The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-27

1880 'Ho AoNit ttub dtueUuFUent, 10 uesly N
states that do not protect their citizens in the
elective franchise, representation based upon the
number SO DISTINGUISHED.
In another respect the lines between the
Democratic and the Republican parties are
marked and distinct. They still look upon this
government as n confederate government, with
powers so limited that it cannot enforce its laws
or the DEGREES of its courts except by. local
agencies. They have learned nothing oy the
war. and forgotten nothing.
All their theories, inherited from the school of
slavery. tend to cripple and belittle the national
government, while, on the other hand, the Re
publican party regards the national government
as complete and supreme, to the extent of the
powers granted, with full authority to enforce
its laws and to compel the people of each State
to obey them. We believe that we have power,
under the Constitution. to protect every citizen
in the full enjoyment of every right conferred by
the Constitution, and that no State authority,
legislative or judicial, can III any way interfere
with the enforcement of these rights. This
power ought to be exercised to secure free and
fair elections for electors of Presidents, and for
members of Congress and senator's of the United
States. If the Republican party is true to its
principle it will enforce this doctrine.
PROTECTION vs.. FREE TRADE.
We also believe that it is the right and duty
of the government. by its commercial laws and
regulations, to foster and protect American in
dustry, to diversity the employments of its
NOf"N Dt%t - 49, ~ "N AS
ships and shipping, and, generally, by its COM
mercial and tax laws, to develop new forms of
industry and give new employments to labor.
This line of demarcation between the two parties
is constantly shown in the action of their mem
bers in Congress. This Republican policy has
led to the great development of our
mining manufactures and agriculture:
overthrow by the ascendency of free trade ideas
in the Democratic party, which now threaten the
disturbance Of our industries. You may rely
upon it that the Republican party is the progress
i've. Affirmative party of the country, proposing
and accomplishing measures, while the Demo-
cratic party is the negative, resisting party in
the country, generally in the opposition and pro-
posing nothing.
Among the results of Republican policy 7 can
point you to the preservation of the Union,
the abolition Of slavery, the constitutional
amendments, the homestead law. "a sound ma
tlonal currency, the maintenance of the public
credit, the refunding of the public debt at the
lowest rates of interest, the security OF the
rights of naturaliZed citizens, a wise and fruitful
system Of taxes, the protection of American in
dustry by our tariff laws, the resumption Of
specie payments, and, indeed, every wise law Of
Congress for a period OF more than twenty years.
Let us contrast these great measures with
what has been done by the Democratic party;
and that, after all, is the best test Of
parties as of men. 1t steadily resisted, with
violence and rancor, all the measures l
1os Nl1tiONSi tIOS 1o" fIolCC W y L
esce In them. The last House of Representa-
tives was strongly Democratic. What useful
measure did it propose or adopt? None what
ever. Hopelessly divided, they kept the business
Of the country in constant unrest by a contest as
to the tariff. between free trade, by Morrison,
aud quasi protection by Randall. But it may be
said that the Senate was Republican and would
not agree TO their acts. You may be thankful
for that, and that is your safeguard for the
future.
CLEvELAND'S ACTS.
Let us take Cleveiands administration, and
test it by its acts, thus far, as they affect great
public interests. The greatest danger to the
country now is found in fraud az elections.
AS I have said, the Democratic party now
holds the solid South by the meanest frauds; but
Mr.. Cleveland may say that is for Congress and
for the law to deal with. But he had before
him, recently. an application for the pardon of
Lieutenant Mullen, Of Cincinnati, a police officer
convicted Of the greatest oppression and wrong.
Here was an opportunity for him to emphasize
his view OF violence at elections. Mullen ar
rested more than one hundred colored men, the
night before the last October election, and held
them in the Harmon street prison until after
e o'clock on election day, so that they could not
vote. and. without an opportunity to appeal for
the benefit of the writ Of habeas corpus and by
gross wrong, he deprived them of their fran
chise. He was arrested. indicted, tried and
pleaded guilty in the United States Court of the
offense CHARGED. Judge Baxter. OF the Circuit
Court of the United States, in his sentence. says:
The testimony demonstrated that you knew some of
them to have been citizens of CINCINNATI for several
years preceding their arrest; and yet proceeded with
out inquiry, complaint or proof, TO arrest and hold
them in durance vile, as alleged in the indictment,
under pretense of official duty, but in fact
to prevent them from exercising their con-
s%titutional right to vote for a representative
III Congress. The evidence of your guilt was
so convincing that your jealous and able counsel vol
UNFAIRLY yielded to its irresistible force, and with your
acquiescenc manifested in open court, consented to
the finding made by the jury. This finding thus sus-
tanned is a virtual confession by you that the arrest
and Imprisonment of the persons named were for the
wrongful purpose alleged in the Indictment.
Here was the case of an offense so gross and
scandalous that no circumstance could be added
to make it more criminal. Mullen was sentenced
to serve one year in the county jail, and yet,
long before his term expired he was ~pardoned by
the President of the United States.
it does not help the matter to say that this
pardon Was based on the petition of Governor
Hoadley, of Ohio, and other Democratic
partisans, for such a petition, under
the circumstances only condemns those
at this can be condoned in this way, there is no
protection against violence or fraud at an cleo
ton, and the Mississippi murders. the Danville
riots and the manipulating of ballot boxes can
hardly be classed as crimes. Here was an officer
of the law, charged with the duty of protecting
citizens in their rights, arresting by wholesale
more than one hundred citizens, combining them
where they could not be reached until after the
election vas over, and then discharged them
without accusation or trial. This pardon we may
fairly regard as evidence of the view taken by
the President of the United States of frauds
against the elective franchise. If such wrongs
can be thus condoned, and there is no protection
to the citizen against similar occurrences, the
time will soon come when elections will cease,
by the general confession Of the people that free
government by elections has failed, and the
man OH horseback" will be called upon to re
peat again his role of history. With my kindly
feeling toward President Cleveland | believe that
in this act he has done more to lower his admin
istration in the opinion of conservative men than
by any other, or all other acts of his life.
DISREGARD OF AMERICAN INTERESTS.
Take another act Of this administration. Both
parties are pledged TO adopt all suitable meas