The Danger Of Centralization

We extract the following i'roni the speech of Hon. J. 11. Dooi.ittle, accepting the Democratie noniintition for Governor of Wisconsin : Gentlemen, among tho otVier importaal issues of the present the greatest is this, via : Whether our governmeni is to be in gubst'vnco. if nol in fonn, re volutionized ? Whether tlie fedoral govcrnineiit is to reina ui is wii tathen xuade it, baaed npon a writtea constitution, limitiag and deiiiiinii ita powers, and reserving the masa f powers not delegated to the severa] States and to the peoplo ; or whether it is to bccome a government of unl.'mited and centralized power? In a word, ■whether tüe United States ghall continue to be a Union of States under the Constitution or become a oentralized despo tism at Washington, tobe ruled by the sacret resolver of a caucus, and by the President at the head of the ariny. Our fsithful representativos at Washington eay : "Under tho pretence of passing laws to enforco tho Föurtevnth amendment and for other purposee, Conprees lias conferred the moii despotio powers upon the executive, and provided an official m - ohinery by whioh the lihertiee of the people are menoced, and tlie sacred rights of local self government in the States ignored, i? not tyrannically overthrown. Modeled' by the sedition laws so odious in history, they are at vnrianco with all 1 hr ■iinetified theories of our institutions and the construction giren by these radical interpreters to the Fourteeeth aimendmont is, to use the language of an eminent senator - Trumbull, of Illinois, " an annihilator of tho. Btates." Under the last enforcement bül, the Executive nwy in his discretion thrust aside the government of any State ; suspend the writ of habeas corpus ; arrest its Govei'nor ; iinprison or disperse its legislatura ; silence its judges, and trample down its peo])le. Undfer the armed heel of his troops, nothing is left to tho pople or State which can any longer bo called a right ; all is changed into mere sufferance." As certain as we live this is the issue and" danger upon us now. Everybody feels that a rerolution is going on in that direction, - the very ground giving away under our feet. Radicáis admit it. Sonie avow and justify it ; and some of the best friends of republican government fear that the revolution has already gone too far to be arrested. But, gentlemen, let us not despair, trutn will rise agafn.In the nature of thingi, in our systcm of government, t vo forces are always at work, lïlce the two forces in our planetary system - the one tendiug to draw all p:;u;ets to the center - the other to tako them out of the system altogether. They have ïieen constantly struggliug with each other from the beginning and from before tho beginning. As by a comproihi'so of forces the plariets were made to revolvc in thcir orbits around tüe snn, si. by a wise compromiso and balance of forces in our political system, our composite fonn of Lrovernmcnt waa mnde. To the federal government waa given certain defïnod and delegated powere necessary tothe Tnion. to the commou defense, and to the general welfare. All Hie remainderv except just enough to'carry into'effoct the powers delegated, w re ved to the States and to the people. With men of extreme views and radical tendencies, it seems almost itnpoggsNe to coinprehcnd a liinitation of rights and powers. To illustrate : With the radicáis of tho South, and I might add, some at the North before the war, the federal goverament had n rights the States were bound to respect. The war, I think, has Onred or onght to cure that delnsian, but I fear it lias given rise to another ; for, since the wur. the radicáis of the North seeni to think the States nave no nghts the iedpral govornment is bound to respect : and1 this bist rlelusion is as daugerous to liberfy as the first. Extreme follows extreme. The pendulam, from one sido of the aro swings always totheother; nnd the higher it rises on the One Bidé the higher it rises on thc other. Tho rebound from a war began wben the Southern radical's idea of all power in the States, is now, undor the lead of thopo who control thi.s adminietration, fast driving all power into the federal government. I repeat, in my opinion, gentlemen, the real issue paramount over all others at tbis moment is, whcther the true republicnn form of governnu nt of our fathcrs shall give way to centralization and to military despotism. It Iris already made iontr strides in that direction. The great duty of the Democratie party, and of all who lovc republican libert}' is to lmry all tho issues of the past and to unite in an honett, eamest and solfsaorificing effort to arrest the further progress of that revolution. We can only do that by a change of administration ; by restoring, as far as the constitnKon w 1 allow it, to State legislaturas, State judi; ciaries. State executivcs, and State military torces, the defense and maintenance of tho righls and liberties of the people, which centralized power cannot r1ofend, but will cortainly destroy - by placing the civil above the military power in all the States ; by reducing the standing army - with itslife tenures, arisiocratic tendencies and extravagant expenditures - and by preventing its further interference with the freedom of elections. Other issues and duties of ereat imporiancc rest apon us also, growiag our forcipn relations, fir.ance, national debt, tariif aud internal revenue reform. Gentlemen, let us 01 riotory and not defeat in t' ,: contest. M.'iny wh( u of the past ■■ upon tho iaeuea o:' the 1 m my more are coming. Let them all oome. 1 . 1 s restore toi1 prestige aod powi ld Democratie Repubbcan party ferson, of Madison, and of Jaokson. Let us cordially invite to its gupp are with ffisnpon the great issuee in volved - all who love republican institutions as established by our fatlierp, in gubsi mee us trc as in name ; all who cherish repuVilican dlnplioity, integrity, economy, and fideiity, everywhere in State and Federal adminutration : all who would liglitf.n the heavy pecuuiary buiden of our propio by its moro equal distribution ; and all who, while maintaining the national faitii and honor iuviolate, look forward with hope and courage tothe return of that period when the burdene of the general government will bo as light m its blessinjrs are benefioent, when the rich will nut bo niiiilc; richer, and thepoor pooror, by act of Oongress; when Federal and State govenunrnts, eaoh in theil sphere, proteoting the cqual rights of all, and granting favors to none, shall, in the languiigo of General Jackson, bestow their hlessings "Hko the dews ofheaven anseen and unfelt save in the richnoss and beauty they contribute to produce.' [Loud and prolonged applnuse.]