The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-11
Pnlitics In Miasonri.

would suppose from reading the st. Louis Re-
publican, that the State of Missouri was at ths
moment suffering all the horrors of unmitigated
despotism. The language It uses from day to
day is pertinent only to a condition OF unmixed
tyranny.
We happen to know something personally of
the actual state OF affairs in Missouri, and we
are happy to inform such OF our readers as
take an interest in the subject, that the pictures
drawn by the Republican are altogether ex'
aggerated, and gotten up purely for political
effect We can say to any loyal citizen of the
United States, that lie may remove to the State
of Missouri and find himself not only enjoying
all the ordinary rights OF an American citizen,
but also living under one OF the most liberal
and enlightened constitutions possessed by any
State in the Union.
What does all this hullabaloo about Missouri
politics mean, then? some one may ask. 1t
means simply this-that the old pro-slavery
Democratic party of Missouri, that went down
out of sight during the Rebellion, blackened
with infamy and scared with crime, is now
trying to crawl back into power again through
the help of returned Rebels and stay-athome
bushwhackers and sympathizcrs, and The Oonsti-
tuition and td,os of the State stand in ITS tOay
That's what's the matter.
Between dfty and one hundred thousand Mis-
sourians went into the Rebel armies direct; half
as many more staid AT home and played oush-
whacker and guerilla or vowed "Sympathizer,"
helping the bushwhacker and guerilla During
the absence from the polls OF these virtuous and
hieh.minded specimens OF humanity, the loyal
Union people OF MISS s,uri abolished slavery,
adopted free Constitution, and put in it that
Rebels, bushwhackers. ana sympathizers should
not henceforth vote. That provision IS now the
''rock of oAense" over when all COpperheadom
is stumbling. II constitutes the essence OF the
tyranny which so fearlully exercises the Repub.
HCon. The Rebels have now come back, the
bushwhackers 100 have partially abandoned
their pleasant labors OF roDberj and MURDER
and they are all extremely anxious to vote. and,
OF course, TO vote tie Democratic ticket. Bat
that hOrrid Constitution, With good stiff regis
try law to back it up, stands IN the way. Hlnc
lNg iacb2ynG. ..... ....-...
Let it be well understood, then that all this
cry of 'radical despotism" in Missouri is the
despairing vail o crushed Copperheadism striv-
ing after lost power. The Constitution of that
State is a liberal and enlightened instrument
not up, it is true, to the full measure OF equal
rights, irrespective of race, to all innocent per-
sons-severe somewhat upon disoyalty, but not
more so than is Just and appropriate in State
that has passed through such fires of aflicton
as Missouri has. The traitors upon her soil
were guilty of double treason-frst against the
State, and secondly against the Union. They
brought untold sorrows upon her loyal people
during the whole progress of the war; and If
they are now even tolerated in the State, it is
mole than they have any right to eyoect Their
crimes would Justify not only their exclusion
from political power, but far severer punishment
in person and property.