Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-05-31
MR.. sHEWALTER ANNOUNCES HIM
SELF AS A CANDIDATE FOR
CONGRESS-.

NH. SHEWALGER ANNOUNCES him
SELF AS A CANDIDATE FOR
CONGRESS.
To the Democrats of the Fifth Congresslonal
DIstrict:-Hnving determined to make the race
for the democratic nomination for congress at
tile hands of the convention to assemble under
the call of the congressional convention, pnrsu-
ant to custom l thus announce myself.
Ii true that when in the lives of nations one
people assume an independent station. "a de-
cent respect to the opinions OF mankind requires
that they should declare the causes which
imrel them, - it is true. IN a still higher sense
that when one offers as an aspirant for a high
legislative Office, lie shonld frankly Stale 10
1hoEe whose representative he seeks to become
hts views on the great public questions SO deep
ly affecting the interests of the people. and on
which. II elected he will be called to act; and
not simply making the issue as to where he lives
the only qualification OF fitness. "Principles.
not men," is the time-honored creed of the
democratic party; and 1t is to he regretted that
this early we hear the so-called claims OF this or
that section, or the D~ersona1 claims OF this or
that aspIrant. us il II public Office was 8 rich
bonanza. TO be awarded by sectional lines. The
first view regards u public office as a lottery
prize to he given as q personal compliment to
the individual or section, regardless OF the pub
lie interest. The latter theory. which alone
prevailed in the better days of tue republic, looks
alone to the public good and subordinates there
to the individual.
Or course within the limits of q mere an
nouncement no discussion OF public questions
could be looked for. and yet a brief summary OF
some of the same. preceding the public discus
sion about 10 be opened. may not be inappro-
PIRATE.
And fret the great question of the relation of
the states and federal Observation-Disclosures the
contribution is 10 be strictly construed and the
powers not delegated by it to the general gov
ernment, or prohibited to the states are to be
reserved to the states or people; whether as
Chief Justice Waite recently declares: 1.-THE
| government thus established and defined is to
some extent a government of the states in their
political capacity. > . Within the scope OF
its powers as enumerated and defined it rs SUI
preme and above the states. beyond It has NO
existence. 1t was created for special purposes,
the powers which one possesses the other does
not;'' or, as he declares in a more recent case
still, that every law Of congress must find it's
warrant written in the constitutions; or whether
we are to have a great centralized government.
with power in congress under the general well
fare clause possessed with every power it's greed
or caprcious Will may determine, and like the
monarchles of the Old world, invested with au-
IhOrity to determine what is for the good or
| general welfare of the people, regardless of con-
stitutional authority?
Mr.. Madison, the father OF the constitution i,
once said that every right and Jurisdiction not
delegated to the general government renamed
with the state. or Its people, and that on every
proposed law Two questions arise. first had con-
g1ess the express authority on the subject, if net
was 1t necessary to carry ont some power ex-
pressly Delegated; If not, the power was not
with the general government, but remained
with the state or people. From a departure from
this Just rule arises many Of the modern political
ills.
Second, whether the producers and laborers of
the country, and especially Of the great west
and south, upon whom rests almost the whole
social and political fabric, are to be taxed
to protect, foster and build up the business of
the eastern manufactures who in turn sell their
prs.ected articles back to us with the protected
duty added, though the government has rcceiv-
ed no part of the duty, while by thier protective
policy they destroy the market for your surplus
produce, thus forcing you to sell to them on Q re.
duced market. or whether we shall have nee
ships, free commercial intercourse with the
world, or a free market to sell the highest what
we do not need at home. and buy the lowest.
subject only to an import duty sufficient to raise
revenue to psy the legitimate expenses Of the
government, economically administered and
confined to those objects committed to the gen.
eral government by the constitution ?
A protective tariff is equally destructive 10
the revenue as 1t Is to the commercial prosperi-
ty Of the country.
Third, what disposition ia to be made of the
surplus revenue, whether it Ia to be squandered
in appropriations for snail and unknown creeks
and rivers ostensibIy, but IN truth as an cleo
tIoneering and corruption fund. by which the
very money wrung from the people by taxation
ia used i'll turn to corrupt The elections and keep |
those already in power there still longer, or |
whether it is to he applied to the extingulshment
of the interest bearing debt and thus Tighten the
annual burdens oftaxation and finally tnus e1-
tinguish our bonded debt altogether?
The highest statesmanship dictates that the |
ofthe government should be reduced
to the lowest point. to this end useless appro-
p%riatlons avoided, and every dollar Of surplus |
devoted to paying the bonded and in
tcrest bearing debt, either as 1t falls due or can
be purchased and cancelled by the government. |
Fourth. what is to lie done with the national
banks as their charters expireP Whether as an
old but vigorous man OF the mountain they are |
to fasIen themselves on the backs OF the Amerl-
can people. anu us their continued existence |
necessarily supposes the existence of a bonded
national debt. we are to have the national banks
AZ a permanent nnuuclal system, or whether as |
their charters expire they are to be abolished |
and their Issue substituted by greenbacks rest
lng directly on the ialth OF the government and
bearing no interest.
These and other questions are OF vital import |
ance and must be di,cussed and no people should |
their choice until alter that discus |
sion. For the question is not whether a gentle
man from jackson, johnson, or from my own |
where from early infancy to manhood
lie has been passed, should have the nomi-
nationwide democratic party owes no section
or men an Office for real or imagined services
save and except Samuel }. Tildrn-but the
whole question Is one OF fitness. Who VIII best
uphold and advance the interests of our &C n
mon country, bring buck the government to the
and purity OF the fathers, secure the
OF liberty to yourselves and children ?
On such an one, if he can be found, let your
choice iall, no matter where the accidental cir.
of his residence may be-. The want
man alone but a man right on public questions,
he can be found. OF mere politicians there
are enough.
To the will of the msjorlty (which is the es-
sence OF democracy OF the democrats of the dis
trict ! submit my uamc assured that their Joint
Judgment is wiser than the wisdom of any one
man, and | am, as | ever shall be, their SER
want. j. d. SHEWALrER.
CITY ENGINEER.
EDITOR NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of
the most important offices in any
is that of Engineer. The duties of said
officer are plainly set out in the ordinances of
DIR city (see Revised Ordinances of the CITY
Of Lexington, page TG, and Charter, pages
4 anil I'M IL M oit;1ar, mill ,,,oc.l,. oo1 |