Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-03-21

There are no tragic events Of history so
abhorant to the nobler feelings of our
nature as those which characterized the
period known as the Reign Of Terror in
France" The approach to these dark and
bloody scenes WAS by slow and gradual
process of EQUALIZATION of the feelings
and impulses Of the people. Commencing
with tyranny and oppression upon the part
Of those in authority, which became more
and more burdensome and CALLING as the
low and suppressed murmuring of the
masses sounded moro clear and distinct
it proceeded to measures Of coercion and
persecution, by q system Of servillance
and espionage which treatened to des.
troy one after another all the rights and
privileges which either the laws Of God or
man had secured TO the subject. All the
power of a s,upendous military organiza.
ton was brought to bear against the free.
dom of the Press, and of Speech-,he
forms of law were disregarded; arrest,
Imprisonment and execution followed
rapidly upon the most vague suspicion Of
hostility to the Government; the frowning
bastiles and loathsome dungeons Of the
Empire were filed to repletion with men
and even women guilty Of no crime
Then came the terrible reaction like
mighty torrent sounding through the
streets of Paris the avenging cry-"Death
to tyrants"-"Down with the basti!e."-
With the revolving scenes which followed
are are familiar. France was literally
deluged with human gore ; men became
demons the most wild and unbridled pas.
sion reigned supreme religion was ban
isbed, and over the entrance to the ceme-
teres was inscribed-"Death is an eter.
nal Sleep
Are there not indications that we too
are tending with fearful rapidi,y in the
same direction? We may quiet our ap.
prehensons in the contemplation Of our
religious and moral advancement--the
diffusion Of general intelligence, and the
enlightened public sentiment which pre-.
walls throughout our country, but if We
take the trouble to examine the state of
society in France at the time these sad
events transpired we shall find that in all
these respects We have but an extremely
small margin for boastiog of any superi.
GRITTY; aud more than this, if we take into
consideration the sanguinary scenes that
have already characterized the revolution
in which our country is involved, the in
tens. and bitter hatred that has been en-
gendered, and the deep feeling of ven
geance that pervades the masses, we may
we'll regard the future with the most fear.
full forbodings.
Il is undeniable that spirit Of lawless.
ness exists throughout our country which
is absolutely dangerous to peace and good
o.dor, and that it is rapidly on the increase
It is NANTES. in the proceedings Of many
of our State Legislatures. In that Of
Indiana we see minority Of the members
in order to defeat an expires.
sion Of the clearly declared will Of the
people, and evidences of like intention
re apparent in Illinois, in New York and
ia Missouri, evincing wide spread deter
minstion TO coerce the people into the
Of measures which are OBJ.
roxious to them. 1t is exhibited among
the people in the bitterness with which
those are assailed who do not agree with
others upon measures Of public policy, in
the vileusss Of the epishets which are ~.
piled 70 many insssncss TO large m.jo- !