American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-09-19

of the whole width, African slavery. Ii
held four millions of human beings as
chattels, vet made this the basis Of un-
just power for themselves in federal and
State government. To Gaintain their
enslavemcnt, it excluded millions Ct free
white laborers from the richest agricUl-
tural lands of the world, forced them to
remain inactive and unproductiye on the
mineral manufacture and lumber loeali-
ties comprising two.thirds of the whole
States in square miles and real undcvel-
oped wealth, simply because the localities
were agriculturally too poor for slave Ia
bor and condemned them to agriculture
in this agricultural territory, and consign-
ed them to unwilling ignorance and pow
erty BY denying capital and struggling
enterprise, it repelled the capital, energy
and will of the free States from the free
labor localities by unmitigated intoler-
ance and persecution, thus guarding the
approaches to the slave domain against
democracy. Statute books groaned un.
der despotic laws against unlawful assem-
blies, aimed at he constitutional guaran-
tees of the right to peaceaJly assemble
and petition for a redress of grievances,
| IT. prescribed democratic literature as in
cendiary. Itnulhfed constitutional guar
antees Of freedom, and free speech, and
a free pre- S. 1t deprived citizens Of the
other States of their privileges and i'm
munities in the States, an injury and
usurpatiol alike unjust to Northern citi-
zons and destructive Of the best interests
of the States themselves, affirmed at the
progress Of Democracy in the face Of ev-
cry discouragemcnt. At hast it sought
immunity ly secession and war. The
heart sick,ns with the contemplation of
the four years that followed. Forced
towns, imprcssments, conscriptions, with
bloody hands and bayoncts,. The num-
Der of aged men who had long laid aside
the implements of labor, but who had
been summoned anew to the Geld hy the
conscriptions of their cons to support
their children and grandchildren, reduced
from comfort to the verge of starvation
the slaughter of noble youths, ties of
physical manhood, forced into an unholy
war against those with whom they were
Identified by every interest, long months
Of incarceration in rebel basti'es, banish-
ment from homes and hcarthstones are
but a partial recital Of the long catalogue
of horror9. But democrats, North and
South combined, defeated them. They
lost What did they lose The cause
of oligarchy. They lost African slavery
by name only Soon as the tocsln Of w9r
ceased, soon as the clang of arms was
hushed, they raise the cry of immediate
admission, and with that watchword seek
20 organize under new forms, a contest to
perpctuate their unbridled sway They
rehabitate with them sweeping control of
all local and State organizations. The
Federal Executive, being easily reduced
yields willing obedience to his old mas
ters, aided by his qnscr9prIous disregard
of the Constitution and laws, by his mor
ciless prescription Of truo Democratic
opinion, and by all his appliance of des-
potic power.
They now defantly enter tie lists in
the loyal North, and seek to wiring .from
free men, an Endorsement of their wicked
designs Every foul agency is at work
to accomplish this result Falsely pro-
Tossing to assist to the abolition ofSlavcr-
very, they are coptrovcrting to continue
its detestable power by legislative acts
against pretended vagrantS. They know
that pretended servitudc viii answer tteir
unholy purpose. They pronounce the
four years war brilliant sword scene
in the great revolutionary drama. Pro-
scriptivo public sentiment holds
high carnival, and proitius by the ex-
ample of the Presidential platform be-
comes but threatening Of slaughter against
loyalty and negroes, and derounces all
legal restraints, and assailg With the
tongue of malignant SANDER the consti
tutionally chosen representatives of the
people.
To still the voice of liberty, dangerous
alone to tyrants, midnight conhagrations
assassinations and murders in open day
are called to their aid. A reign of ter
ror through all these ten States makes
loyalty stand silent in the presence Of
treason, or whispers in bated breath
Strong men hesitate openly to speak foI
liberty, and decline to attend q Conven-
tion at Philadelphia for fear Of destruc-
ton.
But'all Southern men are aeS YET awed
into submission to treason, and we have
assembled from all these States determir
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