The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-14
A CALL 10 DEMoCRATH

The FIrst Duty OF the Party IS 60 Resist
the Enoroaohuents OF Federal PewOn
mn. ASccdN ~ suwut J. Suden at "a. DeUocru'Eo
State Convention al ROcAersr N 1871
The Democracy advances to fight anew the
battle against centrallsm and corruption to
which It was FIRST led by Thomas Jefferson
in the nation and BY George Clinton In the
etato Of Now York.
Tho equilibrium Of our whole political sys-
Inn IL IN danger OF being overthrown and
deSpotio and corrupt oentrnlism established.
The whole value OF the arrangement by which
cur world is kept in Its place in the solar sys-
Inn IL the balance between the opposing
forces. It would matter little to US which Of
these forces should be allowed TO prevail IL
the centrifugal tendency should dominate, our
planet would shoot madly into the realms OF
endless space. far away from tho source OF
heat and life, until every living thing upon Its
surface wouldlperish. II the centrpetsl ten
dency should prevail the earth would rush
With uncomfortable velocity toward the sun.
until IL would be enRulfed in the burning mass.
30 It is with the adjustment Of powers be-
tween the State and Federal Governments;
disunion and Capitalization are equally fatal
TO good government Disunion would Rener-
etc the centralism OF military despotism In the
separate States: centralism attempted on
areas and populations so vast would break the
parts asunder. and I'll our continent, as It has
allied every other. with rival nations.
Our wise ancestors devised tho only system
possible to avoid these opposite evils. They
formed Federal Government to manage our
foreign relations, to maintain peace and unity
between the States. and to administer few
exceptional functions Of common interest;
and they left the great residuary mass OF gov.
ornmental powers to the States.
The creed Of the Democratic party Is COM
prised In two ideas: First to limit as much as
possible all governmental power enlarging
always and everywhere the domain Of indi-
vidual Judgment and action; secondly, to
throw back the governmental powers neces-
sary to be exercised as much as possible upon
the States and the localities, approaching in
every case the individuals to be affected.
These ideas dominate over the Democratic
party, and find in 1t their best representative.
Tho opposite ideas, to NEEDLE with everything
properly belonging to the individual. and to
centralize all governmental powers, express
the tendencies Of the Republican party.
Under this inspiration the Federal Govern
mont is rapidly selling upon all the powers Of
human society. Il has assumed to regulate
the suffrage and threstens TO take the control
Of al elections
1oppose centratism bsceus0 ttfs fncompati-
bic with civil liberty.
Ioppose centralism beesuB0 % creates An r.
responsible power. and an irresponsible power
is always corrupt A government ruling all
the affairs Of individuals and localities. from
the Atlantic 10 the Pacific. from the great
lakes to tho Gull Of Mexico, would be
the most incompetent for what Il would un-
dertake, the most oppressive, the most IRE
sDonsible and the most corrupt government
Of which history Affords any example.