Mexico weekly ledger., 1894-10-18

lSuSu, Ln6 tTISutS IL poWC4S " thO StoeSS
| are now in jeopardy, The Union is in no
danger of assault from any quarter; the
General govefhmen Is aos2 2aner iem eve
mastering and omnipotent. is the deadly
enemy now menacing the institutions OF our
of the old war between Hamilton and Jeffer-
son. 1t is even more than that; for then
Federalism struggled a only = to organize M ev tne
throw what was established and to substi-
tute what was rejected.
many Democrats undecided as to where duty
and allegiance call them. My heart burns
tmelmmmpt With Which the ti~me.honored princi-
pies of my party are rampled upon, and 1
despise the subterfuges under which as.
when Democracy ought to be radiant with
triumph and its Immortal principles domi-
nant throughout the land but instead, we
out unity, cohesion or cooperation, disput-
ing with each other about our party policies
a more fearless and rugged manhood, ana
less obsequious timidity; a loftier devotion
more old fashioned Jefrersonian-J acksonian
democracy, with which all genuine Demo-
Gratis are familiar, and less OF that more
modern and spurfous article, which Few
Democrats can recognize and many utterly
~repudtate. II is time to call a halt and take
the f Reahi ~ the fathers. Democrats ,enes at Il least
should understand what Democracy means,
and whatthe Democratic party really stands
for. Let US see. In 1900 Thomas Jefferson,
the founder of the Democratic party. was
nominated and elected TO the presidency
tions
Preservation to the States of the powers
not yielded by them to the Union = = and
resistance to existing movements for trans
ferring the powers OF the states to the Gen.
eral government.
s.Reliance for internal defense solely upon
the militia, till actual INVASION"
In 1910 the Democratic National convention
adopted this resolution:
tspaSn1Vad That fhQ TadprQI pOVdrnmant
is one of limited powers, derived solely
from the Constitutions; and the grants OF
construed by all the departments and agents
of the government, and that II is inerpedient
and dangerous to exercise doubtful constitutional
pOtcers.'
That resolution was adopted, in exact or
substantial terms, by every national con-
, yenti sffsr OF our rea PARTY arm,d IRON a1,a $50 to ls So th bn
principles of the party as formulated by
Jefferson and %exemplifed by a long and
fllustr1ous line of his successors in Democrat
this declaration:
that these (Jeffersonianl principles be APP
piled to the conduct of the Federal govern
nlent through the accession to power OF the
party that advocates them; and we solemnly
declare that the need of a return to these
fundamental principles of free popular gov
ernment based on home rule and Individual
liberty, was never more urgent than now,
when the tendency to centraliZe all power
at the Federal capitol has become a menace
| " lhC liShtS Vi tilV StutCS ina
strikes at the very roots of our Government
under the Constitution as framed by the
fathers of the Republic
Upon that platform Grover Cleveland was
elected President of the United states. To
this great principle OF local sovereignty and
absolutely pledged, and hitherto in loyal
devotion to 1t there has been mo variable
has a Democratic National convention
spoken upon the question without reaf11rm-
ing its allegiance to the principle.
IF n1atfnrnlc ara wifi hbnf moaning II tnev
are nothing more than campaign receptions,
If their principal object Is, as the Globe,
promote success at the polls, rather than to
declare vital principles and important pur--
the party which l lave quoted are without
substantial significance. But If party plat
forms are, as hope, constructed on a higher
plane than that; II they are In fact what
they pretend to be, and ought to be, the
honest expression of party conviction and
ton Of local sovereignty, whatever any Of
hcial may do or individual say, there can be
no controversy as to the position OF the
fundamental principles of the Democratic
party were ever essential to the perpetual
cause OF human liberty. they are Just as
much so today as they were when Thomas
Jefferson stood forth as their exponent, or
Andrew jackson lifted his iron hand to de-
MIR. Chairman, at this point I will conclude
the discussion of these general principles.
l think the application of them can be safely
left to the sober second thought of the peo-
pie without special suggestion or without
any discussion in detail OF the somewhat
exaSperating incidents out OF which all
these recent controversies arose. My Sc
rfous apprehension now is that, yielding to
influential pressure in a period OF great ex-
element, some bad precedents have been
at some future day. those who would juss
tify or e~xtenuate an arbitrary exercise of
doubtful constitutional powers because at
the time exercised in defense of public order,
should remember that 1t is during periods of
unusual public excitement and commotlon
that dangerous precedentS are most easily
established. They should not forget that a
bad precedent established today may return
to plague us on the morrow; indeed, that
the future danger of a bad precedent is to be
far more dreaded than its present effect.
once permit the unlawful or improper inter
ference of the Federal authority in the po-
lice or local affairs of the states, and the
precedent thus established will be appealed
to as a warrant for future fnterferences in
other respects; and every new precedent, 1t
should be remembered ,weakens the powerof
the individual states to resist future en-
croachments. The police power, so called,
is one of the powers which was not granted
to the General government but was reserved
to the states: This has been settled by
repeated decisions of the Supreme Court of
the United states, from one of which i
quote the following:
ternal police OF a state are not surrendered
or restrained by the Constitution of the
over these is unqualified and exclusive.S
The term ''Police Power Is very compre-
hensive. In a general way 1t embraces all
those powers necessary to a sovereignty in
protecting the personal and property rights
of the citizen, and in the preservation of
public order. 1t means a great deal, but
means nothing more certainly than the pres
eryation of the public peace, the suppress
sion of mobs, and the prevention of domes-
tic violence in every form.
Tn Supreme Court declares that 1.-THE au-
thority of the State over these is unqualified
and exclusive The Federal government
has no right to interfere in these affairs, eX-
cept In pursuance of the Constitution OF the
United States. That instrument authorizes
the General government to protect a state
against domestic violence only when
called upon by the legislative or executive
authority thereof. Here is the exact Ian
guage of the Constitution:
"The United States \ = shall protect each
(State) against invasion. and, on applica-
ton of the legislature or of the Executive