The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-06-12
mo

|
: that we are the people who govern
If the laws are not just and humane
the fault is ours. If the poor are op
pressed anywhere under the flag, we
e the people, are the oppressors. L
/ corporate power becomes arrogant anC
$ tramples upon the legal or natura
| rights of the individual, we the peo.
D pie, are to blame. If justice is not
' administered by the courts-if the
guilty 60 unpunished and the limo
cent suffer-it is because we. the peo.
pie, the majority, have failed to dc
our whole duty. If men anywhere
are not permitted to exercise theil
Constitutional rights and privileges
in peace and safety, we are directly
! responsible for the injustice done to
, them, for we have undertaken to
govern this country, and should do ii
, well.
We are the masters, the sources Of
all political power. Presidents, sena-
tors, representatives, and governors
are simply our servants, the creatures
of our will, bound to execute our de-
crees. If we are dishonest, the officers
we choose to serve us are sure to be
so. If we elect them by trickery and
fraud, they will be corrupt and unjust
in the discharge Of their official trusts
They will be precisely what we make
them. In so far as it is possible to do
so, they will ascertain the popular
will and execute it. They very rarely,
If ever, become meaner and more dis
honest than the great body of their
constituents. If a depraved public
sentiment demands corrupt man to
carry out corrupt schemes, or shelter
rottenness, it will find him standing
ready and eager to undertake the
work. On the other hand, if purer
and higher pubic sentiment desires
an honest, just, and educated servant
to do honorable service, it will find
him. In this country we always get
what we bid highest for.
When you say that your officers are
not as good as they ought to be, and
that they fail to enforce the laws and
restrain the vicious, you simply con-
denim yourselves; condemn the ma
jority Of the people around you, and
thus in effect admitsthat free govern
ment is to some extent a failure, and
at the same time suggest that there
should be steps taken to enlighten the
minds and elevate the morals of the
people. You cannot expect the ser
want to be much better than his mas
ter, and you will never obtain good
masters and discharge your public
duties intelligently and honestly.
| simply repeat myself when | say
that we, the people, decide on this
law and that, by means of the ballot.
No man can exercise authority over
us except by our consent. No man
can make a law for us unless we au-
thorize him to do it, Men are de-
pendent for their official existence
upon our favor We can make and
unmake them in day. What they
do, therefore, they do because we con-
sent to its being done, and for it we
are responsible.
The people Of no other country on
the face of the earth have so much
power, so many incentives to do we'll,
and such high rewards for well doing,
as the people of this country. The
man who does not appreciate at its
full the honor of being citizen of
the United States, ruler, and the
equal of all other men under the law,
is unworthy Of the place he holds
among free men. The man who is
unwilling to concede to others the
privileges which he claims for himself
is unworthy of the sacrifices made for
him by those whose heroism we COM
memorate to-day. They laid down
their liYes for the common veal. Is
it too much to ask of the citizen that
he lay down his prejudices and spites
and brutal inclinations for the same
good end? They were terribly in
earnest in the discharge of ours. The
blessings, within our reach, were won
at the cost Of brave mems lives. Shall
we put these benefits in jeopardy by
throwing a careless ballot, by refusing
serious attention to public affairs, by
giving free rein to our prejudices, by
remembering our own grievances on
election day, and allowing ourselves
to be diverted from the path of duty
by personal quarrels and private
piques? | trust we shall not Let
us go to this work with high deter
mination to discharge intelligently
and fairly the duties and responsible
ties of our position as the rulers Of
great Nation.
1t is said that men sometimes exer-
else the highest privilege of a citizen
while in state of beastly intoxica-
ton. If this be so, they have trihed
with the great interests for which
these soldiers died. 1t is said that
men are sometimes influenced by a
glass of beer or whisky to vote his
way or that. If so, they have been
unfaithful to the great trust inherited
from the fathers. 1t is said that nan
have been known to sell their political
influence for money. LIE so they have
put price on the honor of the living
and the sacrifices of the dead. 1t is
said that men sometimes abandon
their convictions for the sake Of office.
If so we may be quite sure that in the
presence of temptation they will be
false to their public trusts.
1t has been said that to succeed in
politics a man must be hale fellow
we'll met, who agrees with every body
and promises everything. If this be
so, it simply proves that the average
voter likes to be humbugged, and
needs to be educated.
When an arm was raised TO scourge
Saint Paul, he looked his prosecutor
calmly in the face and asked: rs it
lawful for you to scourge man that
is Roman and uncondemned?" The
hand of the oppressor fell before these
words, and Paul obtained respectful
treatment. 1t was much, therefore,
to be Roman. It should he more to
be an American. "1nasmuch as ye
have done it unto one of the least of
| thoSo - Christ Said I've have done II