The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-09-16

caplCOlS az CHe pOlnI OF the DayOneI.
And more. They sent the bayonets
and deputy marshals to the polls to
terrorize American citizens and to
control state elections. This is an
other page blacker than a starless
night. Let US turn another leaf
and hide it. And during all this
time fraud and corruption were
showing their hideous heads in eve
ry department of government, and
creeping into the very mansion of
the president until the great whisky
ring was discovered coiling like a
serpent around the very capitol it.
self, and members of the presidents
cabinet were in the coil of other
rings, the Indian ring, credit mobi-
lier ring, the navy ring. These all
grew and flourished and fattened
from the sweat of the people under
the fostering influence of this party
of constitutional government until
finally the people grew tired and
sick, and rose up in their majesty
in 1876 and declared by a popular
majority of quarter of a million
that this party of unconstitutional
government must go. But the army
was fastened to Washington. The
cannons were planted and ranged
upon the white house and capitol.
The sum of political crime was en-
acted; the voice of the people was
stifled; the fraud of all the ages was
perpetrated; the presidency was
usurped, and there, through the
person of Samuel j. Tilden, was
struck a blow at the vital principle
of constitutional government, the
climax of fraud, corruption and
crime. Fellow citizens, this is a
page so black that in contrast with
it the black hair of hell would look
white. And alter the democratic
party had inaugurated the first pres
ident since Andrew johnson this
party of constitutional government
attempted to encroach upon his
powers by refusing to confirm his
appointments; policy similar to
that which eliminated in the at
tempt to impeach Andrew Johnson.
But the republican senate soon dis
covered that Grover Cleveland was
president and they came out of
that fight like the man who once
called upon an editor. He had
boosted that he intended to clean
up the editor. He went into the
sanctum and in q very few minutes
he came out again with one eye
hanging on his cheek, with the end
of his nose bit off, half of an ear
gone and knot on the side of his
head as big as turnip, his cloth
ing in threads and when asked by
an anxious passer by what was the
matter, he said, with a yawn, 81
went to see the editor and he was
in" The republican senate found
Grover in. Let US turn another
leaf and hide it. / cannot proceed
further in the examination of this
party as a party of constitutional
government. We have had enough.
Let US open another chapter. Let
US see if it is the party of honest
government. This party dared no
longer to control the army to per-
petuate itself in power. 1t now be-
gan to fortify itself behind the
treasury, 1t appropriated $780,
100000 TO build navy for the pro-
lection of our 5000 miles of sea
coast. 1t gave US no navy but the
celebrated Tallapoosa. One of the
cardinal principles of this party of
honest government was the preser-
walton of the public domain for &C
tual settlers. 1t gave away the
peoples heritage to railroads, nom
residents, aliens and corporations
more land than would cover all the
farms between the two seas. While
it declared that o public Office was
a public trust, it prostituted every
office in this government to politi-
cal purposes. 1t erected a guillo-
tine in every department, and every
officer, clerk, Waterman and laborer
knew that unless he obeyed the de-
mands of this party of honest gov
eminent and paid 20 per cent. of
his salary for the corruption fund
his head would roll from the guillo-
tine.
1t changed its military tactics,
and instead of frightening away cit
liens from the polls with soldiers,
it frightened the soldiers to the
polls to vote the republican ticket
with the pension office. This great
national beneYolence was turned in
to a machine for manufacturing re-
publican votes. Soldiers who had |
lost their legs and arms and health |
in the service of their country were
and threatened by spe
,ial examiners of the pension office,
under the direction of the commits
,ioner of pensions himself. Medi-
,al examining boards were estab-
ished without number, and were
into party organizations,
md the applicants for pensions, and
he pensioners themselves, were
given to understand that the boun-
" of the government depended
more upon their politics than upon
he degree and nature of their
Fellow citizens, what corruptionl
What debauchery! The gallantBlack
it and held it up to public
yaze. Though his arms had been
by Confederate lead, he
,ould not escape the curses and
flanders of the party whose villainy
lie dared to bring to light.
We promised you, fellow citizens,
hat we would open the books when
We got into power. We have open
d the books. The republicans say
here was only two cents missing
nd that they afterwards found that,
nd the books balanced, and the
and the republican par
y were square. But let us see how
hey balanced the books. Under
esolution of the democratic house
# representatives passed Jan. %,
which was called up again July 81
" Hon. Benton McMillin, of Ten
5000 ;,,ot ,,ro-.ono 20 4ho n 1;or.,