The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-09-23


with the shackles forged by the Trium-
vlrate headed by Mark Anthony, who
had been seduced by the glittering
brlbe of wealth and power. (By way
of parenthesIs, note the similitude-
Mark Anthony and Mark Hanna, both
men of greed, both relentless and re-
gardless of the happiness and pros
perity OF the people.)
Old England in turn was prosper
Gus, and boosted that she was the land
of liberty where no form of slavery
could exist, yet under the Feudal sys-
tenn by slow but sure steps her liberty
proved a myth, and her sons became
slaves to the Lords of the Manors.
King John had frightened the thumb
screws of oppression until the people
were driven to desperation, and at
Runnymede, wrenched from his tyran-
nical hand the Magma Charta, the pal
ladium of civil liberty, which led to
the independence of America. The his
tory of the world shows in every in
stance, that with prosperity comes av-
arice, which leads to oppression in
every form, and like Hydra headed
monster Is ever ready to destroy. With
this experience drawn from the world
is history, our grand fathers founded
government in this goodly land, and
what a country We have! The grandest
on the globe, in extent and natural
advantages it has no equal. Aurora
rising from her saffron couch, bathes
her blushing cheeks in its Atlantic
spray; ascending from her eastern
shores, the god of day hides behind her
western hills to give place to night.
The auroraborealis is merry dancer
upon the surface of her northern lakes,
while tropical sun ripens the fruit
and paints delicate tints upon the flow
ering fields Of her southern lands.
Her women, especially those of our
beloved South, are the fairest and the
best the world has ever seen, their vir-
tue and patriotism is the brightest gem
set in the history of all ages.
There are but two philosophers of
government, the one holding to the
liberties of the people, "Government
Of the people, for the people, and by
the people," the other strong CEN
tralization of power. The principles
of true Democracy on the one hand
and of Federalism on the ether. The
first triumphed, and brought peace,
plenty and prosperity, but with the
increase of wealth and power, FEEDER
alism arrayed one section of the coun
try with jealousy of the prosperity of
the other. This green seething fire
burned into deep seated hate, which
in turn declared the Constitution OF
our fathers to be a filthy rag and a
league with hell. Then the free insti-
tutions of our land were in jeopardy
and true patriotism was in sterling de-
mand.
The true sons of our Revolutionary
sires were confronted with the hired
hordes of the world; this fair and hap
py country was afflicted with the hor-
rors of a civil war; in the madness Of
fanaticism brother grappled with
brother in mortal combat; every hill
top bacame bleaching ground for
the bones of patriots; and every VAL
1ox, {roVo The
grand children of those who founded
the Republic. In the providence Of
God the Union was preserved, and
the patriot soldiers in gray as we'll as
those in the blue, returned to their
shattered homes with the assurance
that peace and prosperity should be
fostered by the government. You
laid down your arms in good faith,
and began to rebuild your broken for
tunes and resolved to be true to the
principles of our Republican institu'
tons. But ere the smoke of battle
had cleared the horizon, the grasping
enemies of liberty, under the guise o.
law, seized the PROSTATE and bleeding
country by the throat, and set to work
to destroy all rights of the States, and
to establish strong Federation. Ex'
travagance, bribery and corruption O
every kind became the leverage BY
which monopoly and combine led te
colossal fortunes in the hands OF &
few, and before We had rehearsed the
terms Of peace to our wives and chill
dren, the shackles were forged, anG
fifty millions of freemen became slave:
to relentless Aristocracy. We look
ed for relief from the Congress but the
leading representatives Of the people
fell at the feet of the golden calf, ane
proved traitors to their constituents
Trusts and combines boldly dehed TIT
law of the land, colossal fortunes hav'
been heaped upon the favored few b.
burdensome taxation upon the labor
ing masses. The last expiring hop
left against the encroachmento Of FEEDER
alsm seems to have fled, when tn
Federal Judiciary throttled the Exec
utive functions Of State in the in
terest of great corporation, and tn
day of human liberty seems we'll mig
spent. Mr.. Randolph in a great speed
battling against the encroachment o
Federalism said, "Nex, TO the book O
Judges comes the book of Kings,
and his prophetic eye saw the danger
in the increasing power of the Fedora
Courts.
Among those in power, the form c
the English government is growing il
favor, the millionaires of this countr
are making alliances with the crowned
heads OF Europe, and looking afte
title by intermarrying their daughter
with the Barons, Counts and Prince
of the old country. English banker
now dictate the financial policy Of thi
country. The next and only step to
wards Capitalization and a complet
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