The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-04-29

LetttI IIOuA OuUSG DA0CAs
On the anniversary of Jackson's birth
the Iroquois Club, of Chicago, gave q
banquet at which many distinguished
Democrats were present. Judge Jere
S. Black was invited, but was compelled
to decline. He sent, however, the fol-
lowing letter:
YORK, Pa, March L.
GENTLEMEN: have received your invita-
ton. 1t is simply impossible for me to be
with you on the anniversary of Jackson's
birthday. How much l regret this you can
never know, but am unable to tell you how
passionate is my admiration for that heroic
patriot, or how necessary think it is for the
good of the country to keep his memory green
In our souls; If present l might take occa-
author of the practice which now corrupts the
civil service by making office its reward OF
partisan crimes. That was an invention of
the Federal party, and used by 1t SO uniformly
that when Jefferson was inaugurated, he had
not q single personal political friend in any
kind of public employment. He removed the
unfit and the unfaithful, and gave the honest
majority of the people some but not by any
means a full representation inthe Executive De-
partment. But he did this slowly, cautiously,
and in such manner as to injure the best men
least The second Adams commenced his Adj
ministration by bestowing the highest office in
his gift upon the man who betrayed his con-
stituents to elect him, and on this course he
son came in he found himself precisely where
Jefferson had been thirty years before-a
Democratic President without a Democrat in
Office to support him. OF course, he followed
the example of his great predecessor-removed
the most noxi0us of those Federal vermin,
and let the Others stand as monuments of the
safety with which error of opinion may be
tolerated when reason is left free to combat It,
But in all this he acted with an eye single to
the public good. without personal interest or
hope of other reward than good conscience.
How far his maRn3ntmOuS nature Dlaced him
above the mean vindictiveness of later times Is
proved by a fact known to General Cass, who
witnessed 1t himself, and Mr.. Buchanan, who
heard it from some of the parties Immediately
after IL occurred. They both told me, and on
their authority tell it TO you A large depu-
tation OF political leaders came down from the
General Van Rensselaer,, Postmaster mt Alba
ny, for the good Of the party and on the ground
that ne was in the daily habit of grossly yitu-
son answered mo, by the Eternall Van Rens-
selaer was foremost on the Canada line to
meet the British invasion; he risked his life,
sacrificed his property to save his country.
The man who did that has right to abuse me
as much as he pleases. will not remove him."
In these degenerate days the best citizens are
knee and approtatton' are given to the worst.
Men-if 1t be lawful to call them men-moral
monsters who simply disgrace the administra-
ton of public justice by being out of the peni-
tentary-are put in high place and largely
paid for forgery, perjury and false pretenses
that cheated Nation and kept fraudulent
party IN power our p present rulers are ultra
tice be any proof of their faith. A sue
cessful election, whether carried by force
or fraud, is I'm their view conquest which
liation. But that does not fill the meas
ure of their rapacity; if the command
er fall after the victory, his successor sacks
which Jackson understood better than any
public man we ever had except Jefferson, and
sustained 1t with inf1exible firmness-the right
of local self-government--the privilege which
every organized community ought to have of
doing as it pleases in regard to those matters
which concern nobody else. This lie indeed the
very essence of civil liberty.
Men in n state Of society must be restrained
from doing injury to one another; but in pro-
portion as you limit their power in things
which anect themselves alone you make them
trolled by agents and deputies sent upon
them from abroad must infallibly suffer the
worst evils that the meanest and greediest ty-
rants can infiict. The history OF the world
teens with the proofs of this unvarying truth,
but you need only look at Ireland or turn your
eyes upon the rule of carpet-bag thieves in the
The enemies of jackson are filled with ran
cor against his name because he defended the
rights of the State while he preserved the
powers of the General Government In their
whole constitutional vigor. One of them twice
elected President, and then struggling for
third term, declared in public amid shouts of
upprODdtiOu tudI inc party which JACKSON lo1
in his life must not be permitted to come
into power until it gave up its doctrine
of State-rights. The Federal Constitution IL
self declares that all powers not granted to the
United States are reserved to the States and
the people. If the States have no rights. nei-
Their have the people, since both are reserved
in the same article, the same sentence, and the
same words. The denial of State-rights neces-
earily strips every individual of his liberty.
Thus we have q central Government of I'M
limited power, animated as such Govern
tite for plumber.
1t is vain to deny that of late years the bound
aries of Federal Jurisdiction have been to a
ers rightfully included within them unduly en-
larged and grossly abused. Congress, instead
of combining itself to general legislation Affect
ing all sections and all classes alike, under
takes to regulate the private interests of the
country, and they call It regulation to stuff the
rich with bounties while land and labor
are starved with taxes. So numerous
Equalization Of schemes which cam
not be carried out without robbing the public
that Congress is not expected to understand
In truth, if this imperial power shall under.
take to provide for the diversified interests of
the country by special legislation, it must not
only do infinite wrong but 1t will break down
with the weight and become bewildered by the
multiplicity of its business.
If Idared to speak with the voice of author
ry OK even IN tone OF admq Rsn e tne lro
croachments with all your might; maintain
home-rule for your domestic concerns; set
your faces like flint against political corrup-
ton; tolerate no claim of any President to be
represented at your elections by the bayonets
of his stand ng army; enforce your right to a
free ballot and q fair count; and give the love
Of your whole hearts to the memory Of An
drew jackson, who, If he were here now,
would lay down his life rather than see you
fail in cause like this. With sincerest re-
spect, am yours, ETC.. j. s. BLACK.