Mississippi index. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1865-18??, 1867-07-30

support What business have you VIII
that UniOni No, it is the Union Of all
the States known to the Constitution that
you have sworn to support.
But ! will dwell no more on this sub
ject. COnfscatiOn is the law Of enemies
in war, and in peace it is the law of the
rObber. If they have the will to rob you,
you will never escape by submitting to
their power. If you submit, give up
the law and substitute the will Of the
rObber, he boldly ayOws that it is his
purpose, not to give the black man his
rights, but to bring about such measures
and so to shape things as to perpetuate
the rule of the Radical partyl Every
man who Joins the party and can satisfy
them that he viii sincerely help in this
work, viii be accepted. They will put
their arms around your necks and call you
brothers. (Applause.) You can make
friend of the devil upon these same
terms. daughter and applause), and
there is but little difference between
them. Great applause.) you please
the one you will go to the other, and l
am not sure but you will get what you
deserve, but I object to your taking the
country with you. Immense applause J
But, OF it is sad to see the COnstitu-
ton trampled upon and the country des-
trOyed, only to perpetuate their hellish
dynasty; and then to see some Of our
own people jOil in this unhOly work, call
ing upon us to submit and become the
agents of our own dishOnOrl This is
sad, sOrrowful, and fills me with shame!
These bills propose at every step TO
abrOgate the COnstitutiOn-trample up
on the State and its laws-tO blot out
every hope-to perjure Ievery man who
accepts them, with every principle of
Justice, and safety disregarded, trampled
upon, and despised-all to perpetuate
the power of their wicked authors.
Can this scheme succet d. Will it sue
ceedi That is the question. / feel
truly thankful in my heart that l have
an answer which lifts my soul amidst
all gloom and apprehension of the hour.
Some OF you may not appreciate it, but
to me it is the only oasis in the desert:
This scheme will never, never succeed,
and / proclaim its ultimate failure to-
day in your hearing. UnbOunded ap-
plause. l know that some think it
will. The air is full of tho words Of
those who proclaim that there IS no
power to prevent it. Men have before
this been weak and foolish, and towards
and traitors have before believed as you
talk now, but l have reason for the
faith that is in me, which is absolutely
sublime in the strength of its foundation.
lst. It will fail because it is not pos
sible to perpetuate government Of force
under the forms of a democracy. 1t
may take some time to comprehend this
thought, but you will not forget it. That
which is now proposed is force. 1t is
proposed by men who do not live in this
State,and whose agents do not live here;
and it is sought to be accomplished by
military power, but under the pretense
of your sanctiOn-nOt to please your
selves, but them. There is not an in
stance in history where government of
force has been perpetuated under the
form of free Institutions It is an i'm
possibility and can never succeed. ZAP
plause.
I'd. But it is sought to be accomplish
ed by deceit and fraud, which cannot
much longer esccpe detection. The
masses of the people of the North love
the Constitution and fought for it and
the Union, but the leaders did not fight
for it, and do not love it; and they now
seek to destroy it under pretenses that
we must give some further guarantee for
our future good behavior than merely
supporting the Constitution. As soon
as the means by which their deceit and
fraud have been covered up are removed,
the scheme will be crushed to death by
the people. It is double-shaped mon
ster; like the sentinel at Hell-gate, which
can live nowhere except in a political
pandemOnium.
And what must be the resultsi l do
not say we will come ont Of all this with
free institutions preserved, but this
scheme can never succeed. A despOt-
ism over the whole country and over all
the people, guilty and innocent alike,
may ensue. You'll fail but you may
bring ruin upon all, Whenever you
pull down the temple of liberty, you
also will be crushed by the fall You
cannot level or lower us and elevate
yourselves. We must either all rise or
all 90 down to gether. DespOtism may
come, empires may rise and fall among
us, but whether they do or not we shall
not have the reign Of Radical party
Understand me; If l say a nan canuOt
live high up in the cir, do not mean he
cannot 90 up In balloon and remain for
a time; or if say a man cannot live
under water, l do not say be cannot go
down in a diving bell and remain a while;
but the Radicals will as certainly fail to
perpetuate their power under this scheme,
as that man will fail who attrmpts to
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