Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-02-13
From the Na.ionarfn.eiligsocss
THE PRESENT. CONGRESS.

u
= THE PRESENT. CONGRESS-.
The scenes Of 1861 in Congress are being
now re-enacted in all their Substantial iele.
ments of revolution, OF disuuioH, Of treason.
The old rebellion is ssppressed;aud the new
rebellion Is IN Progress. It is only the dit
terence OF circumstances that makes the diE-
ference OF consequences. The majority in
Congress are carrying on an essentially revo-
stationary scheme. And the obje.t is like
that of their predecessors in CONSPIRACY
treason. 1t is TO preserve power. For this
object the secessiontsts undertook TO South
faerniEe the. North against AN. accomplished
event, and adapt the Constitution by vio>
lent retefmtet heir own. section. For the self
same, object the disunionsts now in Congress
uadertake, against an accomplished event and
one of the greatest in history, by denational-
ising the South, to deliberately destroy the
rescued Union, abolish. the social compact,
defy the laws of nature and revive the abom-
Unable AMUSEMENT of q feudalism which per.
ished under the curse of Heaven three hun
dred years ago. I his, from the lust Tor pow.
err in few haads-just as the few artfui aud
aEregsnt traitors of 1867 did for the sake of
power. ...E.s
But there must soon come to pass a nota-
BILE difference, The desperate ,secessionists
were able to induce their people to follow
them, aud war resulted. The present reyo-
lutionnry combination, defiant aud desperate
as it is, cannot command their people, and
hence their extreme and reckless maleyo-
lence. ee.-5--s5s.as 80 ~.
We implore the people to realize for them
selves that the solemnly declared pledge made
by every one of them, through Congress. in
1856, is being repudiated by their party
Innf1 n
subversion; of the Republic aud the establish
ment Of. a grim aud monstrous military des.
potism instead. Do you doubt it, fellow cit
liens ofthe Union? The South is to be kept
down. as a fulcruni. But the iron lever is
coming with crushing force upon your own
breasts, and you must rise aud indignantly
demand that restored Union shall not be
subyerted, or the power will pass forever from
your still sovereign hands.
Let the people hold meetings in every ham,
let in the North, and West, with Andrew
johnson, the resolution of 1861, and the IN
ion as the only party PLATFORM and rebuke
with disgust every suggestion OF sectional ma
lice or ruinous fanaticiSm
We say to youS fellow. citizens, that your
awful sacrifices and your splendid achieve.
ments are to be all l.. vain, and that speedily,
if you do not put forth your powerful arm
and snlite your betrayers. Their scheme is
to perpetuate their hold upon you by esta-
bllshing themselves as a new aud mighty
slave power in the South, through the pre-
tence Of negro suffrage and thus entrenched,
aided by the powerful name Of universal
freedom, they will establish remorselcss and
tremendous enginery of oppression of the
white people of the whole country, through a
passive and bruta: negro soldiery. The issue
Ia hot
age to race of bondmen, through few who
are to control them. Men OF the United
States, are You. for Union for freemen
and freedom for white men,"
We believe that the people of the United
States, North aud South are disposed to stand
by the Constitution as it now is; that they
want no more amendments to it (; that they
favor the policy of President johnson that
they discountenance, steadily and sternly,
the wild fanaticism displayed by the majority
in Congress; and that they will do every
thing in their power to protect, defend and
preserve the Union. They believe that the
Union is in as much danger of destruction
now as it was in 1861, and that the danger
comes from the hands and acts of men in
pOWeI-Heu hHO are feauY 10 SILK every
thing else to the accompl shment Of ,bs one
object of elcvating the negro to the standard
OF the white man. They know that this dan
ger must be met fairly and fully but they
also know that they have no power over
it; that they canno. put it down by resort
to the ballot box, or BY expression Of opinions
ut public gatherings. The ballot box cannot
remove from power the men engaged in tbs
work of national destruction in time to pre-.
vent the consumation of their revolutionary
plans. Public opinion, no matter how
strongly and unanimously expressed, cannot
influence the cause of the madmen who now
pnlc in Congress, and most of the Northern
State legislatures. What, then, is to be
done? The people trust in tbs President,
and look to him, almost alone, to avert the
evils hanging over them. They will give
him earnest and manly support in anything
he may do to support the Constitution and
the Union he has but to point out the way,
and they will follow in it.
BALTIMORE CONFERENCE