fP)e Centre Oemucrat. SHUOERT & FORSTER, Editors. VOL. 2. Or (frntrr Terms §1.50 per Annum, in Advance. 8. T.'SHUOERT and R. H. FORSTER, Editors. Thursday Morning, April 15, 1880. THE Hon. Heister Clymer is to be married at St. Diuis this week to Mrs. ,). 15. Clemens, of that city. AN anti-third-term convention is announced to he held at St. Louis, at which many piominent Republicans, and among them Secretary Schurz, are-to speak. • IT is claimed that Oregon has chos en five of the six delegates to the Democratic National Convention, in favor of Judge Fields, for President. They are, however, uuinstructed, and have also been claimed by the friends of Mr. Tilden. WITH Indiana Republican, and the western cities all voting the same way, matters will probably be simplified bo fore next November.— Phila. Press. Yes ! And if the Heavens were to fall, the Press editor might catch larks. JOHN SHERMAN'S bloody-shirt speech in Ohio failed to enthuse the people and he returned to Washington, dejected and unhappy, without making repairs. The Mulligans nnd third termers have now a free run over his premises. SENATOR TIIURMAN of Ohio has again been chosen President of the Senate —Mr. Wheeler, the fraudulent Vice President, having retired tempor arily. The Senators cap now felicitate themselves in having a legitimate pre siding officer instead of an illegitimate spawn of fraud. A JUDGMENT has been rendered in the Dauphin county Court against the Pennsylvania Railroad in favor of the Commonwealth, amouuting, debt, interest and costs, to 887,822.81, This was an ap|ieal from the tax settle ment for 1877, the amount in dispute being 806,82-5.62. THE Grant machine seems to have got out of repair in Illinois. The Mulligans are evidently tampering with it. The chief engineer, Logan, should he at home. He would per haps lie of more service there than in the Senate, where he is not appreciated. Ry all means let Logan go home, or recall the Duke from the South. MR. lIAYKH has given the Philadel phians, as well as Senators Wallace and Cameron, a surprise, by the nom ination of Willinm J. T. White a Census Supervisor instead of Dr. Sherwood, who was twice rejected. The nomination has not yet been acted upon by the Senate, but it is believed, unless objected to by Mr. Wallace, that it will lie confirmed. THE attempt made by a committee of lending Democrats to harmonize the existing discord in the Democratic party of New York has failed. The 'lammanyand anti-Tammany parties will therefore hold separate conven tions, and each have their representa tives at the National (,'onvention claiming admission as the true Democ racy of New York. The war cry of these factions is Tildeu and anti-Til den, and the prospect of either yield ing is not encouraging. THE Spofford-Kellogg case still hangs fire in the Senate. Why should it? Kellogg is either a very base in terloper acting as a Senator wrong fully, or entitled to retain his seat Why not declare it one way or the other? The investigation of the com mittee have shown that he obtained the place by disgraceful means from a body without authority to confer it, and the mere fact that he was forced into position by partisan blind ness, or corrupt agreement, in disre gard of the claims of a legally elected Senator, should at least entitle the case to prompt consideration and the defrauded Senator to redress. "XqUAL AND XXACT JUSTICK TO ALL MKN, or WIIATICVKR STATIC OK I'KRSLAHION, KKLIOIOLM OR POLITICAL."-J.ff.rwn ==i_- --='-3= 1 - State and Popular Rights. Tlie subject of the reservations of the Constitution is one that should at this day enlist the earnest attention of the people of the United States. Re gardless of popular rights, and the time-honored doctrine of local self government, the entire tendency of radical administration has been and is to-day towards an unconstitutional centralization of all power in the gen eral government at the expense of the reserved rights of the people and the States. Unless this teudeucy towards the exercise of unwarranted power is cheeked in time it will not be long until the whole practice of govern ment is changed, and we will find our selves ruled exclusively from above, instead of the jieople ruling from be low according to the true Democratic theory u|>on which the fathers found ed the Federal governmcut. In a timely article upon this subject the Philadelphia Record remarks that "the first ten amendments of the Federal Constitution are a decalogue of State and popular rights. Though not em bodied in the instrument as originally framed, they were adopted almost sim ultaneously with it, having every one of them been projiosed by some one or other of the States as conditions of their acceptance of it as the compact of orgauic union. They all operate as general restrictions upon the powers of Congress, and they are for the most part attirmutivc either of the inaliena ble rights of individuals, or of the civil and political rights substituted as a compensation for their surrender. They were manifestly adopted from superabundant caution, inasmuch as the rights they guarantee would seem to have been already sufficiently guard ed by the State Constitutions and hills of rights. To forestall any infringe ment of thein at the hands of the cen tral Government a patriotic solicitude for the popular liberties and for the cardinal rights of the great munici palities that compose the Union in sisted upon their solemn and s|>ecific affirmation in that national charter which was to be tho "supreme law of the land." The 9th and lthh amend ments are especially significant. They provide that "the enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage oth ers retained by the people," and that "the powers not delegated to the Unit ed States by the Constitution, nor pro hibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively or to the people." There is an essential unity in these provisions, and they might have been embodied logically in a single statement. The one was intend ed to anticipate and preclude any per verse ingenious misapplication of the maxim expressio unius est exeliuia alter- I'lM —that an affirmation in particular cases implies a negation in all others. The other merely affirms a necessary rule for interpreting the Constitution, which being an instrument of limited and enumerated powers what is not con ferred by it is withheld and retained by the State Governments if vested in them by their Constitutions, and if not so vested remains with the people as a part of their residuary sovereignty. Were it not for this provision color might be found for the claim that un formulated powers —those not defined in either the Federal or the Htate Con stitutions —might be asserted by the national authority. The utmost that can be claimed by the advocates and promoters of cen tralization under the tenth amend ment is that it does not confine, the Federal Government to the exercisoof express powers; for implied powers must necessarily have been admitted unless the Constitution had descended to the regulation of the minutest de tails of legislation. It is a general principle that all bodies politic possess all the powers incident to a corporate capacity without any formal declara tion to that effect, and one of the imper fections which led to the abolition of BELLEFONTE, FA., THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 188(1. the Confederation was its denial to Congress of the exercise of any power "not expressly delegated." Rut while it was not intended by this amendment to abridge any of the {towers granted to the-Uniou —whether express or im plied, direct or incidental —it manifest ly was designed to exclude any con struction by which other {lowers be yond those granted should lie assumed. All powers "not delegated"—either expressly or by fair implication—were meant to be reserved. A resort to equivocal methods under the specious plea of necessity is one of the most formidable dangers which menace the rights of tho States and the ultimate sovereignty of the people. Modern statesmen have discovered in the verbiage of the Federal Constitution a vast reservoir of latent {lowers. The whole protective tariff system, in all its magnitude, hangs upon the two words "general welfare" in the text of the article relative to revenue. And in the single word "manner" in anoth !er article is found authority in the | General Government to regulate the entire conduct of elections for mem bers of Congress in any and all the States. The same construction which is relied on for the validity of Federal , supervision through deputy marshals and other officials over the polls open !ed to elect Representatives in Con i gross can be with equal propriety ex ' tended to authorize an invasion of i Htate legislatures for the purpose of | su|icrintetiding the choice of United States Senators. Under the vicious rule of constitutional interpretation which the cousolidulioiiists show a dis position to adopt the most revolution ary aims may be accomplished, and our entire govcrmental system may be vitally changed. Discarding the safe landmarks of contemporaneous Ajio sition, and setting itfr(ffhg attached by the framers of our organic law to the words they used, these new expounders of the Constitution—much after the fashion of some religious sec taries in dealing with the Scriptures— boldly assert the right to wrest its . language by attenuated and flimsy verbal criticism into pretexts for the most unwarranted departures from the known intention of the authors of that instrument. It is high time to call a halt to the vagaries of these modern doctrinaires." THE election for Governor and Representatives took place last week in Rhode Island. There was no choice of Governor by the people. The election will therefore devolve i upon the new Legislature just chosen. i The Republican candidate for Gover nor, Alfred H. Littleton, run behind his ticket, but notwithstanding the voters caught the scratching infection to a considerable extent, the Legisla ture isdoubtlesg Republican, nnd will secure his election. How could it be otherwise in Rhode Island, where many of the best men in the State arc disfran chised, because they are not in posses sion of a free-hold estate, and where laborers in manufactories are marched to the polls as chattels of the proprie tors to vote the Republican ticket? A MONO the many articles we have seen in praise of Gen. Grant by his admirers, we cannot discover that any one has claimed for him the merit of successful statesmanship. He has been twice in the Presidential chair, and if his public acts in that capacity would bear criticism, one would natu rally suppose they would be brought forward to prove his claims and fitness for a third term. This omission on the part of his advocates may well challenge the reflection of those who desire the affairs of the government to be properly administered. His suc cess in arms, by an immense and per haps reckless sacrifice of fife, is not sufficient in times of peace to commend him to thoughtful men who believe that enlightened statesmanship is a de sirable factor in managing the affairs of a great government. . . * ! 1 HE case of AVhittnker, the colored Went Point cadet, who was found in h u room one morning lust week in an appnrentlv unconscious condition, with his leet and hands bound and his ears cut, is undergoing a searching investigation by a board of army ofli- I cers. "Whittaker tells a plausible sto ry about the outrage upon him, and lies stood up well under a sharp cross examination ; and yet there are certain circumstances in connection with the affair that have given rise to grave suspicions that all the injury tlii • young man suffered was self-iuflicted, or inflicted with the aid of an acconi- | plice for a purpose. This may of course be mere conjecture, but as yet no clue has been found to fix the per petration of the cowardly deed UJKIU any one connected with the school. The cadets ns a body indignantly dis avow any knowledge, lot or part in it. - \V hoever the gniltv parties may be, they deserve not only exposure but i | rigorous punishment, and it is to IK.- ■ hoped that the board of inquiry w ill lie successful in discovering the truth in orfer that ull parties may receive sfnet justice. i | JTIIK name of Hon. Charles A. May- j President Judge of this judicial di i twt is mentioned in very compliment- j ajVf terms in various seetious of the 1 . di connection with the demo . ertaic nomination for A bail, on condition of appearing before [ thi court for sentence on the L'tSth in stant. The bail was fixed at $">,000, and J. C. Bombarger, the wealthy bauker of Harrisburg, became bis 1 bondsman. It is not improbnble that through some hocus-pocus of "addition, '■ division and silence" these men may yet escape the penalty of the law for the crime of which they have lieon ad judged guilty, and if they do in the end • get off without punishment, we trust there will be a day of reckoning for ( the officials who thus make a farce of the administration of justice. THE action of the democratic State convention of luisiniia. savs the Har risburg Patriot, places Gen. Hancock , in the field ns a candidate for the dem ocratic nomination for president. It was Gen. Hancock who liberated the people of Ixiuisiana from the military despotism established in that State by the republican party, and his recom , inendation for the presidency by the Louisiana democrats is an act of grati ' tude which challenges the admiration 1 of the whole country. It proves that the democrats of the South respect and admire a northern soldier who fought , for the Union and who believes in con stitutional government. 1 THE proposition to fuse the Repub licans and re-adjustcrs in Virginia, is denounced in very strong terms by the New York Timet, as a measure fraught with great danger to the Republican party. The Times expresses the opin ion that such a representation to the Chicago Convention would not be ad mitted, and if it were, would do the 1 party more injury than could finally accrue, even if the State of Virginia were carried against the Democracy by fhe fusion. . GENERAL NEWS. Louisiana will send Hancock dele gates to the Democratic National Con vention. There is at present quite an exodus of the young men of Halifax, N. S., to the I 'nited States. It is reported that frost last week ruined Hie peach crop of Delaware on the lower peninsula. Mike McKee, a well known character in (lil ( 'ity, committed suicide on Friday hy taking hydrate of chloral. The Delaware peach crop last year was 4,000,000 baskets, nnd the Wilmington Kerning says there is reason to believe thai this year it will reach 7,OOO,er, 1879. The company had made the ap praisement at tho average during the entire year. The difference in the ap praisement is eleven dollars a share, and the whole amount involved is $470,000. As it is a test case the decision will put into tbe treasury $150,000 in dispute. The old and unsightly Monongahela suspension bridge at Pittsburg is at last to give place to a more modern struct ure fifteen feet higher. Tbe present bridge was built in 1845, immediately after the great fire which destroyed tbe previous structure. When the coal in terest* became prominent it waa discov ered that the structure was too close to the water to allow ordinary tow boats to pass under, and the coal men have long anathematized it AS A nuisance. About 11 o'clock Sunday forenoon fire was discovered on the roof of the old McCiinlock Hotel, Petroleum Cen tre, seven miles north of Gil City, sup |iosed to have originated from a defec tive flue. The town being wholly un provided with a fire Apparatus and a strong wind blowing from the southeast at the time, the flames spread rapidly through the heart of the town, destroy ing nearly all of what remained of what was at one time one of the leading towns of the oil country. Saturday afternoon the Harrisburg Car Shop Company's planing mill waa destroyed by fire. A high wind made it spread rapidly from building to build ing. The Are was first discovered on the oorner of the roof over the engine. It is supposed that a spark ignited It quantity of shavings on the roof, and at that particular time while the men were either in the mill or at their homes eating their dinner, it was unnoticed until too late. A correspondent of the New York Herald who was on the vessel with Geo. Grant during the storm that threatened the loss of its precious freight, writes respecting the condition of affairs in the department where the General waa. He says: "That while the oountry was OOR vulsed with fear lest the hero of Appo mattox might find a watery grave, and TKIIMM: XI.-Ml |H-r Annum, In Advam*. I thousands of pious j>co| ]e a 1 over the : land were down on their knees praying j for his safety, count*,) OiwifTlf. The silly war of faction between the ! personal followers of Senator Wallace and Speaker Randall, which has threat ened demoralization to the Democratic I party in this State, seems to be in a j fair way of ceasing, and promises to re j suit advantageously to the entire or ; ganization. The basis of compromise as foreshadowed in the Philadelphia is so fair that as yet no Demo cratic politician has entered an objec tion. Senator Wallace ia the recog nized leader of the party in the State, and with the united support of the ac tive politicians, satisfactory results may be predicted in the coming campaign. Wallace has been abused by the oppos ing factions most bitterly, and his rec ord justifies what he says in a private letter to the editor of this paper when he remarks that "1 do not strike back, but go forward steady in my purpose to serve the best interestsol my party and unite its forces. 1 may err in judgment, but 1 will not yield that judgment to virulence and abuse. If my party pre fers the views, purposes and leadership of others, 1 am oonlent, and will gladly take my place in the ranks of iu sol diery." The party should not attempt to change the leadership, but unite the forces in a grand effort for victory. We are aware that Wallace is opposed to Tilden. but we firmly believe that hit best efforts will be tendered the nomi nee of the Cincinnati convention. Exports and Imports In February. From the ttsw York Rmnlng hS. Tho monthly statement of the Rureau of statistics shows a continuance of the increase in the imports of the country, without a corresponding gain in the ex porU, which has been the case for some months past. During February the im ports of merchandise amounted to $55,- 600,000, against $35,400,000 for the me month of 1879—the increase being at the rate of 57 per cent. The exporU of produce and merchandise for the month aggregate $<11.200,000. compared with 964 800.000 in 1879. For the first eight months of the fiscal year the im- B>rts of merchandise alone amount to 97,300,000, against $587,500,000 for the same months of 1878-9, showing an increase of 9109,800,000. Adding the import* of specie to those of good*, the total for the eight months reaches s+B4,- 500,000, against 9305.300.000 for the like period of 1878-9 showing an in crease of 9182,900,000, or over 60 per cent. NO. II!.