The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1890-07-11
Tht Democrat.
GOV MILLS SPEECH.

The following Is an extract from a
speech delivered by Gov. Inn few days
ago before the Hendricks Club at Indian
apolis. The indictment Is severe, but
truthful one "oar country Is making
a remarkable chapter In her history. A
strange spectacle Is that With which her
people have been confronted at the seat Of
government. A party, excluded for four
years from control of the administration
and legislation, now vested with power In
all branches of government, is riding
rough shod over the preeedents and prac
tices Of a century, exercising powers never
intended to be conferred upon the majority,
violating the traditions and principles of
the republic, invading the private rights Of
individuals, eneroaehlng upon the prerog-
atives Of s,ates, threatening the integrity
OF the constitution and seriously under
mining the foundations of our free insti-
tutions. An era of partisanship has been
begun such as has characterized no period
of our history save that Of the war. The
interests aud welfare Of the country arc
forgotten and neglected In the wild seram'
bic for the spoils OF victory, while In the
insatiate greed foe power and In the tyran.
nieal usurpatlon of authority no party has
ever shown more fragrant disregard "i tho
rights of minority.
"These are not the prejudiced utterances
OF political opponent. They are the care.
fully considered words of one who believes
that strict adherence to the theory of our
governmental system is essential to the
preservation of American institutions
The tendency of the republican party Is
towards the subversion of those institu-
tons. individual liberty, local self-govern-
ment, rights OF states, popular sovereignty
equal privileges, pure and economical ad-
minIstration are all imperilled In the reck
less strides which that body Is making to-
wards Capitalization In government. The
federal system which our forefathers
planned has been In operation a century
Under its wise provisions we have pros.
pered as no other nation under the sun
1t has been subjected to severe tests, bu,
has been preserved In most of Its original
Simplicity. Time has indicated the wis
dom of its fine division of 20 xers, but now
when the land is peaceful and prosperous,
with no unusual condition which might
justify even a slight straining of constitu'
tional limits, the party in control of the
government Is breaking down the safe
guards of liberty upon no more justi6able
ground than the PerPetuation of its own
power.
"The record which this party has made
In Its brief. restoration to power Is the
grelt political issue befo,e the people. II
Is the sudden developement of Hamilto-
nianism intensified but undiEnifed by such
creditable motives. 1t involves various
phases-tyrannical methods, abuse of priv
ileges, huge schemes of extravagant ex.
penditure. legislative favoritism by enact.
ment of high tariffs, arbitrary laws and
malicious interference of federal authority,
but In all phases 1t stands for the unwar-
ranted usurpation of power on the part OF
the general government.
81 beg your indulgence while l remind
you of what this brief but eventful record
consists and urge your efforts a. patriots
and as Partisans against the dangerous
growth of Capitalization which II threat
ems. Congressional representation! Let
US see what this patty has done in congress
In the FIRST place, for the period of three
months the majority prevented the adoption
of any rules for the guidance of the house
of representatives, fearing that by rights
usually thus reserved to minoriIies the
majority might be checked in their efforts
TO increase their representation In the mat
ter Of contested seats, Such a course had
never before been pursued sinCe the or.
ganization of the government. Acting
without rules, the House proceeded &c
consider election cases. An autocrati :
speaker refused to recognize democratic
representatives, and in quick succession
democrat after democrat was ousted from
his seat and their places given to republi-
cans. Less than a quorum voted and less
than a majority was arbitrarily decided
sufficient for the consun.m n.mation of the out
RACES. There was no pretense of fairness
There was no consideration of the cases
upon their merits. There was li;tle or no
discussion tolerated. A protest even was
scarcely permitted. The republicans
needed the seats held by their opponents,
and they took them. 1t was lsrcency plain
and simple, Democratic Representatives
who apparently were allowed to be present
only by the "courtesy" of the majority
could merely 81, silently by and witness
the wrongs Perpetuated. The speaker re-
fused to recognize any appeals from his
decisions. Such proceedings are not only
disgrace to our American congress, but
opposed to American instincts. 1t re-
mains to be seen whether the fair-minded
and conservative electors of this country
will sustain the majority In their reckless
course. ] do not believe they will. 1t
has been my observation that such polii
cal crimes only react upon their authors.
No political PARTY can long endure whose
success is based upon fraud, perjury and
usurpation. The day Of retribution soon
er or later surely cores.
David p Thompson is out In long letter
In the Eugene State Journal attempting
to explain why he was defeated 1t were
better to crop the subject. David adds
nothing 10 the general estimate in which
he is held by saving that certain classes