American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-02-01

| tlon is despetlsm-that confederation Is
the only hope Of liberty.
The tendency of your day is toward
consolidation, and there is from this ten
dency more danger to the Constitution,
to the cause of republican government.
to the territorial unity of the States than
from all the ordinances Of secession or
from all the armed hosts of the Confed>
crates. believe there is more danger
in the single proposition, broached not
long since in Washington, and more late.
ly in this city, that the Southern States
shall be denied representation. nay, that
their very Statehood shall be denied them
until they shall assent to changes in the
Constitution. than from all other causes
together.
Congress has been 10 session scarcely
ten days. and We haze already propo-
sitions so to amend the Constitution, as
to deprive the States of the power to de.
fine the qualifications Of electors-to reg.
ulate representation by the number of
voters. and not Of population-to declare
what obligations assumed by the States
shall be binding on them, and what shall
be the purposes Of their taxation. And
as if these changes in the organic law
were not sufficient, we have laws propos.
ed to define and protect the status of the
inhabitants of the several States-to de-
fine and punish crimes, which are exclu-
sively OF State oognizsnce--to give to
railroads, built wholly within State limits,
powers which their charters have ex-
pressly denied to them. and to deprive
insurance companies of the rights which
the States assured to them.
AS il legislative action were too slow or
too regular, we have Federal officers-the
subordinaies of the PreSident-some i'm.
peding the action Of the State courts, not
only by refusing to obey writs which they
pretended were suspended, but by rescu-
ing criminals from their custody, and lib
Grating prisoners under their indictment;
others-freedmen' S, bureau~men - estab
fishing and enforciDg-enirely without
authority Of law-rules for the business
intercourse Of white men and negroes
making, breaking or establishing contracts
ior them-and even assuming to declare
what persons the owners shall be com
PEELED 10 entertain on their farms, under
the penalties of con6scation Surely if
our fellow citizens of New England mus,
convert this government into a great
eleemosinary institution-if they must
deprive four millions Of people Of their
honors to satisfy their craving to make
these people the "wsrds of The nstion"--
they ought to be ashamed of the niggard.
illness which seeks to support them at
other peoples expense, and to quarter
them upon those who have been deprived
Of their services.
And far above all these agencies. en-.
tering every State and county and town
ship and family-touching every interes',
commercial. mechanical and agricultural
seeking every avenue Of trade, every
branch of industry, every profession and
occupaton-holding in their grasp every
man and womon and child, whether they
labor for bread in the factory or at the
pillow, or for amusement at counting their
income; permeating every artery and
of the fiber body polite, and subjugat
ing every Influence to their nomination,
are the systems Of Federal finance and
taxation.
| do not speak of these measures as
partisan; do not at present discuse their
wisdom; l do not at present question the
motives which prompted them; speak Of
them as evidences of the direction and
strength Of the tide Of opinion and Of
action.
The new progra mme is not the sys-
tenn of The Government. 1t is not the .
system of the Constitution. 1t is the
Capitalization Of all Governmental forces. /
of the supervision Of all social interests at .
one point. These, thus concentrated can.
not be efficiently exercised unless BY the .
inspiration Of one heart under the direc !
ton Of one head, with the vigor Of one
will, backed BY the powers OF many men,
accustomed by the rigors of discipline or
by the hopes of reward to obey bliDdly
one master. These conditions are incom. /
Patible with republican government
nay. they are the very essence and def.
uition of despotism.
Gentlemen, we have a great duty to
perform. This is The Eme for the asser.
'icu Of true principles. Physical force
has accomplished lis work Legislative
and Administrative action are at their
task. Both have passed beyond their
proper limits. Both have usurped pow
ers under the pretense Of necessity, and
DOW claims them as Of right Both are
directed with Vigor but often without su-
ihorily or reason. Both should be made
TO renounce their pretensions before we
yield them compensation. The condi-
ton Of war. and the results Of our war,
both eonduee to aid the progress Of this
consolidation. They have accustomed
the mind TO the exhibition Of, and ODE. 1
disnce to, The assumption Of Federal
power.