American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-08-18
Paralysis Of the Press in the South
Abuse of Power by the Radicals.

t'oiltNdl INV SlldpClS vi luc udN, W III
had kept up with the history Of par
ty struggles m United States from
the commencement OF the war upon
the administration of GEM jackson
down to the period when james Blu
chanan was elevated to the presiden
cy, fallen asleep at the end of this
latter gcntieman'S term of service
and arisen at the present time, he
would have found Il much greater
change in the spirit OF the Southern
press, and in the conduct of Ameri-
can citizens, as politicians and par
tiZanS, than the extraordinary sleep.
cr--Rip Van Winkle--when he aWoke
from his quiet snooze Oftwenty years.
discovered in every thing around
him. During this entire period, eX-
tending through eight presidential
terms, every act and movement upon
the political chess board was watch
Ell and criticised with severity and
clOSeness that left nothing to be
desired by the most Jealous patriot
or the most eXoctln% partiZan. Eve
ry measure of Importance elected
discussions upon its cxpediency or
constitutionality, beginning with
Congress, when often a hundred
speeches were made, characterized
by the widest variety of argument,
forensic excellence, judicial learning,
literary and classic polish, and statis-
teal research, and extended through
the various channels of comlnunica-
ton to the popular heart and mind.
The press especially dilated upon
the various points OF issue, week after
week, repeating and enforcing the
arguments pro and cor, until every
reader in the land became Interested
in the subject, and more or less thor
onghly acquainted with the merits
or dement's Of tile controversial queS-
ton. The Constitution was the polar
star, real or teigned, by which every
true patriot and partizan protested
to steer his bark in the stormy sea Of
party strife, and all seemed to be di-
rected by its infallable teachings
We say all, but we are more than
Just to our Northern foes, who now
control by fraud ana usurpations the
deStiHilS OF the &c uutry. Theirs was
a party whose seeTs and prophets
claimed to have discovered another
star, by the light Of which they StrOvG
to steer the old ship Of state. These
new lights claimed the high privilege
ofrrpudiating the Constitution which
our fathers had made, and to direct
their course ny the chart of which .
they prOfesScd to be the fortunate .
discoveries. The light Of nature and .
the revelations of Heaven, Of which
they were the boosted and chosen
cypoundurs, furnished the ncw.fan-
gled party the surest means Of arriv-
ing at truth and justice, in all things.
The number belonging to this class
was at first, and for many years,
small and insignificant But the
nearly equally balanced condition
Of the two great parties Of the day,
gave them the only Importance they
ever possessed OF ever would have
For a number of years, the great ,
States of New York, PENNSYLVANIA
and Ohio were ander the control of =,
a minority party, the AbClitionists ;
having Il sufficient number, wncu /;
added to the defeated candidates. 10
ave changed the result of the cleo,
ions. Mr.. Clay could have been
'hosen PresidentOf the United States
by less than six thousand of the six q
80 ''D0'hu NolCS given lJT Lne ,
Abolition candidate for the presiden- a. :.
y, in the State of New York, in lS14
this great power of turning .
he scales in the most important con u
ests between the Wings and Demo y, !.
,crafs, they were more or less courted u
" the leaders of those two parties. :
Gotta prOfeSsed to hold the aims and "
purposes of the AbOlitiOniStS in the y
.reatcst possible adherence, and the
Majority of N0rthernm men ,ofa shades
t political opinions, expressed con
snpt for the pTeposterous aSSump-i
ions OF the New-lights, and prophe-
led nothing but evil of the most !,
character irem the gene DC
al adoption of sentiments, principles ih
o at war With the compact between ~
he South and the non-slave-holding %
states of the Union, as those which
be anti-slaverv fanatics were pre- be