Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1906-08-31
rbitrary government by pos..

arbitrary government by bos-.
They have made mockery of repre-
sentative government and arrogated to
themselves the power to legislate for
his in all classes whatsoever.
! They have broken I'D our peaceful
assemblies, invaded our conventions
with an army of touGhs, and overridden
n constitutional right CO peaceable as
tembly for lawful purposes.
They have melted domestic riots and
refused us legal redrsss.>
! They have imposed taxation without
our consent and have refused to equal
lie the imposts of internal revenue.
! They have changed proposed legisla-
tion so as to render II harmless to
themselves and their creatures.
They have plundered our state, loot
ed our cities, and robbed the people OF
their rights.
They have made the state treasury
personal and political asset Of the Ma
chine, and have used the state funds
to promote private ends.
They have perverted the functions of
government from subscribing the pub
lie veal to fostering the interests of
individuals.
They have established themselves in
headquarters at the state capital, and
with an audacity scarcely paralleled in
the history of popular government they
have arbitrarily dictated legislation
md have slated state, county and judi
cial nominations sometimes years In
advance.
They have established an electoral
system whereby in almost open market
men have been bought and sold, and
they have fought every honest attempt
to prohibit or restrain this execrable
commerce in the honor of the voter
To these crimes against the liberties
of the people they have added the base
ness Of hypocrisy.
At every stage Of the expressions
we have petiticned for redress, and our
repeated petitions have been answered
by repeated injuries.
A machine whose character Is thus
marked by every act which may define
n tyrant is unfit to be the representa-
tive of an honest political party.
Nor have we, as independent freemen,
Republicans and Democrats, been want
ing in the spirit to warn them from
time to time of the wrath which our
nccumulating wrongs would bring upon
them.
We have reminded them Of our cir
cumstances aud conditions as the VIC
tins of an infamous conspiracy be-
rate greed. We have warned them
against the attempt of their legislature
to inflict unwarrantable injuries; and
we now appeal to the native integrity
of a common people to disavow the
usurpation of this infamous oligarchy,
that by free election we may estab-
lish the people in power. All honest
men will acquiesce in the necessity for
the assertion of popular rights and
renunciation of all allegiance and sub
lection to base organization which
masquerades under the name of a
great and honored party.
They have been deaf to the voice of
Justice; they have profaned the halls
If legislation; they have debauched the
elections. they have stuffed the ballot
boxes and prostituted honorable Office
to the most degraded service, and they
are at this very time trying TO re-esta5-
lish themselves in power under cover
of stolen cloak of r5apectability.
A manly spirit bids us forever re-
nounce the enemies of society and for
ever hold them in the deepest detesta-
ton. All political connections which
may heretofore have subsisted between
honest people and the government of
corrupt pretenders are hereby dis
solved.
We, therefore, citizens of the com
monwealth Of Pennsylvania, In COM
mon cause united, do, by the authority
of the people of the state, solemnly
publish and declare that Pennsylvania
is by right and ought to be free and in
dependent of Machine and corporate
rule, and we do hereby sever all con-
nection with it, and we declare that
allegiance thereto is totally dissolved
AS free and Independent people, we
shall exercise our political rights; and
for the support of this declaration we
mutually pledge ourselves, our fortunes
and our sacred honor