Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-10-25

at the JOlllncatlon meeting Monday
night, but the weather being SO chilly
his health forbade him speaking in the
night air. The following we take from
remarks prepared by the Judge:
Much of the fame, the Immortality,
of the man who, "stoOped to touch the
loftiest thought" is due the horrid, sad,
yet beautiful picture of the Prisoner of
ChillOn. In the prime of life and mids4~
of usefulness incarcerated in "Chillonis'
dungeon damp" where fetteH, chains
and prison bars Knocked at his wasting
strength; sight useful alone i'm tracing
the lost and faint CLEANS of light steal
ing through the visible darkness; the
deathly stiffness broken only by the oc-
casional carol of Il bird; hope sustained
but by the recOllections of the past,
- the. busy world ran riot without
and tyranny made toy with the liberty
of man!
So the Democratic party. For twenty
years and more it has been firmly held
in the grasp of usurpation, while cor
ruption, monopoly and oppression held
high carnival, the people groaned, and
confidence in mans capacity to govern
himself grew weak.
Well may wenow rejoice! The shack
les are shattered, the prison bars are
broken and the ransomed prisoner walks
forth, again holding aloft the standard
of human rights and human hopes!
What have we gained? We have per-
petuated what Washington termed
popular government" and proven to
the world mans ability of self CONTROL.
Way back in the dim vista of years,
when Greece was young, such a govern
ment was dreamed by Aristotle and
Plato; during the Commonwealth it was
written of by Sydney, Locke and Milton;
but by the usurpation of Cromwell the
hopes of man Went down with the Res
toration of the Stuarts. 1t was then
that the free in thought sought to cs-
tablish in the wilds of America gov
ernment dedicated to the free. Usur-
patton with its persecution followed; the
Declaration was proclaimed to the
world and in it Thomas jefferson form
ulated popular government by de-
clairing that Governments derive
their just powers from the consent ofthe
governed
When peace and success smiled upon
the herOism of the Colonial patriots.
the contest between Monarchy and Re
publicanism did not cease. Hamilton
was the head of a powerful party repre-
senting Il strong centralized govern
ment. But Jefferson, the champion of
the people, was triumphant and the
constitution was made to declare that
no priviledged classes should be estab-
lished and no title of nobility granted.
Federism went down with the Hartford
Convention and "a government of the
people,by the people and for the peopler
became firmly established in Anlerica.
The war, with its disturbing elements.
detracted the watchfulness of the people
and designing men improved the oppOr-
tunity to obtain place, centralize power,
corrupt the public service, distress the
people and enrich themselves One
man power became fearful-Goulds and
Vanderbuilts exercised more power than
a European potentate; Monopolist indi-
Gated officers, dictated legislation and
the rights of the people were trampled
upon with impunity, proving that, as in
the Deserted Village,
| ''I fares the land, to Fastening Ills prey
| Where wealth accImulatcs and men decay"
Continual success made bold the con-
spirators. Corruption stalked through
the land and bankruptcy and misery
walked behind. The path of ruin be-
came a broad highway. The people
were shocked at their own inertness and
by terrible experience have again learn
ed that eternal vigilance is the price of
liberty!'
Well may the friends of popular gov
ernment rejoice over the work of the
second Tuesday of October. 1t is the
sure forerunner of Presidential success
in 1884, when second larceny of the
Executive need not be feared and the
rights and liberties of the people will
again be placed on firm foundation.