The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-04
DEMOCRATIC DOCTRINE.
a MAGNIFICENT SPEECH mr. HON.
j. RANDOLPH TUCKER.
a Large Crowd Assembled nj the Mozart
Academy to Listen to the Gifted vir-
Rinia orator--racts and Figures.


Mozart Academy Of Music last night.
And inside the scene was beautiful and
inspiring on. for the house. orchestra.
dress circle and boxes, was filed with
ST intelligent and representative audi
ence.
it was raining. sticky and disagreeable
as far as weather went. so there must
have been some attraction to bring them
there. And there was, no less than ;he
great constitutional lawyer and eloquent
orator, the Hon. John Randolph Tucker.
who had come Al the request OF the city
Democratic committee 10 speak 10 the
Democratic voters on the momcntous
issues of the campaign.
The ladies, God bless EN-. were in evil
dence. very largely. and their bright
bonnets and gowns lent pretty unge OF
color TO the sCDerer hucs Of the dressing
Of poor man. who had opportunity only
at best 10 array himself like a walter.
The prosceniun arch OF the stage was
beautifully drapcd with flags and the
stage. itself was deliberately decorated
with growing palms, ferns and chrysan-
themums. the speakers stand covered
with flags. and the band Of the Howitzcrs
went into the orchestra. where they
q
The boxes and dress circle were gay
with State and National flags and bunt-
Ing and gilt eagles. all of which were
bright and pleasing.
y. RANDOLPH TUCKER.
Mr.. 6. 6. =. Patteson, chairman OF the
city Democratic committee called the
meeting 20 order I'm few brief remarks
promptly at o'clock. Said ne: Il am
here for the fOrmality OF introducing to
you man who needs no Introduction.
"Hc is an eminent Nirginian well known
20 you alias lawyer and statesman. and
not known as such 10 YOU and Nirginans
only. but TO all the people of the Union.
thu Hon. John Randolph Tucker, of Vir-
gnia."
Mr. Tucker received an ovation on
arising and as soon as the applause and
cheers which greeted him subsidized said
in part:
gentlemen
1t gives me very great pleasure to
stand here in the Capital City of the old
Commonwealth and address you on the
tremendous issues Of the hour.
You must not expect TO be entertained
by oratory. for I am afraid you will be
disappointed. and l shall be perhaps dry
and undressing except to those who de-
sire TO know the principles underlying
the great issues Of to-day.
II is a recurrence, fellow-citzens, TO |
fundamental principles. the foundation |
Of civil liberty.
The foundation OF all free institutions |
is embodied in mans right and in mans !
power 10 defend these rights, and these |
constitute Democracy. which means the |
power OF the people to defend the peoples |
rights.
Let the hand which Yields the power |
be the same hand which holds the rights, |
and the liberty of the people Is I'm safety. |
II it be in different hands. the right |
will follow the power, and liberty must |
necessarily perish. Unite power to right, |
and man will be free; divorce them, and ,
despotism will be his fate.
What is mans right?" asked the |
speaker. IL was the exclusive right to
all the faculties with which God endowed !
him. and TO the fruits Of these faculties
as gathered by man; what he does with
natural objects by his own labor OF brain
or muscle which belong 10 him, because
a part Of himself. and none could take it
from him. To do so was robbery.
il this be done by any other man. the
penitentiary is his doom. If others, by
compensation get the Government to
take private property 10 bestow on them
It is none the less robbery though It be
done under the power of the law and
called taxation
j
that the Constitution says the Govern
ment shall not take private property for
public use, unless for just compensation.
Does not this negative the power to take
for private use at all?
Continuing Mr. Tucker said that GER
tain rights Of the man were absolutely
beyond the rights of the Government.
No man nor government dared TO touch
his religion. Mans power over mans
right in this was complete.
So in the family. parental control eX-
Guided all other Interference. Each county
and city had exclusive power over its
own separate rights. So each State had
received power over its own pOlity, and
this was State rights ;
In the Union all have power TO regulate
rights common 10 all. and no one could {
seek to control the rights Of
all. Thus in the man, the family, the 7
county. the city, the State the Union, our q
fathers sought TO make liberty safe and /
tyranny impossible, by wedding power to
right (
But how can the people exercise power {
'Ver their right? 1t cannot be done di- 0
ecty, but through representatives freely
elected by the people. e
The power 10 elect is one thing contin- a
led the speaker the power to decide who II
s. elected is another {
Both must be in the hands OF the peO-
le' or liberty was endangered for II the h
eople may elect and the Government b
nay count and decide who is elected, the n
Opular power Will be OVerridden by gov p
usurpers.
Either the people have a right to elect 4
nd 10 decide who is elected or their ! 7
lights are destroyed. Some say we can s.
ot trust the people 20 decide Nor can / g
'e trust aliens and chief supervisors TO II
ecide whom we have elected. One or the q
ther must be the ultimate determinart- II
he people and their own officials or V
trangcrs whose interests antagonize the
copies will. u
In England for centuries the writ 10 81
old elections was issued TO the sheriff II
T the county. who held them in COUNT a
)urt and made returns on the writ e.
gned by himself and the voters. The II
aople elected and by their sheriff and II
eir own act certified whom they had a
ected.
No chief supervisor or stranger marshal W
God between the people and their rep OF
sentative. They chose and declared
HON they chose; the elective ana deter "a
lnant functions were combined. ii
our fathers knew all this. and intended vs.
save peoples rights. by giving them IN
e elective and determinant functions in &C
e matter OF their representatives. 10
whose are the senator's and representa-
yes? to
The Constitution declares that they are In
ate We
me senator's are chosen by the legisla- y
~