The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-10-24
TIE PLEDGE-DoUSD.


THE PLEDGE-DOUND.
But. said he, see how the principle OF
representation OF the people Is assailed by
the pledge exacted OF the candidates OF the
Coalition-to obey the caucus And who
Is the caucusl IL obeys Malone. SO that
man elected by the people aod who
should speak their voice end represent
their will is bound by pledge to obey the
will OF this one man. The people thus
have no representative. They elect one,
who wears the collar of the Boss.
Said Mr.. Tucker to Colonel Evans, who
was seated near 10 him on the stage: Tom
Evans, my school-boy friend. my lifelong
friend, when you go to the Legislature are
YOU going to obey the people or are you
going th obey somebody elsef
Colonel Evans: The people. Applause
Now, said Mr.. Tucker, how is it with
those running against Colonel Evans and
his associatesY They are pledge-bound
They must obey the caucus. The eau
Gus, / hear, selects committee OF
nine, and on top the nine sits Ma
hone. The nine crawl up to Malone
and say, Marster, what is your order 2"
He gives them it, and they go and tell the
caucus, and they all say, "Glory to Ma
hone. Amen"
And here Dir. Tucker declared that there
never had been Democratic caucus oil this
character. Whenever he (Mr. Tucker
went ino caucus he always kept his
conscience free to obey the will OF the
people.
THE HOPE OF LlBEITY.
Bat there is another aspect OF this ques-
ton. said Mr.. Tucker: Centralism OF pow.
er is despotsm; division Of power is the
hope OF liberty. He then showed how we
divided power under our stem-first,
between Federal and: State governments,
and each government into three depart
ments, separate and Independent. Under
the State government we have local gov
ernments for local affairs in city charters,
county government. &c.
In all history, this local administration
for local interests has been fought for by
the people as the essential security to their
liberties.
Each locality has its peculiar rights,
which the people OF that locality should
have exclusive power to control. II they
DO not, then to the extent that others in-
trude in that control, the people do not
govern themselves, but are governed by
strangers.
Centraism OF power, therefore. results
In this control OF local interests by those
out OF sympathy with them. In any coun-
try centralism ends in sectional or class
despOtism.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
As friend Of liberty Mr.. Tucker main
tanned the reserved right OF each state to
manage its own peculiar interests. This,
he declared. is but the phase which this
struggle by liberty against power in all his
tory assumes in our country, because Pro-
videncc founded the States and they formed
the Union. Local government for local al
fairs is a universal demand Of liberty for its
safety. State government for State affairs
is essential 10 the liberty OF the people OF
America, because without it the people OF
the State would lose power to control their
own rights, and would give it up to
strangers to them and their rights.
The Central Government should have
nothing TO do with the election Of Nr-
ginia Legislature. What has Arthur to
do with il? He is not a citizen OF Nir-
cinia, nor bound by her laws. and why
should his voice be heard directly or indi-
rectly in selecting her Legislature:
AIr. Tucker then cited in illustration the
purpose OF Malone TO fasten upon the peo-
ple OF Richmond, without their consent
and against theirwill. a new charter, which
Is the constitution OF the government OF
the city, by the dictaton of 4 caucus aliened
by residence and sympathy to the people OF
the city. This he called ga damnable ty-
rmny."
THE PRESIDENTS OFFENCES.
n l,os no an
thority to crOntrol the Virginia Legisla-
ture in its Iaw-making. Why, then, does
the President pelmit-nay, incite-his Of
ficials to use their official influence to Sc
lect the legislators for Virginia. II Is an
usurpation Of power and dangerous viola
ton OF duty, and must in the end, il per-
mtted, destroy the balances between dele
gated and reserved power, and consolidate
all essential power and influence III the
Federal Government. [Apphuse.l
This would he deSpOtlsm; and all human
| despotism, controlled and guided by human
sclfshness and greed, is the synonym OF ty-
ranny.
SHALL WE FOLLOW MALONE:
Mr.. Tucker then turned TO the question
| Shall Virginia follow Malone into the Re-
publican party, or rally under the De-
mOcracy now and in 1881!
He pointed out the unconstitutional acts
Of the Republican party in the pa.t-act,
sanctioned and unrepented OF TO this day,
and utterly fatal TO constitutional govern
ment and to the liberty OF the people.
Look, said he, ut the reconstruction
acts-suspensiOn OF haJeGS corpus, mill
| tary deSpotism, and substitution of count
martials for jury trial, the presence 0i
/ troops at the polls. the military guards in
/ the halls OF State legislation, partial and
packed iuries. While Republicans passed
/ ih.se, who defended the south! Thur
man, Bayard [spplausel, and host oI
other northern Democrats [great cheer
/ ingl. and can any son OF Virginia abandon
his friends to Join his enemies
WHO ARE Our FRIENDS?
Mr.. Tucker then showed how as to taxa
ton OF our products-1S TO internal reye
nue. and toriif--Uhc policy Of the Republic
can party was against us and the Demo
cracv for us. He adyerted to the river ant
barbor bill, voted for by Barbour. Wise
Garrison. Cabel, and himself, who
are called BourDons, but for which
General Malone did not vote. His friends
saw he was not present. Where wa:
he? Why not at his post OF duty! ZAP
plause.l But on the day the vote wa.
taken on the veto OF that bill General Ma
hone was IN the Senate and voted. Why
absent when bill 80 important to Vir'
ginia was in jeopardy?
TOBACCO TAX.
who, said Mr.. Tucker, reduced the tax
On tobacco from sixteen cents to eigh
centsg The large mass OF Democrat
voted for it and the large mass OF the Re
pubicans voted against it, and when thu
proposition was made in the last House t
repeal the tax on tobacco every Democra