American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-06-08
Letter from Hon. w, J.. Harris
BOLIVAR COUNTY Ms

TTN LII MIA. MY views III tltl
f course of action "in regard to the
: acts Of Congress providing military
| governments for the Southern
| States" differ 50 widely from those
. of many respected friends, that it i
with great dit1idence | submit them
: to the pubic judgment.
The demon spirit evinCed in these
acts, forblds that we should sanction
or adOpt ttem; their opposire-the
restoration Of our State in the Union
. and the protection Of our cOnStitu
, tiOnal rights, is what we desire. This
, we cannot expect of Congress-the
, source Of all our woe It's threats OF
. COntiScatiOn and disfrauchisement
for noncompliance with its edicts
are idle, for the majority of our peo
, pie have nothing left save the spirit
to defy its malice, and laugh at its
impOtent rlge. 1t has done its
worst.
! Our only hope then, must be in tie
futMe, and tbat in the power Of the
constitution HseY; in the judicial and
executive departments Of the govern
ment-sustained by the conservative
men Of the Union at the ballO. bon.
to resist the uSurpationS Of Congress,
Of which We complain, and to save
us our poIjticaL rights.
The question then, is, between the
0doptioR Of the usurpatiOn of Con-
gress, and the effort to preserve the
Constitution, and our rights under
it. Which shall we chooseY
If we consent to the changes in the
/ character ofOur government, which
are demanded-Changes as danger
Gus IN the future to every other
State in the Union, as they Hor are
to the liberty Of the South, we shall
close the door to escape from the ty-
ranny Of lawless majority in Con
greSs at any time in the future, and
tx upon the irhOio Union, 50 far rs
our own action can effect it. the des-
pOtiSm under which We now suffer.
Let Us see what we are required
to do, and what it is some Of our
friends advise.
FIRST We are to admit as the basis
OF the whole scheme, that at the
date Of the military bill, there " was
no legal State government or
adequate protection to HE or proper
" existing III the ten states OF this
mon, anu t1at 1t was necessary
that peace and good order should be
enforced IN sald States, until te9ai
republican state governments could
he IIfeG%G3bi{ eIfa5RI fi5eff dfhhefrreess ot tba
United States may at It's nIaas,tra
assume dominion nvar a S+ata bv .
pmbodyipr in thp form of a IaoisIs.
tive net, tbr most notorious false.
hoods, and therein copfe,, ON itgcif /.
thp mower to annII an ev;stinr r.,
publican government in a STATE. and .
to establish in lieu thereof in time
of nooro q r,iIito,,, rovern,nnn+ ~.
der martial law
Third. That Congress unl4r tbe
pretpnce of guaranreeinr to state
a republican form of Government
may establish therein q monarchy /
or a military dpsnotism. to endurn
until rhc State shall consent to vield .
by amendment. the riobts and mower
guaranteed to il by the Constitution
of fine United states and tbo+ rho
Court. in n ease Lefore If in.
vojyjug the validity of sncb an act
has no inriSdiction n nronounco il
and tLe Fvocntiva
no nowpr 70 evpcute such q iTdn1no,,t
e., ,coiDs- tho will az Co,,o,,,l.s,
Fourrb That CongrpSs ,nov +bus
usurn a+ will. nv +rand and vioIanco 4
-ba riolts of tbs states os vaII ~
the inIiriaI and evacntiya nowors nf I,
the Tinted states Government and I,
overthrow fine Iegifimate antboritv
,f Lotb
Fifth Tbot Conarass bv This rro
.ess. may coprc a Staten cainst its
win.
1sr To cIonra or ronnuIi+s Co,s+i
ution aIraoJv rarnbIican !, tom, J
n as nor only to cnarantaa aro+bar
form of government hnt ;
,lSo. 70 Copg.ess .. .Ieo1It,, " fidelity q
IN IFS violations NJ onrcon' q
rioIts in onnosition to =
he authority and nower df tba irdi. +
.ial and executivr denartmpnts of n
he Government. 4
2d. To fix tbe qualification of >
-oters and the ricbt of spff'raoe in a |