Des Arc citizen., 1866-10-27
Akx*kx


 H6rT The Government is rapidly drift ing into consolidation. The growing lust for power on the part of the domi- nant party at the North, is sweeping away all the Constitutional barriers which the patriot sires of the golden days of the Republic erected as the best safeguard for. the rights and liber- ties of the people. First, those rights which have always been considered as "reserved to the States" are being ab- sorbed as inimical to the well being and security" of the UNION. In other words, the Union" is placed above and beyond all liberty, all right, in State or individual and must be sspreserved" at the expense of the very object for which it was founded. In the beautiful conclusion of his celebra- ted speech against Hayne, Webster said give me Liberty and Union." He placed ''liberty" first, and regarded "Union" as the best means of preserving it. But the great statesman never dreamed that liberty was to be lost that the Union might be preserved. He never thouhgt of sacrificing the sub stance for the shadow. He never deemed, the glittering casket worth preserving when the priceless jewel had been stolen. Not so with the men who rule the present Congress. With them "Union' is more valuable than that liberty. for which our sires strug- gled ninety years ago. Instead of the free bird of heaven which symbols our sublime political faith they prefer that bird imprisoned. They furnish him a N1 1 InI hut l,N yknr sees the dazzling sun save through his prison bars, His freedom is mock cry; and dies. So will it be with this land of ours. The Radicals are in power. Liberty--everything will be sacrificed to perpetuate the power. If State rights are in their path, they will be trodden down. Ifindividual liberty or life be in their way, the public good" is promoted when they are ruthlessly destroyed, e.~,fe 4t,t. What then will the South gain by as senting to any further. amendments of of the Constitution which our fathers left us? Let us spurn all such proposi- tions. If the Southern States are not in the Union, it is an insulting mock cry to ask their assent to such amend ments. If they arc in the Union, let us remember we are requested to amend the organised, Fundamental law of the land, while we are unjustly denied the Congressional representation which that law guarantees to us. We repeat it. The first, and highest, and holiest duty the Southern people owe to themselves, and to that very liberty which they can, at least, worship, is to spurn every proposition made to them for any further amendment of the Con- stitution. Through a generous wish to do all that seemed required of us to heal past breaches, we have already ac- ted too hastily in consenting to any amendments until these had been pass ed upon by BY OUR OWN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS as a just and legitimate DOT ton of the national legislature. We are now told that we MUST accept these amendments or be governed by the bayonet. Belt so. At least let us ex- ercise the liberty of choosing; and, in doing this, we know our people will never consent to their own degradation. If we are asked to vote upon this pre- sent amendment, and are told, at the same time, that if we do not vote for it, a military rule will be substituted for that at present existing, let this ''farce of freedom" be played to the end. We can wait and endure.- Memphis Ava lanehe. YA0 ,sA t5E