Randolph journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1865-186?, 1867-06-27
From liarpeT's weekly
"DespotIc UgaScs."

III i man festu me Dcmotfatlc papers
only he would suppose tha, the people
vf this country were inventing new
forms of despotic oppression for the
Southern States. The orders OF the
commanding Generals are "despotc
ullascs;' and IL - declared TO be fool
ish for a Constitutional Convention 20
meet i'm this State when in ten States
every vcstige of Constitutional free
dom, and even the dearest rights of
men, arr uthlessly trampled under
foot. Why the American Govern
mcnt has thus suddenly become the
cruclest OF tyrants, what purpose il
proposes 10 effect 10y this wholesale
crushing and pulvcrizlng the papers
omit 10 mention. They are content
to at;rilmte n 90 the Robespierrcs, Dan
tons and Marats who control the Radi-
cal party, gloat over human suffering,
and are never happy but when dane
Ing upon the ruins of States and amidst
the ashes of liberty. And these au-
thorltics generously inform Us that
these orgies of wickedness and wrong
can bc brought 10 an end in one way
only, and that is by the return 10 pow
cr Of the pure and pcaccable Demo
cratic party. "The inconsolablc wild
ow," says the fond cpitaph upon the
husbands grave-stone, CONTINUES the
business AT the old stand"
An unSophisticatcd student of our
history might ask in some surprise
why these alarms and solicitations
about liberty and rights were never
uttered 10y the Democratic papers
when nearly four m illons of the popu-
lation were deprived of every right
whatever; and why, when those who
were guilty of this deprivation rose TO
destroy the Government, the same
Democratic papers could see danger 10
liberty and rights only in the defensive
action OF the Government. That
would be enough 10 show the utter in
sincerity Of the complaint Of the pres
ent situation. But its unrcasonability
Is not less apparent. For what is the
situation? Simply that certain States
have lost their civil governments in
the effort 10 destroy the authority OF
the United States, and the United
States have directed them how TO re-
organize their governments. Pend
ing that reorganization they are neces-
sarily subjected to the national au-
thority, which, from The necessity OF
the case, is vested in military com
manderS, who recognize the existing
civil authorities just so far only rs
their official conduct does not clash
with the measures prescribed by Con-
greSs.
When, in accordance with those
measures and 10y the consent of Con-
gresS, the civil reorganization of those
States is perfected and they are again
represented in Congress, then, and not
till then, they will resume all their re-
lations in the Union rs equal States
with the others. They are now States
recovered to the Union and held i'm il
by force until such political changes
"a the war has wrought are organized
and developed. 1t is merely puerile to
speak of them rs we should speak of
New York or Wisconsin. The supreme
authority in them is military and not
civil. 1t should be exercised indeed
with sagacity and prudence, and in
such a way a. not to ALLEVIATE the pco-
pie from their normal habits of civil
governments. But it is perfectly
legitimate, although it may be very
unwise for the military authority To
suspend Il newspaper, to forbid meet
ing, or to remove the highest civil
officer in the State To insist that, if
this be done in Mississippi or Louisia-
ma, il may as properly be done in Iowa
or Maine, il wholly to forget the war
and the necessities il has imposed.
The real grief of the Democratic
papers is not that liberty and rights
are denied, but that the late rebels are
not allowed AT their pleasure TO deny
the liberty and rights of loyal men.
They see that the intention of Con-
gress and of the commanders under
the Military bill is that fair register
of all citizens shall be made, and, with
the exception of those disfranchised,
that all citizens shall Vote. But as
only the chief of the late rebels arc
disfrancl,iScd and all loyal men Of
every color are enfranchised, the
Democratic papers and orators fear a
party defeat. il is natural. For if
every man who rebellcd or synpa-
thizcd with rebellion were TO lose his
vote, what would become of the
Democratic party:
1t il very clear that the Military
Governor must control the civil au-
thorities or they must control him;
and we presume there is very little
doubt of the intention of the Military
bill upon this point.
y new island, 20 miles in length, j.
reported 10 have been discovered in
~ II.