The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-08-19

view with secret contempt the promfscuous
multitude, whose condition is humble in the
contrast, to believe thatythis disparity should
be enlarged, confirmed and protected by posi-
tive institutions. It is to effect this object
that In all free governments a strife is inces-
sanity carried on to withdraw power from
the greater and combine it in the smaller
community. But how is this to be lone in a
country like oursf By what means can the
smaller or aristocratic body hope to succeed?
The present contest is an answer to this ques-
ton, ana this hope to make evident before
I have done by adverting to facts known to
you all.
The security of freedom will be found to
consist in the universal confidence enter
tanned by the people in their own ability to
direc& public affairs through agents selected
by themselves; in the exemption OF the vot-
ers when exercising the elective franchise
from the coercion of imroper influences, and
in the fidelity with which delegated power is
exercised In reference only to the general well
fare. Those, therefore. who desire O change or
modification of the Government will seek to
impair that confidence, to corrupt those agents
and to establish q system Of artificial q
ences which may be extended through all the
relations of life until 1t becomes apparently
the present interest, though 1t be the ltimat
and certain ruin of the people, to yield to
this system and surrender the Government to
its control. Whether there has ever existed
in our country a party entertaining such
views as these is q question that may be
tested by the further inquiry whether any
body of men has ever persevered in q sys-
tematic opposition to the known and Oft
repeated will of the nation, attempted to
thwart the operations of the Government
and to acquire power by acting upon public
agents and by the aid of a system such as that
l have described.
And now 1 appeal to each n all of you,
and ask If such a party does not exist, and
has not existed from the beginning of the
Government? I appeal TO the history of the
past and to our present condition in evidence
of the doings and motives of this party. I
ask the venerable men of this assembly-you
whose bleached locks announce q life coeval
with the liberties of your country-I ask you
what party was that, what men were they,
who at the commencement attempted to
stretch the Federal Constitution overthe SOW
ereignty OF the States, ana to reduce the
bouy Va tAo udbtOu uuQcE bu6 btcHn
tyranny Of one consolidated Government?
What men were they who, having the admin
istration of Nationaraaffairs, illuminated their
alien and sedition edicts against The people
of the country, who silenced the press with
the terrors of the Jail, VINO struck down the
citizen into the dungeon for daring to ques-
ton their official ncts, or for the crime Of be-
ing suspected BY a public ihformer, paid for
his suspicious? Wa IL not the same party
who, when rebuked by the National voice for
these their acts and dislodged from power,
turned upon the people. in all the desperation
of detected guilt, and boldly attempted to re-
gain authority by open and downright usur-
pationf Yes, in contempt of the popular
will, and at the hazard OF q civil war, did this
party, day after day and night after night.
plot, ballot and intrigue, In the House of Rep
resentatives. to place Mr.. Burr at the head of
the Government. As IL determined to crush
our infant Institutions at q single blow, they
toiled to vest the Chief Magistracy in q man
who had not received one vote for the fice.
and who, at that very moment. was cherish
ling treason In his heart This they did to
exclude MI. Jefferson. pom whom The
people had bestowed their SURFACES.
Why, therefore, should we be surprised hat
the same party who then reviled that man
with the deep rancor Of personal malignity,
"A SOakhs ~ aDtS Ia VIZ
ance of duty. by the threat OF impeachment;
why should we be surprised, I ask. that the
same party now luxuriate in the defamation
OF his memory and that the same vampire
spirit still broods over the emtombed patriot
of Monticello? But. fellow-c1tizens what did
this party when foiled In these m-achinationsa
Did they say to the people, You have elected
Mr.. J~eferson-we opposed the deed-you have
willed tt-and therefore we will await his
measures, and test the man by the standard
of his acts2 No, from the irs. moment of his
Administrator he was assailed with q fury
that never abated. They denounced his meas.
ures, first In anticipation. and again after
time and trial had most clearly evlnced theil
Justice and policy. It was in vain that thu
people, by their elections year after year, re
peated and reaf1rmed their confidence in thu
President, and their approval of his meas
ures. The Federal party redoubled their re
l~sistance as often as the country renewed it
appreciation. MT. jefferson was proclaimed
a Jacobin. The intense horrors of the Frencl
Revolution, the ferocious guillotine with it
murderous ak, its bleeding platform, 1T
mangled heaps Of assassinated. men ant
women all the appalling Incidents of tina
dreadful scene were grouped together ant
displayed before the American people as 81
many black and bloody witnesses agatns
Democracy, It excuses, its turbulence, it
dangers-against the right and intelligence o
the people to govern themselves.
Mr.. Madison, who succeeded Mr.. JET
ferson in the confidence OF his country, ane
IN the honors of its first Magistracy, sue
ceeded him likewise in the hatred of til,
aristocratic party. He, too, incurred thei
pious and impious maledictions. No mat
ter how obvious might be the Justice. thu
policy. or necessity OF his measures, the.
were resisted with a violence proportion
ate to their effect in promoting the common
welfare, for no other reason than becaus
such o result would Justify and confirm tn
; nations confidence in the President. Wa
was declared against Great Britain, and tn
more desperate of this party eagerly seize'
an opportunity, SO suspicious. to signaliz
their friendship for the enemies of thei
/ country. 1t was q war originating in a sens
of public wrong, and declared by the voice O
!, an injured nation. No wonder, then, that tn
Hartford Convention should assemble, unde
: tho approving smiles of England, to cor
~centrate all the British feeling that existed
and direct It against our Government. wit
( the full force of disciplined power. But tn
: nation triumphed: and these m~alcontenti
doomed to see the arms Of their foreign all
), expelled from our shores, shrunk back t
: elude the indignation their conduct had 81
cited.
s Thus. after sixteen years Of the most fl
rious opposition to the will of the peopl
SO often expressed. did this party, upon tn
e election of Mr.. Monroe. retire in shame an
s dishonor from the contest. But though r.
tired. they did not despair. Their troop
b beaten. and exhausted, were withdraw
only to await the period when the peopl
q triumphant and apparently secure. might r
lax their vigilance and be more successful
assailed by the secret concert of an emem,
g who, from being silent and invisible. SCENE
y no longer to exist That period soon arrive