The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-01-31
The Arrogance OF Party Power.

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The Arrogance OF Party Power.
Nothing could more clearly illustrate
the tendency of the doctrines taught by
the Republican party than the position
assumed by Acknowledgement Brewster
in the Lottery case in New Orleans. He
went there as the law officer of the
Government to represent the Post
maSter-General in question between
the Post-office Department and the New
Orleans National Bank. The question
was whether the injunction which had
been secured in the State Courts should
be dissolved, matter for the United
States Judge to decide after hearing
the arguments of counsel. There was
nothing in the case to provoke any ex-
citement or to cause counsel to forget
themselves, vet if we may believe the
New Orleans papers the Attorney-Gen-
eral either forgot for the moment the
character of his surroundings, or de-
monstrated clearly the absolute con-
tempt which the leaders of the Repub-
lican party have for forms of law and
those who are appointed to administer
it. Instead of celebrating the case OF
the Government against the National
Bank. and contenting himself with pre-
senting the law and the facts upon
which the PostmasterGeneral had
acted, for the consideration of Judge
Pardee, we are told that he, the At
torney-General, attempted to bully and
browbeat the Judge, declaring that he
appeared as an adviser of the Court,
and that the Government, of which
Judge Pardee was a part, demanded
that the authority of an executive officer
of the United States should be main
tanned against the frivolous attempts OF
local or State Courts to restrict or op-
pose such authority. 1t seems that he
further stated that no Judge would dare
to enforce this frivolous injunction, and
that the Judge before whom he appeared
dared not enforce so frivolous an inter-
ference with the lawful functions of an
executive officer of the United States.
The people of the United States have
seen much and heard much of the de-
fance of law and public opinion since
the advent of the Republican party, but
nothing has yet appeared which can
equal this for arrogance and presump-
| ton. Here is an officer of the executive
branch of the Government deliberately
telling Judge in his own court that he
dare not oppose the authority OF an
executive officer; that he is bound to
obey and be governed by the acts OF
those in power in Washington, and that
he is powerless to judge for himself
questions of law coming before him, upon
which action had previously been taken
by an executive officer of the Govern
ment! No more monstrous position was
ever assumed by any previous law officer
of the Government, and it almost stag
gers ones belief to give this report due
| credence. 1t does not seem possible
that any man, however great his posi-
ton in the Republican party, could
stand up in this free country and dictate
| to a Federal Judge what he might and
might not do. Such conduct might
pass in q country where the power OF
the Government was supreme, and the
people were vOiceless, but in this coun-
try, where the people are sovereign and
their will is law, it is hard to compre-
bend how such a thing could be possible.
But disregard of law and legal au-
thority is no new thing{n the history of
the Republican party. Its whole ca
reer is fnll of defiance of law and abb
solute contempt for public opinion.
The ''insolence of office" has had fire.
quent illustration in the reign of this
party, and it needed not this latest il
lustration to show the people how safe
constitutional power is when lodged in
such hands. For Mr.. Brewster to as
sumo that Circuit Judge could not,
and that the Supreme Court dare not
dissent from his opinion, and to assume
further that no Judge had the right to
review the acts or question the dictum
of Cabinet officer, is an assumption
of party power which can not fail to
awaken profound solicitude in every
patriotic breast. Step by step the right
of the citizen to have his liberty and
property protected under constitutional
guarantees has been abridged and de-
MED, and now in a case involving the
right of chartered banking concern to
conduct its business under lawful au-
thority, the judiciary to which the
company applied for relief from the OPP
pressions of Governmental power is
sought to be muzzled, and its authority
to afford Just protection fatty denied.
If the doctrine of Federalism,
which the Republican leaders de-
light to preach, robs the citizen OF
his rights under the laws, and aims
to regard him as a subject in
stead of freeman, it ought
not require much argument to
| incline him to seek a wiser method
of government. The citizen, however, Is
not, and has never been, considered an
independent force in our politics since
the advent of the Republican party.
The supremacy of the Government and
the debasement of the individual is the
meaning of Federalism, and in the time
the Republican party has held power il
has sufficiently illustrated this. Unbri-
died license and the tyranny of party has
attended its course all along its history,
and the recent illustration fitly closes a
career of most fragrant violation of pub
| lie trust and confidence. Heretofore
the Courts were the only Ravens of ref
uge to which the citizen might fly when
harrassed by the expressions of power;
but if the bulwark of the Judiciary is to
be broken down for the benefit OF Re
publican supremacy it is high time that
the people of tie country looked well to
their liberties. Steps ike this are but a
few removes from despotism; and if the
citizen wishes to secure himself in the
peaceable possession of what privileges
are still left him he should quickly seek
the restoration of party which recog-
nizes law and protects all, from the
highest to the lowesk-Ezehange.