest
money, consisting Of gold and silver, and q
gradual Introduction of gold and silver
Treasury certificates to take the place, in
the course of time, of all paper money based
on credit now in circulation.
Sixth. A tariff for revenue, adjusted in
It's details with a strict view to equality In
the public burdens, and affording all the
encouragement to the productive labor of
the country, without creating monopolies
or giving unjust advantage to any.
Seventh. An amendment to the Constitu-
tion taking the appointing power Except as
to the heads Of departmentel away from the
President, and giving it to a commission,
consisting of two commissioners appointed
by Congress Zone every two years), acting
with the heads of departments in which
appointments or removals are made.
Eighth. The administration of the gov
ernment with an especial view to equality
of political rights and equal and exact JUS
tice to all, so as to give complete protector 10
to every citizen in all his rights of personal
security, personal liberty and private prop
ertV.
Ninth. The correction and remedy of the
manifold errors, great wrongs and monetfous
outrages committed In the Dg-continued
Uisrule and mal-administration of the gov
ernment by the so-called Republican party.
These tseues, SO stated, present the great
subjects for the consideration of the Ameri-
can people and the field for the future mie-
sion of the Democratic party.
The foregoing statement Of the political
Issues before the country embodies sub
stsntisly the political doctrines inculcated
by Jefferson and the Revolutionary patriots,
who agreed WITH him as to the structure
and mode Of administering our government
They were in favor most certainly of a
democratic representative republic, and not
monsrchical republic, and foresaw the
danger of the accumulation of power In the
hands of the Federal Government, and of
It's running into an absolute and over
shadowing monarchy, aud (being an electi0
monarchy of its becoming one of the cur
ruptest Of all governments. Hence, they
insisted upon q strict construction and
strenuouslY opposed the idea Of construc-
tive grants Of power to the General Govern
ment. But the opposition to the Democracy
have always insisted upon a latitudinarian
construction and the doctrine of construc
tive powers, in order to strengthen and
enlarge the powers of the Federal Govern
ment, 80 as to subordinate and finally
absorb the powers of the States, This is q
leading point in which the Democratic
party has always differed with its antago-
mist party. The Democratic party has
always been in favor of well regulated
democratic republic, while the controlling
element of its opposition party has ever
been In favor OF monarchical republic, and
of insidiously enlarging the powers Of the
Federal Government, and making It as faI
as practicable an absolute monarchy. The
candid and most intelligent men of that
party (noW the so-called Republican party
frankly admit In conversation that they
| prefer a monarchy to a republican form d
| government. This is no matter of doubt Of
| speculation,
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Cotton Futures In New York.
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