Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-10-20

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alien laws empowering the president Of
the United States 10 expel from the coun-
try such aliens as ne. should deem dan
gerous TO the public peace, and the sedl-
ton laws Furnishing as sedition, with fines
and Imprisonment, the printing or utter
ing OF malicious charges against the pres
ident or congress. IL was upon the pas
sage OF these laws, which were legitimate
under the construction OF the constitution
claimed by the old Federal party, that Mr..
Jefferson, who saw in them the utter de-
struction Of free government, OF free
thought and of free speech, sounded the
alarm,
RAISED THB BANNER or DEMOCRACY,
ard called upon the people to rally under
II. They did rally under IL, and
in the ensuing presidential contest,
In which Jefferson was the candidate
Of the Democratic, or as IL was then
called, the Republican party, and John
Adams Of the Federal party. Jefferson
was overwhelmingly elected, and on
March 4, 1901, was inaugurated president
of the United States.
IL is well for those who enjoy the liberty
Of free speech, who criticise aud denouuce
presidents and members OF congress and
Of the cabinet, as they have a right to do,
to remember that their right to do It was
vindicated and established by the Democ-
! racy under the leadership of Thomas JEFF
ferson against determined ngnt by the
J old Federal party, whose legitimate off
spring and progeny the Republican party
OF to-day is. Who can say what the
character Of this government would have
been had the alien and sedition laws
passed unchsllenged2 What would have
I been the condition Of this government,
and Of this people II every criticism of the
. president, or OF any member Of congress,
J from that time to this, should have been
, made only subject TO the risk of fine and
! imprisonment Can II not be seen that
D no liberty could have existed under such
government That these laws Indicated
right In the government TO suppress free
speech and a free press2 Can IL not be
\ seen that every man OF foreign birth In
a the country, under such laws, would de-
/ pend upon the will Of tho president for
e his right to remain In this country How
: long would 1t have been under such legis-
o lation before the favorite Hamiltonian
: idea of a strong centralized government
b after the fashion Of the British govern
e ment would have prevailed, and the repre-
t sentative character and features OF this
E government extinguished forever, or, II
I restored, TO be restored only through
e blood and revolution?a
: The party which Mr.. Jefferson called
: around him was the Democratic party Of
: to-day. The people rallied under his
n banner because II was raised in defense
/ of the rights of the people, OF free govern
g meut, free speech and a free press, with
4 oNt which free government Is impossible.
e Suppose there had been no Thomas
b Jefferson and no Democratic party at that
/, day; where would be now the boosted
/. liberties Of the American people2
n The Democratic party, with the advent
f. Of Thomas Jefferson to the presidency,
= was moulded into shape; its purposes, its
d policies and its theories OF government
{. Defined aud from that time till this they
Y have been the same. The people being
@ the source OF all power the government
l. being the peoples government, and the
q constitution being the letter OF attorney
d executed by the people defining what
al powers their national government shall
le exercise and those that have been re
IN served to the several states and TO tn,
a. people, IL is the fundamental idea of the
re Democratic party that the constitution
shall be construed strictly, to the end tina
no man in any office shall exercise NOR,
AZ power than the people have authorized
,e him to exercise, and that all the power
n reserved TO the states and to the people
Of for the local government OF the people II
In the several states
IN SHALL BE PRESERVED TO THEM.
/. All history shows that eternal vigilanc,
ae is the price Of liberty; that there is con
Of slant gravitation OF power from the man,
ht TO the few. II was In recognition Of thi
I'd great truth that the fathers of this repub
Or lie deemed it Indispensable, in order I,
g. preserve to the people the powers of self
NJ
should define the powers of the govern
e. ment being created, as well as those tina
n were reserved to the creators, to wit tn
Of states and the people.
" Jefferson was in favor Of local self-goy
Of eminent In the states, where the officer
H. were within reach OF the people ant
at could be held to strict accountable
u for the execution of the trusts reposed II
Id them; whereas, under The Hamlltonia
ic idea, the officers OF the government wer
e. to be removed To Washington, beyond To
err control OF the people, and where acces
OF to them by the great masses Of the peopl
es would be 80 difficult and obstructed tina
~ their responsibility would amount practi
4: cally TO no responsibility at all. In tn
lie spirit Of the constitution and impelled b
he the same motives that prompted an ex
d, press definition of the powers OF the gen
st eral government, the Democratic party
Oh from the time of Mr.. Jefferson until now
in In season and out OF season, at all time
ne and under all circumstances, has demand
cd ed that nothing be taken by implication
be but that the constitution be construe
as strictly, that doubtful powers be not eS
IS ercised and that the constitution be pre-
ut served as 1t was made, an instrument 70
sh the regulation of national concerns, leay
b. ing to the states the control Of all loca
n affairs. Under that constitution, Will
at the control OF all national affairs has beel
In conceded TO the national government, tn
an regulation OF all local matters mas beel
Of reserved TO the control Of the states. Sue
e, is the Democratic doctrine now, and ha
be always been. The old federal party
which represented the opposing idea, az
in der their leader, John Adams, which be
en- lieved 1t constitutional and right TO eDac
as such legislation as The allie
he and sedition laws, which woul'
n have destroyed free represents
er tive government IN this country
IN occupied TO the Democracy OF that dA
en- precisely the attitude which its lineal de
Id scendent the Republican party, occupie
n TO
OF THE DEMOCRACY or TODAY.
e These are the two parties, my felln'
n citizens, that divide among them the sui
r. frages OF the people Of these Unite