SUBSCRIPTION BATES :
Per year, in advanco tl 50
Otherwise 2 00
No snbocription will bo discontinued until all
arrearage* are paid. Postmasters neglecting to
notifv ax when subscriber* do not take ont their
papers * ill be lield liable for the subscription.
Snl>scriberß removing from one jwttoffice to
another should give us the name of the former
as well as the present office.
All communications intended for publication
n this paper must be accompanied by the real
name of the writer, not for publication, but as
a guaiantee of good faith.
Marriage and death notices must be accompa
nied by a responsible name.
Address BUTI.ER CITIZE.S,
BUTLER. PA.
TttAV-KL.EBS' QUIDE.
BUTLER, KAKSB CITT AND PARKSR RAII.ROAH
(Fntlcr Time-.)
Traira leave Bailor for St. Joe, Millerstown,
K' rn» City, Pctrolia, Parker, etc., at 7.i"» a. m.,
an J 2(0 and 7!?0 p. m. [See below for con
nections with A. V R. R.)
Trains arrive at Uatler from the above named
points at 7.'.5 a. in., and I .S3, and 6.5.5 p. m.
The 1.55 train connects with train on the West
Penn ro-id through to Pittsburgh.
9HENAWOO AND ALLEGHENY RAIL.KOAP.
Trains leave Uilliard's Mill, Butler county,
for Harrisville, Greenville, etc., at 7.40 a. m.
and 12.20 and 2.20 p. m.
Stages lea 1 e Petrolia at 5 30 a. m. for 7.4 C
train, and at 10.00 a. m. tor 12.20 traiu.
Return stages leave Hilliard on arrival of
trains at 1*>.27 a, in. and 1.50 g- m.
Static leaves Mattiusburg at 9.30 for 12.30
train.
PENN'iTXVANIA BAII.ROAD.
Trains leave Butler (Butler or Pittsburgh Time.)
Market at 5.06 a. tn., •:<** through to Alle
gheny, arriving at 9.01 a. ra. This train cun-
Leets at Frecport with Freeport Accommoda
tion, which arrives at Allegheny at 8.20 a. m.,
railroad time.
Exprctt at 7.21 a. m., connecting at Butler
Junction, without change of cars, at 8.20 with
Exp;ess west, arriving In Allegheny at 9.5S
a. m., and Express east arriving at Blalrsville
at 11 00 a. m. railroad time.
Mail at 2.36 p. m., connecting at Butler June
tioDwitbont change of cars, with Express wesl,
arriving in Allegheny at 5 2<J p. m., and Ex
pre*« can arriving at Blnirsviile Intersection
at 6.10 p. in. railroad time, which conuects w'th
Philadelphia Express ea-t, when on time.
The 7.21 a. m. train connects at Blalrsville
at li.Gsa m. with the Mail east, and the 2 36
p.m. train at 6.59 with the Philadelphia Ex
press east.
Train* arrive at Butler on '.Vest Penn It. R. at
fi.r.l a. m , 5 0« and 7.20 p. m., Butler time. The
9,51 and 5.06 trains connect with trains on
the Rtitler & Parker R. R. Sun ay tr..in arrives
nt Bu'le-at 11.11 a. m., connecting with traiu
lor Parker.
Main I.inf.
Through trains leave Pittsburgh tor the En*'
at 2.56 and B.2ii a. ID. and 12 51, 4.21 ar.d 8.06 p.
in., arriving at Philadelphia at 3.40 and 7.20
p. in. and 3.00, 7.0 and 7.40 a. ID.; at Baltimore
about the same t'mc. at New York three benrs
later, and at Washington about one and a hall
Lours later.
"PHYSICIANS.
JOHN E. BYERS,
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON,
myai-lyl BUTLER, PA.
D E N TIST S.
DENTISTRT.
o|# WALDRON, Graduate of the Phil-
It adelpbia Dental College,is prepared
■ II •to do atif thing in the liue of his
profession in a satisfactory manner.
Office on Main street, Butler, Union Block,
up stairs, apll
BANKS.
TITE BUTLER
SAVINGS BANK
BUTLER. 1* A.
NEARLY OPPOS.TE LOYFRY IIOUSE.
CAPITAL STOCK] 60,000.
WM. CVJCFBELL, JAB. D. ASMBSO*.
President. Vice President.
W*. CAXIBZLI.. Jr., Cashier.
DIRECTORS
Williim Campbell, J. W. Irvrin,
Jan. D. Anderson, Qeorge Weber,
Joseph L. Purvis.
Does a General Banking A Exchange business.
Interest paid on time deposits. Collections made
and prompt returns at low rates of Exchange.
Gold Exchange and Government Bonds bought
and sold. Commercial paper, bonds, judgment
and oth«rsecurities bought at fair rates. 1a20:1y
LAND FOR SALE,
"FOR SALE.
A handsome six-room frame house, located
on Bluff street, northwestern part of Butler.
Lot 50x176. All necessary outbnildiuus,
TERMS —Ore-third cash and balance in four
equal annual payments. Inquire at this office,
jail 14 tf
For teale.
TUo well-improved farm of Rev. W. R. Hutch
ison, in the northeast corner of Middlesex town
ship, Butler county, Pa., is now offered for sale,
low. Inquire of W. K. FRISBEE, on the prem
isfctt. aplfttf
"FOR SALE.
15 will buy a one-ball interest In a good bus
iness in Pittsburgh. One who kuows some
thing about farming preferred. An honest man (
with the above amount will do well to address
by letter, SMITH JOHNS, cafe 8. M. James,
93 Liberty street; Pittsburgh, Pa. |au27-ly
INSURANUK
Incorporated 1819.
>ETNA INSURANCE COMPANY ,
OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.
Asets $7,078,224.49.
Losses paid In 61 years, $51,000,000.
J. T. McJUNKIN & SON, Agents,
Jan3Bly Jefferson street, Butler, Pa. 1
BUTLER COUNTY '
Mutual Fire Insurance Co.
Office Cor, Main and Cunningham Sts. 1
G. C. ROESSING, PRESIDENT.
WM. CAMPBELL, TREASURER.
H. C. IIEINEM AN, SECRETARY.
DIRECTORS:
J. L.Purvis, | E. A. Helmboldt, <
William Campbell, !J. W. Burkhart,
A. Trontman, Jacob Schoene,
G. C. Roefising, j John Caldwell, (
Dr. VV. lrvin, I W. W. Dodds, J
J. W. Christy i H. C. Heineinan.
JAS. T- M'JUNKIN, Gen, AS't- C
FA- I
NOTICE TO FARMERS. »
PHOSPHATE UNO FERTILIZERS |
FOR SALE BY '
JAMES ENGLISH,
marl 7 2ra PORTERSVILT.E. PA. I
11 K* RFOTHTIe, :
FIDE MERCH&NT TIILOR,;
COR. PENN AXD SIXTH BTREETS. j
Pittsburgh. Pa
15. lioessiny;,
[Successor to A. C. Roesaing it Bro.] 1
DEALER IN ,
Groceries,
GRAIN, FLOUR, FEED, OIL, j
—AND—
Anthracite Goal.
THE HIGHEST MARKET PRICE PAID VA
•9-CASH-W
FOB GRAIN OF ALL KINDS.
Mp4tf
VOL. XVII.
BOOTS and SHOES
tnviorv ISLOCK,
[ Main Street, » - Butler, Pa.
I
I have just receiver! my entire Spring and Summer stock of BOOTS and
SHOES direct front the manufacturer, and am able to sell them at
OLD PRICES,
and a great many lines at LOWER PRICES THAN ER.
Ladies', Misses' and Children's Button, Polish and Side Lace Boots in
endless variety, and at bottom prices.
Reynolds Brothers' celebrated fine Shoes always in stock, and is the most
complete I have ever offered. The prices are lower than ever, and styles
elegant.
Parties wanting BOOTS & SHOES made to order can do no better than
by me, as I keep none but the best of workmen in my employ.
LEATHER and FINDINGS will be found in my store in superior
quality and at lowest market rates.
gCgr*All goods warranted as represented. AL. RUFF,
OPENING DAILY^
JVT —
TIIE LARGEST AND BEST ASSORTMENT OF
Boots and Shoes
To be found in any House In Western Pennsylvania, em
bracing ail the Newest Spring Styles in the Market.
I am selling all this stock at
OLD PRICES.SJ
Recollect, NO ADVANCE.
Several lines of Boots and Shoes at even lower prices than ever. All my
customers have the benefit in buying by getting Boots and Shoes
that come direct from the manufacturer to my house.
No middle profits to divide up that parties
are compelled to pay that buy
from jobbing houses.
This Stock of Boots and Shoes is Very Large in the Following Lines
Ladies' Kid and Pebble Button Boots, - - - - $1.50 and upwards.
" " " " Side Lace Boots, ... 1.25 " "
" Grain, Pebble and Kid Button and Polish, - 1.25 " "
" " Polish, 95" "
" " Standard, very prime, - 1.25 " "
" Serges, in Congress and Polish, .... 75 to sl.
" Calf Peg Shoes, all warranted.
MY STOCK EMBRACES, IN CONNECTION WITH TIIE ABOVE, A FULL LINE OF ALL
THE FINER GRADES IN WOMEN'S, MISSES' AND CHILDREN'S.
The Gents' Department is very complete in every line in Calf
Button, Dom Pedros, Congress and English "Walking Shoes, and especially in
Calf Boots, at $2 and upwards,
Brogans and Plow Shoes, at $1 and upwards,
Fine Buff Alexis and Congress, at $1.25 and upwards,
Low Strap Shoes, in every style, at $1.25 and upwards.
Boys' and Youths' Shoes in same styles as Men's, but lower in price.
Infants' and Children's Shoes, in Colors and Black.
Fancy Slippers and Walking Boots, All Colors.
This stock is the most complete I have ever offered, the prices are
than ever, and the styles are elegant. Ladies' Kid and Pebble Button New-'
ports, good, $1 to $1.25.
LARGE STOCK, OF LEATHEH AMD, FINDINGS
Always in stock. None but the best brands of Leather kept, and prices guar
anteed at lowest market rates.
|3gjPGive me a call and I 'will save you money in your Boots and Shoes.
A careful inspection of this stock will convince you th:it the above is correct.
No other house can give you lower prices or better goods.
B. C. HUSSI/TOg?.
CARPETS! OIL CLOTHS! MATS! liUGS! STAIR RODS
x NEW STOCK! KEW STOCK I >
g
g HECK & PATTERSON'S p
i NEW CARPET BOOM !
<1 ' f-t
UNTOW . OJPEN"!
H
g Qeie Q&QF South e£ OlQthicrg ticc
23 Block, Bept2o-tf Butler. I»a. X
iSf>q~SXVK iSHXO r 13710 isxajavo
Union Woolen Mills. I
I wr,uld det<ire to call the attention of the
pnb'oc to the Union Woolen Mill, Bnfler, I'a..,
whet® I have new and improved machinery for
the manufacture of
Barred and Gray Flannels,
Knitting and Weaving Yarns,
an/1 I can recommend them as being verv dura
ble as they are manufactured of pure "Bntler
county wool. They are beautiful iu color, su
perior in texture, and will be sold at -very low
T rices. For samples and prices, addroia,
H. FULLEKTON,
Ju124.'78-Ijp) BnlJer. Pa
ft J TIT Pf 13 stops, 3 set Reeds, 2 Knee
UilUtAilW Swells. Stool, Book, only
$87.50. 8 Stop Organ. Stool, Book, only *53.75.
Pianos, Stool, Cover, Book, #l9O to ♦255. Illus
trated catalogue free. Address
apU-8m W. 0. BUNNELL, Lewi (town, Pa.
I Stock Speculation and Investment.
Operations on Margin or by Privileges. Spe
cial busincKS in Mining Stocks. Full particulars
on application. JAMES BROWN, Dealer in
Stocks and Bonds, (il & C 6 Broadway, New York
marl 7-9 m
Forty Dollars Reward.
HORSE STOLEN.
On Tuesday night, April 27 th, there was
stolen from the premises of the subscriber,
living in Penn township, [Sutler county, Pa., a
dark bav horse, six years old, weighs between
1.300 and 1,400 pounds, small star on the fore
head, shoulders somewhat sore from the wear
of the collar. A reward of will be paid for
information that will lead to the recovery of
the horse. HARVY OSBORN,
myft-3t. < j lade Mills, P. O. Butler Co. Pa.
BUT LEE, PA., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 80, 1880
; C. WATTLEY&CO
ABE DAILY RECEIVING
Fresh and Seasonabls Goods!
SI'CH AS
I Spring Gloves,
Cotton and Lisle Thread Hose,
Fringe*, Trimmings, Buttons,
Ribbons,
Laces, Embroideries,
Handkerchiefs,
' Lace and Embroidered Ties,
Summer Underwear,
Elegant Neckwear for Men,
| AND FULL STOCK OF
Ladies and Men's Furnishing Goods.
{Sf'Otir increased Boom enables us to give pur
chasers the very best value lor tlieir money.
G. WATTLEY&CO.
109 FEDERAL ST. ALLEGAENY CITY P.\.
OPPOSITE FIRST NATIONAL BANK.
THE
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St, Louis
RAILWAY CO.
T«iß[[i)itEll
Oilers the best facilities ami most comfortable
am! expeditious Line for families
moving to points in
KANSAS,
ARKANSAS,
TEX & 9
ITEBHAaK A,
CALIFORNIA,
OB ANY OF THE WESTERN STATES AND
TERBITORIE3.
Uli: VElti LOWEST RATES
TO ALI. POINTS IN THE
WEST & SOUTH-WEST
CAN ALWAYS BK SECURED VIA THE
OLD RELIABLE
PAK-HANDLE ROUTE.
Tickets Sold and Baggage Checked
THROUGH TO ANY POINT YOL* WANT TO GO.
We offer you the Lowest Hates, the Quickest
Time, the lifct Facilities and the most Satisfac
tory Koute to all points West rnd South-west.
We run no Emigrant Trains. All classes of
Passengers are curried on regular Express
Trains.
If you are unable to procure Through Tick
ets to "points in Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Kan
sas, Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota. lowa, Ne
braska or California, by the direct "PAN-HAN
DLE ROUTE," at your nearest Railroad Sta
tion, please address
<»' ,
Gen'l Passenger Agent, 'Pan-Handle Koute,'
COLUMBUS, OHIO.
ST. CHARLES UOTELT
On the European 3?lan
54 to 66 North Third Street,
Philadelphia, Pa.
Single Rooms 50c., 75c. and $1 per
day.
O. I J . Sclmeck, Proprietor.
Excellent Dining room furnished
with the best, and at reasonable rates.
gsgT°Cars for all Railroad Depots
within a convenient distance.
THE GREAT ENGLISH REMEDY!
GRA rs SPECIFIC MEDICINE
TRA %*r ll ,s wrrx
jjjijt gf'ior.Seminal Weak
Before 'MVIUOO After Taking.
versal Lassitude, Pain in the back. Diminness of
Vision, Pennature Old age, and mony oth.-r dis
eases that lead to Insanity. Consumption ami a
l'eniuiture Crave all of which as a rule arcttnt
caused by deviating from the oath of nature and
over indulgence. Tl,.' Specific Medicine is the re
sult of a life study and many years of experience
in treating these special diseases.
Full particulars in our pamphlets which we de
sire to send free by mail to evcrv one.
The Specific Medicine is sold by all Druggists at
SI per package, or six packages for $6, or will be
sent bv mail oil receipt of the money by addressing
THE GRAY MEDICINE CO.,
No. 10 Mechanic's It lock. DETROIT, MICH.
Sold m Butler by J. C. KKDICK, and by all
Druggists everywhere.
£#~HARHIS& EWINO, Wholesale Agents, I'itts
burgli. inyl2-ly.
AT 75C.
Hi-inch. It lack Cash mere.
SEND I'OR SAMPLES.
YV. tC. WA&IFIILP & 00.
Mn 19A Federal street,
Uy ' ALLEGHENY, PA.
LAWNS,
Beautiful styles, plain and figured, at sc., 10c.,
154 c., l 2. r »c.
SEND FOR SAMPLES.
Printed Linen Lawns
At 'Joe.. 25<-.. :wc.
SEND FOR SAMPLES.
WHITE GOODS. ~
Piques—Lace, Stripe, Barred, corded and flg
ureil ; Vie, Lawns — I"rench Mull ; I'lain and Fig
ured Swiss ; Linen de India, Tarletan, Sc., in all
qualities, and at bargain prices.
SEND FOR SAMPLES.
AT l)OC.
IG-incli Itliifk Cashmere.
SEND FOR SAMPLES.
~ LACE 3,
For trimming Lawns, Orenadies, &c; Pat, Val,
Lace ; Point de Lauguedoc ; De Alenenu, Breton,
Torchon ; Black, French and Spanish Lace;
Hamburg and Swiss Embroidery and Inserting.
SEND FOR SAMPLES.
DRESS GOODS.
Plain and Lace Buntings : Brocade and Persian
Novelties; Black and Colored Moinies; new
shades in Cashmeres : Wool, Debege.
SEND FOR SAMPLES.
at a i c.
Yawl wide Cashmeres, (all colors.) usual price,
We. SEND FOR SAMPLES.
SUMMER SILKS, 48c., upwards.
BLACK SILKS. 75c. to *i.
COLORED SI LKS, ,;.->c.. 75c.,51.25.
BLACK SATIN. D'Lyon's, 81.50 to 53.50.
SEND FOR SAMPLES.
Domestic and Housekeeping Goods
At greatly reduced prices.
AT 81.
46-1 noli Black Cash mere.
Cheap, at $1.25. SEND FOR SAMPLES.
W.WWAltrliL© & C@.
19 A Federal PStreet,
Jlr's Allctthcny City. l*a.
A WEEK. *l2 a day at home easily made.
Augusta, Maine. dec3-ly
"AMERICAN POLITICS
Sterling Address oi' Gen. U r »n. H.
j Koontz, of Somerset, Pa., before
the t/outiy men of Pan it in and
Marshall College, Lan
caster, Pa., on June
15, 18S0.
Importance of Attending Primaries
and Putting uj> Qood Men.
I do not propose to speak of Ameri
can politics in its more enlarged sense,
that is, the administering the affairs of
the government, for were I to speak of
matters relating to State or National
affairs, or to our foreign or domestic
policy, it would l>e entering tne domain
of partisan politics, of which the pro
prieties of this occasion would not per
mit me to speak. Every public ques
tion, whether it be the question of
power of the General Government or
the several States, or of tariff, finance,
internal improvements, or any other
matter of public interest, is so involved
with party politics as forbids any refer
ence to them on this occasion.
But I do propose to speak of some
things which relate to both parties, and
to which, in view of the fact that we
are now engaging in another of those
great struggles for the political control
ofthe country, it is eminently proper to
refer at this time.
THE PEOPLE THE SOURCE OF ALL POWER.
A government in which the people
rule by means of their delegated agents,
chosen by ballot, necessarily must be
governed by political parties. As the
people are the source of all power and
as every question of public importance
must be submitted to them for their de
termination, it necessarily follows that
they will divide upon these questions,
as they may consider themselves enti
tled to their support, or deserving their
opposition. England, the greatest of
all countries save our own, and from
whence we have derived the great body
of our laws, has been governed by po
litical parties for centuries, and the
names of the two great parties—Whig
and Tory—were carried to this coun
try, and the first contest for supremacy
was fought under their banners. After
the Revolutionary war came the con
test between Federalists and anti-Fed
eralists; then between Federalists and
Republicans; then between Democrats
and Whigs, down to the organization of
parties as now known under the names
of Democrats and Republicans; and
the whole history of the country is but
a history of the triumph and defeat of
political parties.
Every great measure that has been
stamped upon the history of the coun
try has been the result of party tri
umph. The adoption of the Constitu
tion ofthe United States, the granting
and repeal of the charter of the United
States Bank, the adoption of a system
of internal jmprovements, the tariff
laws, the fugitive slave law, the Mis
souri compromise and it 3 subsequent
repeal, the war for the preservation of
the Union, and the overthrow of human
slavery are all the direct results of par
ty victory, and as it will inevitably be
the case in the future, that the policy
of the general government will be
moulded and its destiny shaped by par
ty, it is of the utmost importance that
good men of all parties, while waving
none of their rights to express their
honest convictions, should lend their
best efforts to improve the methods
which are now resorted to by all polit
ical parties.
Party strife is therefore a necessary
condition of our form of government,
and the good of the country requires
that each party be vigilant in watching
every action of its antagonist, in bring
ing its wrong actions to the light of
day and exposing them, because, were
it otherwise, the interest of the country
would suffer and our form of govern
ment eventually fall into decay and
ruin. The good of the country requires,
too, that political parties be as nearly
equally divided as possible, so that
neither may be able to maintain its as
cendancy longer than it subserves the
best interests of the country. It is im
portant, however, that party should
not be placed before country, for that
subordinates patriotism and the highest
good of the country to the merest par
tisan and sectional feeling.
American politics may be summed
up as consisting mainly of two things :
first, getting office ; second, administer
ing office—and what I shall have to
say will relate principally to the ques
tion of getting office. A party in or
der to stamp its policy upon the na
tion's laws must first secure political
power, and as nearly all the offices are
elective—the executives of the States
and the Nation ; all legislative offices,
State and National; all county and mu
nicipal offices—it is apparent that the
all important thing is to get hold of the
offices, and this leads to two inquiries:
first, how are officers chosen ? second,
are they properly chosen ?
HOW MEN UET OFFICE.
A political party, before it can com
mence the struggle with its adversary,
must prepare itself for the contest, by
making nominations of candidates and
defining its principles in such a way as
to lead voters to understand what its
purposes arc, so that before an election
can take place, there must first be the
primary meetings of the people to se
lect delegates, and then conventions of
delegates to present candidates and de
fine the policv of the party.
The voter, then, who would make
his vote felt, and make it an instru
ment whereby the policy of his party
would be filled out, must attend the
primaries, because there the delegates
are selected who go into convention
and make up the ticket, and unless he
aids at the primaries he has no other
course left than to vote the ticket thus
presented, and in making which he had
no choice, or vote the opposition ticket
or not vote at all. Here, then, is the
vital point in our system, for when
nominations are made the party lines
are drawn, and it is then frequently
too late to remedy the wrongs that
have been committed.
The system of nominating candidates
for the support of the people is a cum
brous one, is very expensive, and at
tended with many evils. It is especi
ally so in the larger centres of popula
tion, whore most of the dishonesty at
tending them prevails. Some idea may
be formed of the labor attending the
uomination and presentation of eandi
' dates, from the following statement as
to the mode of nominating candidates
in the city of New York. Says a wri
ter upon this subject: "At a general
; election in the city of New York, the
selection of candidates involves seven
ty-two primary elections by delegates
in convention. There is a primary
election by each of the three parties in
each of the twenty-four Assemby dis
tricts, to select delegates to twenty-four
j Assembly, to five Aldcrniauic, seven
j Senatorial, and to one general County
Convention, making seventy-two pri
mary elections, in which the whole
number of votes of each party (or about
50,000) may theoretically participate;
subsequently there is the choice by 72
Assembly, 15 aldermauic and 3 county
conventions in each year, and 21 Sena
torial conventions every second year,
of the candidates of the three parties
for Assemblymen, Aldermen, county
officers and Senators. In addition there
is the choice by each Assembly district
of delegates to Congressional and State
conventions, and in the Democratic
party the latter involves primaries in
623 election districts for the choiee of
delegates to conventions in each of the
24 Assembly districts, by which the
State convention delegates are finally
chosen."
THE PRIMARY MEETING ITS IMPORT
ANCE.
The same writer says that these
primaries are controlled by about one
fourth ofthe voters, that is, about one
fourth are on the rolls of the associa
tions; and that, "for all party pur
poses the excluded four-fifths or seven
eighths are as completely eliminated
and disfranchised in the selection of
candidates as the same number of
Southern negroes are said to be in the
election of officers."
While it is possible that this evil
may prevail to a greater extent in
New York than other cities, yet it is
in the main true as to all the great
centres of population, that a compara
tively small class control the politics
of the cities and by their course in
many instances have made them a by
word and have put a huge blot upon
our institutions and brought us into
disgrace before the civilized world.
If, then, the point at which each
citizen's vote is to be most potent is at
the primary assemblages of the peo
ple, and if in point of fact but a com
paratively small number of people
participate in these meetings in our
larger cities, and these meetings are
really controlled by a minority, and in
many instances by the worst class of
people, then we have an evil right at
the door of our government, which
needs to be eradicated before it be too
late to save the country from irretriev
able ruin.
How is it to be done? I answer,
by every good citizen attending the
primary meetings and insisting upon
the selection of proper delegates, and
endeavoring to have these delegates
fairly represent the will of the ma
jority. I)o I need to say in the pres
ence of this highly respectable and in
telligent audience, that many, very
many of the best citizens of both par
ties are derelict in duty to their coun
try in this particular ? Engrossed in
their own business, unmindful of the
danger that lies at the very founda
tion of the government, they content
themselves with the idea that political
matters are unworthy of their atten
tion, perhaps sneer at politics and po
liticians, and delude themselves with
the thought that it is only a scramble
for office between contending politi
cians, and therefore do not attend the
elections.
A FEARFUL MISTAKE.
What a fearful mistake such people
make ! How completely blinded they
are as to their real duty in the prem
ises ; they forget that the obligations
and duties of the government and its
citizens are reciprocal; that in turn
for the protection that governmnt
gives to the citizen in life, person and
property, there is due from him every
thing that the highest intelligence and
patriotism can give for these inestima
ble blessings. This is true with re
gard to every form of government, but
with how much more force does it ap
ply in a government where sovereign
power is lodged in the hands of the
people, and where everything that
concerns the welfare, prosperity, honor
and glorv of the country depends upon
the people ? Some one has said that
universal suffrage must lie leavened
with universal education in order to
make our institutions perfect; but I
submit that is not all, for if we do
have general education, along with
universal suffrage, and at the same
time good, worthy and patriotic citi
zens refuse to attend the primary
meetings of the people and make their
votes effective in the selection of prop
er candidates for office, whose merit
consists in integrity of character and
fitness for the places for which they
have been selected, what does it come
to ? for in such a case it will not be
the rule of the wise, the discreet and 1
patriotic citizens, but the reign of the
selfish, base, aud sordid, who have no
higher motive than self-aggrandize
ment and the furtherance of their own
selfish schemes. We will have gone a
long way towards correcting the
abuses that now exist in our system
of politics when good men of all par
ties will come out to the primaries and
assert themselves. The town meet
ing is the unit of our political system.
It is the nursery wherein the great
principles of civil and political liberty
are cherished, but, unfortunately, it is
now rapidly falling under the control
of the selfish, wicked and depraved,
and is becoming a hot bed of political
venality and crime.
THE CONVENTION ITS USES A ABUSES.
Passing from the primary meeting, <
the next thing in our political system
is the convention, which is an assem
blage of delegates, whose duty it is to <
define the principles of the party and i
select its candidates. The duty which i
devolves upon them is in the nature of <
a high public trust, and if every man 1
who undertakes the discharge of such i
duty could only comprehend what is :
- meant by these simple words, public
trust, and act aeeoi dingly, to what an
exalted plane would our whole sys
teui of politics be elevated? In the
i whole range of the science of the law
there is no branch that exhibits the
ethics of the law with more complete
ness than that which relates to
trusts. It requires a knowledge o(
, the duty to l»e |>erformed, skill in the
performance of the duty, and the strict
est observance of every obligation im
posed by the trust, with no advantage
or gain to be derived by the trustee, to
the detriment of the cestui que trust :
aud in no department of the law is the
judge more rigid in bis investigations
than in those which relate to trusts.
If, then, the law attaches such im
portance to private trusts, and erects
such a high standard of duty,, should
not the same rules apply wheu things
are to ba dealt with which affect great
masses of people ? If there is an}' dif
ference at all, it should be in regard to
public trusts, because of the greater
.interests involved, and the greater
number of people affected.
Yet, how is it in regard to these
conventions? Instead of a body of
men meeting aud deliberating and
endeavoring to ascertain the greatest
need of the party, they take but little
time for a comparison of views, and
generally, in a very summary way,
carry out the plans of a few persons
who have skillfully arranged the
whole programme in advance. Fre
quently a caucus is held by the friends
of the strongest candidate for an office.
This caucus, governed by a majority
of its members, gives the law to the
convention, and thus it is that a few
men, by successfully manipulating the
caucus, actually control the conven
tion. Theu follows a series of usurpa
tions.
Delegates are prohibited from dis
charging the duty devolved upon
them; the gag is applied in suppres
sing debate upon resolutions; the
rights of the people are taken away
by the convention assuming the power
to appoint delegates to a National Con
vention ; and then the unit rule, that
most shameless piece of tyranny that
was ever devised in a free government
is enacted, by which the agents of the
people, who ought to and shou'd have
the right to express the voice of their
constituents, are passed, and not only
prevented from expressing the wishes
of their constituents, but are forced
into an expression directly opposite to
that will. So that, first, the people
are deprived of their right to choose
their delegates; then the delegates are
deprived of their right to vote as they
see fit and in addition are compelled
to vote against their own couvictious
of right, and instead of delegates act
ing as independent men, with the
right to express their sentiments, un
der a sense of responsibility to their
constituents, they are compelled to serve
as the tools of other parties, with no
right to vote but only to be voted by
somebody else. That is representa
tive government on a grand scale!
That is freedom of thought and action
with a vengeance! Calculated to
make the American eagle give an ex
tra flap to its wings, as it floats ma
jestically "over the land of the free
and the home of the brave."
"TIIE MACHINE.''
Next we arc confronted with another
evil connected with our system of poli
tics, about which you have all heard,
and of which a great deal has receutly
been said. It is known as the machine.
In regard to this precious contrivance,
neither party can make claim to any
advantage over its rival, for each is the
possessor of it, and each to a very
great extent under its dominion and
control. What, then, is the machine ?
Its friends claim for it that it is simply
an organization designed for the bene
fit of the party and best calculated to
insure its success. If it were simply
this it would not be liable to cirticism,
but would be a necessary and proper
aid to the advancement of party inter
ests, and would merit the approbation
of all right thinking people. But the
machine is more than this, and, I may
add. infinitely worse than this; for in
stead of being simply an organization
for good of party, it is a combination
of men who look to party success, not
so much as a means of furthering aud
carrying out great political principles
and policies, as to secure for them
selves place aud power. It is well-dis
ciplined and thoroughly-organized
body of men, who act together for the
exclusion of others from office and their
own retention of the same, and the di
vision of the spoils of office among
themselves. Every machine has the re
quisite number of cogs, wheels, pulleys
and all the necessary parts and parcels,
and any more would be out of place
and interfere with its working order ;
and hence it is that the men, big and
little, who make up all the parts and
parcels of the machine are opposed to
any further accession to it, for any ad
dition to it would interfere with them
selves.
"STAND FROM UNDER."
It watchword being success, not
only of the party, but of the machine,
everybody who stands in its way is
slaughtered as remorselessly as a
Modoc Indian would slay his captive.
It is the American car of Juggernaut,
under which all the young manhood
of the country is crushed, because to
obey its behests and follow its courses
is to sink all independence of thought
and action. It is a conspiracy on a
large scale, having for its purpose the
grasp aud control of office for its mem
bers, and the exclusion of others there
from. To get office is a lawful object,
but to get it in an unlawful manner by
a wicked and unholy combination,
which utterly disregards merit and
qualifications in others and ad
vances the interests of the confeder
ates, regardless of their merits and
qualifications, is a conspiracy in every
sense of the term and is indictable at
common law.
TIIE GREATEST DANGER OF ALL.
Iu my judgment the system of ma
chine politics is more dangerous to the
country than any other evil that now
threatens it, Communism not ex
cepted. Other evils are known and can
be met aud averted, but the influence
of machine politics is gradually under
mining the manhood and independence
ADVEBTISIKO ItATJKH.
One square, ono insertion. tl: each subse
quent insertion, SO cents. Yearly adrertieeinenta
exceeding one-fourth of a column. #5 per inch.
Figure work doable these ratee; additional
charges where weekly or monthly changes are
made. Local advertisements 10 cents per line
for first insertion, and & cents per hue for each
additional insertion. Marriages and deaths pub-
Ualied free of charge. Obituary notices charged
as adverti.~4unents. and payable when handed in
Auditors' Notices. *4 ; Executors' and Adminis
trators' Notices. #3 each; Estray, Caution and
Dissolution Notices, not exceeding ten lines,
each.
From the fact that the Cmzix ia the oldes'
established and most extensively circulated Be
publican neifspaper in Butler county, (a Bepub
Lean county) it must be apparent to bushiest
men that it ia the medium they should use ia
advertising their business.
NO. o2
c of public men, and making them the
n mere tools of selfish and designing
*- leaders so that if there is any danger
e of Imperialism, it is to be feared from
v that quarter, because of the readiness
e with which a large body of men can be
- required and compelled to act as their
0 leaders may dictate, aud because they
if have no will of their own, but are
e compelled to follow with blind sub
- mission at the command of their lead
ers.
b The influence of m.i<hine politics
> has been to build up great political
; chieftains, who wield immense power,
j which they use for the purpose of per
s petuating their and their retaine-'s
hold on office ; to build up a class of
men whose only claim is to get and
hold office, who exercises a pernicious
1 influence iu the politics of the countrv,
s because they have no higher standard
t of action than that of office, and to ac
- complish their ends, the means resorted
> to are arbitrary, oppressive and tyraui
r cal, and not at all suited to the spirit
r and genius of our free institutions.
But the result of iuac! ine rule has
! proven even more disastrous in some
f of our large centres of population.
1 There is scarcely an election but there
i is the cry of fraud in our larger cities,
( rnauy of which have been ruled and
1 plundered by combinations of iuau,
whose familiarity with machine poli
i tics enabled them to carry out their
wicked purposas. What a spectacle
• was that which New York, the great
i commercial metropolis of this couutry,
presented to the world a few years
ago? With all its wealth, its culture,
its refinement, it was unable to govern
itself, but under the baleful influence
i of machine politics, it was as complete
• ly under the influence of Boss Tweed
as were the dominions of the worst
despot that ever sat upon a throne,
lie laid his hand upon the wealth of
the great emporium as heavily and
plundered it with less trouble and dan
i ger than the Highland Chiftain. or the
bold robbers of the llhiue, exacted
contributions from those plun
dered.
A UREAT COUNTRY FOR "MACHINERY."
I am at a loss to know why the
American people tolerate it a3 long as
they have, unless it is because of their
partiality for machinery, as in this
couutry almost every thing is done by
machinery. In agriculture, mechanics,
' manufactures, and every branch of in
dustry, we have the most perfect ma
chinery as well as every thing else.
But the time is coming when they
will fully understand its objects and
purposes, and will crush it as they
would any other enemy of the coun
try
It takes time to eradicate great
wrongs, but eventually they have to
give way. The Feudal System, with
all its clogs, after burdening the people
for centuries, was finally swept away ;
the continued acts of oppression of the
American colonies were ended by the
establishment of the liberties of the
people of this country ; human slavery,
that had such a stronghold in this
couutry for two hundred years, was
eventually wiped out in the fierce fires
of civil war. Tweed, wheu he supposed
that he was securely entrenched in
power, and when confronted by his en
emies with the charge of his crimes,
replied—"what are you going to do
about it?" The people of the great
metropolis answered his interrogatory
by rising in their might and hurling
him into a felon's cell. And so I trust
that the day is not far distant when
the virtue, the intelligence and the pa
triotism of the country will rise in its
might and smash the machine.
INDIFFERENCE TO VOTERS.
Having noticed the defects in our
system which relate to primary meet
ings and convenlions, I come now to
those connected with elections. The
contest being over within party lines
the opposing forces now come in con
flict, and before the election is held,
aside from the legitimate work of the
canvass, such as holding meetings, as
sessment of voters, bringing voters to
the polls, we have other difficulties and
troubles to encounten. Principal among
these is an indifferedce among a great
many voters as to the principles in
volved in the canvass, and which en
ables designing demagogues to delude
them into the support of men and meas
ures that are not calculated to advance
the best interests of the country. The
voter is too often beguiled by the lib
eral promises of the candidate into los
ing sight of the principles involved,
aud hence it is that very frequently
happens that men who are unfitted for
any other business, who in fact may
have failed iu everything else they
have undertaked, who are bankrupt pe
cuniarily aud every other way, some
times do a thriving business as politi
cians. It is remarkable indeed that
total unfitness for all other thiugs is re
garded by mauy people as the strongest
evidence of entire fitness for political
life.
LOW POLITICAL'MORALITT.
Another evil connected with our
system of politics is, the low tone of
political morality which prevails
among a class of people who would
scorn to do anything wrong in any oth
er transaction in life. That is there
are certain people, who despise every
thing that is low and mean, who would
scorn to do a wrong, who would not
deprive their fellow man unjustly of a
a single farthing, who regard their
word as binding as their bond in a
commercial transaction, who justly ob
serve every obligation that life imposes
upon them, but who somehow think
that it docs not amount to much if
there is a little crookedness in political
matters. This is radically wrong, be
cause the interest of the nation is of
vastly more importance than that of
the individual, and if the affairs of man
with his fellow require the observance
6f the highest standard of honor, why
should not those which involve the
destinies of millions require the most
steadfast adherence to the right. There
is no rule of houor that is of binding
obligation between man and man that
is not of equal, if not superior, obliga
tion when it comes to deal with the af
fairs of a government, and our system
of politics will be greatly improved,
when the idea is prevalent among all
[ Concluded on Second Paye.~\