Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-09-16

State-which has ever been regarded a.
the last refuge of o broken constitution
Is compelled to confess itself helpless
and powerless TO do more or less than
ratify and sanctify the great public
wrong by pronouncing upon it lis
solemn approval"
A noble protest by great and wor-
thy Judge against being made a party
to the conspiracy for the assassination
of the constitution, or TO the ratifica-
tion and sanctification of the acts OF
the conspirators in furtherance of their
objects.
The object sought to be accomplished
by thus disregarding and violating laws,
the constitution, official oaths and the
rights of the people, was the desire to
obtain the control of certain offices.
with the spoils of which they might
feed the vultures of the party.
AS soon as they had stepped over the
grave of the constitution into the con-
troll of the Senate no time was suffered
to elapse until, so far as in their power
to do so, Democrats were displaced
from Office and Republicans substitute
ed, and in Cincinnati q Board having
almost absolute control of its municipal
affairs, of its streets, sewers, Water
Works and its finances, vested with
veto power over the City Council, a
purely municipal board elected by the
people of the city, and that should be
responsible to the city, in whose acts
the State has no special concern, and
for whose acts the State can in no way
be held responsible; this board, elected
by the people, who are affected by, and
are responsible for, its acts, was abol-
ished and another substituted in its
place with equal powers, appointed by
the Governor, in no way answerable to
the people, who are responsible for its
acts.
That the people can not and should
not be trusted has long been the theory
of the leaders of the Republican party,
but never before have the leaders of that
party in this State dared to carry it so
fully into practice.
That the people can be trusted with
far more safety than partisan Repub-
lican Governor, is fully and SATISFACTORY
ly demonstrated by a comparison of the
two boards.
THE PEOPLE MAY MAKE MISTAKES,
And if they do they make haste to cor
rect them. Some Governors fancy
they are infallible, and hence, however
serious may be their mistakes, no cor
rection is made. The present Governor
has done more foolish things, made
more mistakes in the seven months he
has strutted in the Office than the peo-
pie have made in as many years.
Aside then from the fact that in a
representative government the people
have right to choose those who are en-
trusted with their affairs, and the con-
troll and management of their property,
they are safer and more reliable than
Governors are likely to be, certainly
more so than the present Governor is.
Where is this encroachment upon the
peoples right for partisan ends to stop?
If Board of Public Affairs can be APP
pointed for Cincinnati, and the Repub-
lican members of the Supreme Court
say it can, the next move on the part
of a Republican Legislature in this
State will be to pass law authorizing
the Governor to appoint Mayors and
City Councils for such cities of the
State as have Democratic Mayors and
Councils.
Let those who trample on the peoples
necks, deluded by the idea they are too
stupid or lethargic to resent, beware, for
when the people rise in their might
they will shake them off and crush
them as they would the vermin that
irritate and annoy them.
Through the combined and harmoni-
Gus action of the Republican members
of the Legislative, Executive and judi
cal departments of the present State
Republican cormorants
are now gorging themselves upon pub
lie plunder, as is shown by an empty
Treasury, increased Indebtedness and
taxation.
In their imagined security they have
said to themselves they have the offices
and can regale themselves on public
plunder at the expense of the people for
years to come, but at the first oppor-
tunity the people will hurl them from
power and teach them that they who
disregard laws and violate constitutions
are unworthy of public trusts and can
no longer be servants of theirs.
have no time to call attention to the
conduct of the Executive Department
If the General Government, but COM
oarison of that with the management
IF the Executive Department of the
of this State can not fail
% fill the heart of every Democrat with
pride and exultation, while every patriot |
must cordially approve the one, and
lespise and condemn the other.
The issues in the coming campaign |
ire not between the Democratic party
IS such and the Republican party, but |
between the people in defense of the
avs, the constitution and the heritage
# freedom and the Republican party. |
N such contest the people can not fail:
''For Freedoms battle once begun,
Bequeathed by bleeding sire to son,
Though bafied oft, Il ever won.
SOMETHING HE SELDOM DOES.
Now, gentlemen, it is but two or
hree times in my experience that / have
cad my address to q political meeting;
,ut / have written what had to say
lpon that subject. desired to have 1t
,ut in such shape that no lapse of the
ongue, no forgetfulness would enable
my one to claim that | had said what
have not said.
My Republican friends in Cincinnati,
md especially their organ of Cincinnati,
nearly every time 1 have been at Co
umbus in the last year have said that
was up again to hold up the constitu-
ution. Itell you that he who fails to
lold up the constitution of his State
md the constitution of his country is
IN enemy of free government, and that
With contempt brought upon the con-