Year: 1871

Address OF the Democratic Execu.


tive Committee OF the Keystone
State-POlitieal Issues of The Day


Clearly and strongly Stated.


The following are the material por-
tions of the address to the Democracy
of Pennsylvania by the Democratic
Executive committee of that State
The paper was prepared by ex-Secretary
jeremiah S. Black:


The Executive Committee Of the
Democracy Of this State, to whom the
following address was referred by the
recent State Convention, now present
the same to you as embodying some Of
the reasons which actuate and control
the organization they represent: We
here solemnly renew our often repeated
declaration Of fidelity 10 the great prin.
ciples upon which our party has acted
from the time Of its first organization
Our ultimate objects are those OF our
fathers when they adopted the Federal
Constitution, viz: To form a more per-
feet union, to establish justice, to insure
domestic tranquility, to promote the
general welfare, to provide for the COM
mon defense, and secure the bless
ings Of liberty to ourselves and our pos
terity." We sincerely believe that the
government Of the United States, ad-
ministered as it was in former days,
with a direct view to the advancement
of these principles, would do for us
and our children all that any peo'
pie can reasonably desire from the
political system under which they live:
We are equally sure that if not carried
out in the spirit OF those by whom it
was framed, it must become curse in
stead of blessing. Situated as we are,
obedience to the fundamental law means
not only the honest performance OF
sworn obligations, but freedom, peace,
and prosperity to all classes OF the peo-
pie. On the other hand, the usurla-
ton of interdcted or undelegated power
is not only q crime in itself, but the
fruitful parent OF other crimes, and will
lead, as it has already led, to indefinite
misgovernment, corruption and tyranny,
subverting all liberty, and rendering the
rights of all men insecure. When we
speak OF the Federal Constitution, we
mean the whole instrument, with all Its
amendments, and acknowledge the equal
obligation Of every part Several OF
those amendments were carried by brute
force and frauds upon the public will so
glaring as to take from their authors all
claim upon our respect. But we cannot
deny that they have actually become a
part of the Constitution; nor can we
avoid that fact, nor get behind it, by
showing the corrupt misconduct OF the
men who at that time controlled Con-
gress and mastered the State Legisla-
lures. Whosoever swears to support
the Constitution must perform all that
is nominated in the bond. Any
change which experience and reason
shall prove to be desirable must be
made in the prescribed way, and not by
revolutionary and disorderly means.


THE DECLARATION OF 1871.


No candid person will deny that the
leading men in power at Washington
have broken the pledges they made to
the people, and, in reckless disregard OF
their oaths, they have violated the
plainest provisions OF the Constitution.
They have deprived the States OF their
sacred right OF selfgovernment in mat
ters purely local, and disarmed them Of
the power to enforce their own laws for
the preservation of order within their
own boundaries. They have passed
bills OF pains and penalties, operating
on millions at once, without regard TO
the guilt or innocence OF the parties.
They have trampled on all the securi-
ties OF life, liberty and property. They
have treated the habeas corpus law with
contempt, and denied the right Of trial
by jury. They have sent out swarms Of
their hireling agents with instructions
to kidnap, imprlson and kill free citl-
zens for political offenses, without judi
cial accusation, warrant or trial. They
have not only trodden upon the great
principles, embodied in the original
Constitution as it came from the
hands OF its trainers, but even
the amendments, which they them.
selves interpolated, have been
broken without remorse whenever
it suited their interest. In defiance OF
the XIIIth amendment, they have
doomed many persons to the worst
kind Of slavery or involuntary servi-
tude" in the public prisons, without the
pretence Of any crime whereof the par
ty was legally convicted" In the face
OF the XIVth they have abridged the
EQUAL rights" of whole masses Of white
citizens. Without the least respect for
the right OF universal suffrage, guaran.
teed by the XVIII, they have interfered
both forcibly and fraudulently to pre-
vent fair elections, and to set them aside
after thev were held. These outrages
upon justice, liberty and law have been
perpetrated, not during the conflict OF a
civil war-uot in moments Of wild pas
sion or heated excitement--but in cold
blood, upon deliberate reflection, IN a
time Of profound peace, in full. view OF
the consequences, and their authors
have followed out this line Of policy,
step BY step. with persistency which
shows their fixed determination for the
future, as in the past, to be
bound by no oath and held by
no promise. The two last and
most i'm portant Of their anti-constitu.
tioual measures show more distinctly
than others their settled design to stran-
ole the liberties Of the nation, and take
nerpetual power into their own hands.