Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-08-20

Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen Of the
Committee:
have resigned the Office Of CHIEF
Judge Of the court Of appeals OF this state
in order that may accept the response
bility that the great convention you rep
recent has put upon me, without possible
prejudice to the court to which had the
honor to belong, or 10 the eminent mem
bers OF the judiciary Of this state, o.
whom may now say as private citizen
an Justly proud.
At the very threshold Of this response
and before dealing with other subjects,
! must, in justice to myself and to re-
leye my sense OF gratitude, express my
profound appreciation Of the confidence
repnsed iu me by the convention. After
nominating me and subsequently rccely-
ing a communication declaring that ]
regarded the gold standard as firmly
and irreyocahiy established, a matter
concerning which felt It incumbent
upon me to make known my attitude so
that hereafter no man could justly say
that his support had been secured
through indirection or mistake. the con-
ventlon reiterated It's determination that
! should be the standard bearer of the
party in the proaent contest, This mark
Of trust and confidence ! shall ever es-
tac1 as the highest honor that could be
conferred upon me an honor that,
whatever may be the fate Of the cam
paisn, the future can In no degree lessen
Oi impair.
Tho admirable platform upon which
tho party appeals TO the country for It.;
confidence and support clearly states the
principles which were so well condensed
In the first inaugural address OF Presi-
dent Jefferson, and points out with force
and dircctness the course 70 be pursued
through their proper application in order
20 insure needed reforms in both tho
legislative and administrative depart
ments Of the government. While un-
hesitating In its promise 70 correct
abuses and to right wrongs wherever
they appear or however caused; to in
vest,gate The several administrative de-
paTtmeuts Of the government, the con-
duct Of whose officials has created scan
dals. and TO punish those who have been
guilty OF a l'reach OF their trust; TO op-
pose the granting Of special privileges
by which the few may profit at the ex-
pense Of the many; to practice economy
in tho expenditure OF the moneys of the
people. and to that end to return once
more to the methods OF the founders Of
the republic by observing in disbursing
the public funds the care and caution a
prudent individual observes with re-
spcct to his own; still the spirit of the
platform assures conservative. instead
Of rash action, the protection Of the in
nocent as we'll as the punishment OF
the guilty; the encouragement OF indus
try, economy and thrift; the protection
OF property and guarantee et the en-
forcement for the benefit OF all of mans
inelienable rights, among which, as said
In the Declaration of Independence, are
"lifc. liberty and the pursuit Of hsppi-
ness" Liberty, as understood in this
country, means not only the rlght Of
freedom from actual servtuGe, impris-
cament or restraint, but the right Of one
10 use his faculties in all lawful ways,
tc live and work where he will and to
pursue any lawful trade or business,
These essential rights OF life. liberty and
property are not only guaranteed to the
citizen by the constitution Of each OF the
Sc, eral states, but the states are BY the
fourteenth amendment TO the constitu-
tion Of the United States forbidden to
deprive any person Of any one OF them
without dre process Of law.
Occasionally, BY reason o. unneces-
cary or impatient asitation for reforms,
Or because the limitations placed upon
the departments Of government by the
constitution arc disregarded by officials
desiring to accomplish that which 20
them seems good, whether the pow er ex-
lists in them or not, II becomes desirable
to call attention TO the fact that The peo-
pc, in whom all power resides, have
seen 1T, through the medium Of the con-
stitution, to limit the governmental
powers conferred ard 10 say to depart
ments created BY Il: Thus far shalt
thou go and no farther To secure the
ends sought the people have by nc con-
stitution separated and distributed
among the three departments Of gov
ernment-the executive, legislative and
5udicial-certain powers, and IL is the
DUTY OF those administering each de-
partment so to act as 70 preserve, rather
than to destroy, the potency of the CO
ordinate branches of the government,
and TINS secure the exercise OF all the
powers conferred by the people
Thomas Jefferson, in letter TO VIII
liam G. Jarvis touching the perpetuty
OF our institutions, written many years
after he had retired to private life, said;
maintain their mutual independence of
each other, it may last long, but not so
II either can assume the authority OF
the other II must be confessed that
in the course of our history executives
have employed powers not belonging to
them; statutes have been passed that
were expressly forbidden by the consti-
tuition and statutes have been set aside
as unconstitutional when It was dificut
TO point out the provisions said to be
offended against in their enactment; all
this has been done with a good purpose,
no doubt. but in disregard, nevertheless.
Of the fact that ours is a government of
laws not Of men, deriving its Just pow
ers from the consent OF the governed"
II we would have our government con-
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