Year: 1877

AGAINST A GREAT REGULAR


81. ARMY.


From his Speech at Maysville. KY, Aug A.


The wrongs, the frauds, the usrii pations
of the Radical rulers have been so
often aud so successfully exposed that a
large majority of the States and people
have condemned and repudiated them,
and to-day a Democratic President would
be presiding over the public, but for the
most scandalous end unblusbing fraud
ever perpetrated in modern bistol (which
YVES only rendered possible by the most
shameful cowardice and imbecility on the
part OF the Democratic leaders. We
have again verified the adage that "an
army of stays led by a lion is braver than
al army of lions led by a stag" But
or principles are not impaired, nor our
positions weakened, either by the frauds
of our opponents of the cowardice of our
leaders. ., .....l.


" truth is mighty, and public Justice
certain" even those who profited by the
wrong have been compelled to do hom-
age to the justice of our demands, and re-
move the iron heel of the Federal soldiers
from the necks of the last of the pros
trate states OF South.


All the leading Republican papers are
demanding an increase of the Federal
Army. To all such ideas the Democratic
party are absolutely and unalterably
opposed. No evil can be worse than
that proposed by the Republican press
and party; it is an end of libeiSy regula-
ted by law; it is the boldest and most
unblushihg demand for a centralized,
consolidated Government which hes yet
been advanced. An army, such as is
demanded, under President like Gen.
Grant would become at once masters of
the situation. When it strikes, as it is
far more likely to strike than any other
organization, the death-knell of liberty
will have struck; the Petorian Guards
will name and maintain the Emperor.


know of no instance under Radical
rule in which Federal soldiers have
not been the ready tools of their mas
ters. Gen. Terry destroyed the Legis-
lature of Georgia. Sheridan and De
Trobriand crushed out liberty in Lou
is ana. ALI were ready to march on
" ashiDgton and eject if necessary a
Democratic House of Representative
last winter under the lead of their
masters. We have had enough of Fed
eral bayonets regulating State affairs,
and will not lay the liberties of the
people, their Constitutions and rights
at the feet of any dictanr. 1t is the
height of impudence for party that
has strlven to break down State au-
thority that has absolutely prohibited
in many of the States the arming and
equipping of State militia or volunteer
military organic atiOns to preteud that
the men of the State are not to BE-
trusted with preserving the peace
within their own borders. Do they
pretend that the material of which the
regular army is composed is more pat
riotic more intelligent more devoted
to maintaining the rights and preserv-
ing the lives liberties and property of
the people than the citizens of the re-
spective States who may be organized
on the call of their Governors for that
purpose? They read history strangely
if they arrive a: such conclusions.
The Democratic party stands by the
Constitution and all its provisions and
will provide means to enforce them
without the danger of a great standing
army. The trainers of that instrument
we're wise enough and far-seeing
enough to provide for all such cuntin-
gencies as have recently arisen. The
neglect of and contempt for its provi-
sions under the consolidating process
of the radicals has caused the disgrace
full scenes we have just passed through.


Article 2 of the amendment to the
Constitution adopted by the first Con
gress provides.


A well-regulated militia being nec-
essary to the security of free State
the right of the people to keep and
bear arms shall not be infringed.


Mr.. J;fferson in his first inaugural
address among other invaluable pin
ciples which he LAID down for the guild
ance OF the people said.


A well-regulated militia is our best
reliance in time of peace and for the
first moments of war till regulars kmay
relieve them.


Warned by thr lessons of the past,
and recognizing the wisdom Of the
fathers the De emocratic party will do
all that is necessary to organize and
maintain in each State well-regulated
militia" with officers In all regards
equal to those in the regular army
who will recognize their obligations
as citizens even when acting as soldier
and with men far superior TO the mass
of the Federal soldiery--a militia that
will have the respect OF the people,
and which will ensql9 the State au-
thorities to suppress promptly all sorts
of lawlessness. We make no war on
the regular army as such. We resist
the uses to which it has been put and
we will abolish it altogether rather
than see them repeated. The ballot
box must be kept sacred from the bay
onets State and Federal Legislature
and Courts nuts not be broken up by
Federal soldiers no matter who orders
these things to be done but we will
maintain such a standing army as
will protect our frontier, guard all the
Federal property and do all that the
individual States cannot and ought
not to Go. That done militia organ
lied equipped and paid by the State
composed of such material as each
State has in abundance will not only
never strike except for liberty and
law but will be both able and willing