The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1892-09-28
TO THE PEOPLE OF NORTh
CAROLINA.
In Response to Il Letter from
Hon. L. NJ. simmons, SenG-
tor Vance Issues the Fol-
lowing Address to the
People Of North
Carolina,


lowing Address to the
People o. North
Carolina.
Ny FELLOW CITIZENS: For
many years past l have been in
the habit of visiting you in per
son during important campaigns
aid addressing you upon the
political issues of the time. Be-
ing on this occasion prevented
this privilege by the condition
of my health, and earnestly be-
lieving that the questions to be
decided by our November cleo
tions are of vital Importance to
the public welfare, l am Undue
ed to contribute in this way my
share in the discussion of them,
r. / regard the situation as most
critical.
Since 1860 the legislation of
our country has been almost ex-
clusively within the power of
one political party. Naturally
it has ceased to be general in lis
beneticence and has become 10
cal and partial in the extreme.
The law-making power has be-
come the fearfully efficient im-
plement of such classes, cor
porations, cliques and combina-
lions as could by fair means OF
foul OBTAIN control of it. 1t has
been made to subserve purely
personal ends. In divers ways
the taxing power of the govern
ment has been perverted from
public to private purposes, mon.
ey is levied thereby to enrich
manufacturers, to suppress ri
valry in business, and in every
conceivable way to help the IA
vored few at the expense Of the
many. The varied corrupting
influences upon the bushes:
world arising from this legisla
ton produce their natural effect
The classes whose business was
thus favored flourish apace
whilst the unfavored have ex-
perienced in the midst of peace
and plenty all the losses anC
hardships which are commonly
felt only in tunes Of public
calamity; and the extraordinary
spectacleis presented of a natiOI
whose aggregate wealth is rap
idly and vastly increasing
whilst the Individual wealth 0
its chief toilers and wealth
producers is diminishing in pro
portion thereto.
From the Republican party
with its disregard of the limita
tions of the Constitution and it
natural dependence for suppor
upon the money of the peopl
whom it had enriched, all of thi
corrupt legislation has proceed
ed. Without it there was moth
ing evil done that was done.
Ii follows as an undeniabl
truth, that whoever directly O
indirectly upholds, helps or sup
ports that party is a friend {,
the corruptions which it ha
produced, and is an enemy 4
those who would repeal tina
legislation and reform tn
abuses founded upon it. THEIR
Is NO ESCAPE FROM THIS.
The Democratic party, on tn
contrary, believes in the stric
limitations of the Constitution
and has, as party, steadily op
posed all abuse Of the taxin;
power, or any other power o
the general government fO
private purposes, and has TN.
ceasingly advocated the mos
absolute and perfect equality q
all citizens in the legislation o.
our country.
There is not a single wrong o.
injustice Of which complaint IL
made in our laws for thirtJ
years past which can justly b,
charge / to the Democratic par
ty. Nor ONE. II has ever beer
a break.water against the ty-
rannical tendencies OF the Re
publicaBs; and though il a mi
nority has been able to prevent
some of the worst Legislation
ever attempted and to modify
other laws which in their or.
iginal iniquity would have bceI
intOlerable.
This statement Of the acts and
purposes Of the two great puiit-
ical parties cannot DO truth.
fully denied.
Now what is the situation:
What is it the manifest DUTY Vi
our people 10 do in the coming
elections:
The two great political par
ties into which our people are
mainly divided are once more in
the field with their platforms
Of principles and their candi-
dates, state and Federal, there