American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-03-24
60 G IA.

!, PREVIOUS W th0 ""
Georgia Legislature. on the 18th, the
Hon. w lillian Gibson made the follow
ing remarks: II
Your chief magistrate. Andrew john
son, has done, and is doing all be can, to
restore our once happy Union. If his
efforts should fail. all that is left Of re-
publicanism on this continent must perish;
and conflict must inevitably ensde. in
which the supremacy Of the Caucasian
race will be established, beyond doubt.
Every Christian heart must deplore and
lament such conflict. Yet, to establish
the great principle Of self government
we must nerve ourselves for the issue.
To contemplate this scene. even, in the
distance, is truly appalling; but who can
close bis eyes to the inevitable tendencies
Of rampant. irresponsible radicalism We
rely upon the enlightened and patriotic
devotion Of our conservative brethren Of
the North to the spirit Of the Union and
the Constitution, hoping and trusting thar Z
its establishment may be permanent and
perpetual. 1921 ] 90
We can not close our eyes to the fact
that there still remains radical fanah.
cism in the North, that would subvert the
great principles Of self government. If not
checked, conquered and controlled. We
must. however, take for our watchword'
1.-THE Union and the Constitution OF our
fathers"-the Union" being the para"
mount goal. and the Constitution our
guide-and if rampant fanaticism should
seek to subvert the former, or mutllate
the latter, let us, in common with our
conservative brethren Of the North, East
and West, rally to the support Of the one
and the defense of the other. assured that
the indissoluble Union of these States.
and free government, under the Consti~
tuition as it is, will reward our efforts.
mean not to threaten or defy, but it l un-
derstand the spirit Of our people, North
and South, l feel justified in assuming
that the Union of our fathers is the de.
sign and purpose of all patriotic hearts.
and that any purpose to transfer the pow"
ers of this Government or its control BY
Constitutional amendments. or otherwise
to the African or negro race, will involve
US in a conflict. which, in comparison
with the late struggle. will be but chlld's
play. Humanity shudders at the cruel-
ty and barbarity suggested by the bare
mention of such conflict. This is our
lIand-these are our homes. Beneath
the soil on which we tread are buried our
ancestors, and the graves Of our children
are not yet sodded DER with grass. and
by their sides fain would we have our
own mortal remains entombed. And woe
to the men or party who would disinherlt
US of our better right and submit it to the
uses and benefit Of foreign and baroar-
Gus race. We must control aud reTew
il under and in obedience TO the Constitu.
ton and claws made hereunder" to the
exclusion Of all barbarian races, but ley
US not forget that the African race among,
us must be protected in their persons and
property our laws must be wise. just and
equal, and our people must obey them in
letter and spirit Further we cannot 60.
And if those who assume to legislate for
US on this question. will insist upon turn
inc over our Government to the African
race, we predict a revolution more bloody
than any in the history Of the past
fraupht with incalculable ills to both races,
the last grand struggle for liberty on the
American continent. May God in His
mercy avert such a calamity trust
our people yet have nerve enough to
meet the emergency. l have not thought
it impropef for me to say this much upon
a subject, to me. dyed in gloomy forebod'
ings and apprehensions for the assassin
alton Of our Chief Magistrate or any
successful efforts uncoustitulionally, to-
change our Government, one or both Of
which seems to be the purpose Of pow
erful party a, the North, would. beyond
doubt, produce such result. If such o
contest be forced upon as. let us be pre-
pared "to quit US like men," making no
war upon the Union and the Constitution,
but upon reckless fansticism. which would
engulf both in q common ruin,