Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-09-12
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL TICKET.
A GREAT PERIL.

TO any thoughtful observer of our po-
litical history for the past nineteen years,
it is plainly evident that this great Repub-
lie has been slowly drifting toward dan
gerous shore. During all that period the
Republican party has been in undisputed
possession of the Executive branch of the
government, in absolute control of the
Federal Judiciary. and for the great por-
ton of these years it has had good work.
ing maiorities in both branches of Con-
gress. Every act of this sectional party
conclusively proves that it is a deadly foe
to local self government, without which
this nation is Republic only in name, and
liberty word without meaning. We
have no desire to revive the doctrine of
State Rights as preached before the war by
Southern politicians, and practiced by the
people of eleven States when they seeded
from the Union.
Secession is dead issue with the peo-
pie of the South; the generation which
believed in it. and sacrificed everything
for their faith, has, in a great measure,
passed away, and their place is filed to-
day with young men to whom the war is
only memory or a matter of history.
This being the case there is no danger
that any advocacy Of questions growing
out of constitutional construction can
stir up strife between different sections of
the Union, much less embroil the nation
in another civil war. Believing this, we
feel that it is patriotic duty to call at
tention to the insidious policy of the Re-
publican party with respect to certain
matters which are of purely State con-
Germ. The greatest peril that threatens
the American people is the policy of GEN.
trai1zation of power in the hands of the
Federal government. Whenever right,
which clearly belonged to the States alone.
has come in conflict with the wishes of
the Republican party, it has not hesitated
to usurp powers that the trainers of the
Constitution never dreamed of confer
ring upon the central government. The
most dangerous form of Federal interfer-
enc in State affairs has been seen in
Southern elections.
During the carnival of force and fraud
which obtained in Grants two admins
trations, at every recurring election held
in almost every Southern State, the tramp
of Federal soldiery was heard, and the
free citizens Of Republic free in theory
were compelled to pass between lines OF
glittering bayonets in order to deposit
their ballots.
Was there ever more shamful uSurpa-
ton of power than this Even in En-
gland, whose government is limited
monarchy, no troops are allowed within
two miles of the polls on election days !;
and yet the Republican party, which has
been so long in possession of ''the best
government the world ever saw, has re-
lied in the past on armed men to perpetu-
ate it's power, and the same purpose to-
day animates its leaders. 1t has also at
tempted to CORFU pit the ballot by station
ing swarms of election supervisors around
the polls, ostensibly to see that the voting
was fairly conducted, but in reality to in
timidate and coerce the weak and timid.
And when a Democratic House and
tolerable election laws, and to place
such restrictions upon the military power
of the government that it could not be
used to influence elections, His Fraudu-
iency, President Hayes, true to his party s
instincts and his own, vetoed bill after
bill which was passed to remedy the evils.
It is theory of English law that ''the
King can do no wrong", meaning that his
power is so hedged around by limitations
and restrictions that he is powerless to do
wrong if he would.
Likewise :G has beco me part of the Re
publican party's creed that nothing is
wrong which will enable it to retain con-
troll of the government This was plainly
proven by the great fraud Of 1875.
During the sitting of the Electoral Com
mission, when the whole American peo-
pie waited with anxious hearts for the de-
cIsion that would give them ruler,
whether the right or the wrong one, Pres
ident Grant filled the barracks at Wash
ington witch companies of armed soldiers,
and ships of war floated on the Potomac
And in our opinion if that commission
had declared Mr.. Tilden elected he would
not have been inaugurated without a
bloody civil war. An absolute centraliZa-
ton of power in the government at Wash
ington, and the desperate purpose of the
Republican party to Stay in power at any
cost, are the great perils now threatening
the country. These dangers can only be
averted by the election of Cleveland and
Hendricks by such majority that no
room will be left for dispute or contest.
And we believe that such will be the re-
suit.
A deep murmur of discomfort against
Republican arrogance and corruption is
rising from the heart of every man who
truly loves his country.
The rescue of the government from the
dangers threatened by continued Repub-
lican supremacy has become the para
mount issue of the campaign, and to the
sober judgment Of an intelligent people
the Democratic party submits its claims to
restoration of power with the calm
Confluence Gnat oHly Springs lIom d Gull
seriousness of right.
A DIVIDED HOUSE.
There is music in the air. down in
Petersburg and the Black Belt. Gov.
Cameron, it seems, is tired of Boss Ma
homes dominion, and is making yigor-
Gus fight against the little autocrat of