The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-02-27
military Governments at the South,


ments at the South, having passed the
House of Representatives by a vote OF 100
to So, is now before the Senate with every
prospect of similar success. This bill,
(remarks the Richmond Tines,) strips our
State governments Of power, bat does not
overthrow them. Tho shadows are left,
but the sovereignty is lodged in the mill
tary offic al who commands what is called
"dis'rict" We shall probably be al.
lowed to keep up, at our own expense, a
so'called civil government, the executive
and legislative departments of which will
be worth nothing to us. We shall be
mainly interested in the judicial depart
nent Of the State government. which, in
the administration Of civil business, will
probably not be interfered with.
II Stevens bill becomes a law we shall
be reduced to the condition in which we
were kept until April last, when the Pre-
sident's proclamation terminated the ex.
istence Of that military government which
dominated for more than Year.
1t is impossible to conceive % ANYTHING
more grossly unconstitutional than the
bill which has passed the lower House Of
Congress II will fall beneath the first
thrust from the Supreme Court, rs a mat
ter OF course and, as the Constitution ex
pressIv declares that the President shall
be tbs COMMANDER in Chief Of the army
and navy, he will not take a step towards
the enforcement Of the bill, il it becomes
a law, until its constitution aIty has been
determined by the Judicial department Mt Of
the government.
While this conspiracy against our civil
liberties is being pressed with malignant
energy, the attitude OF the suffering and
heroic South is simny grand. Unmoved
by the clamor of those who cannot IN.
initiate or dshonor her calm aud patient
under every species of persecution which
malice can devise armed with for,itude
which knows not despair firm and reso
lutte with purpose to fulfill her destiny,
whatever it may be, the South presents
to day spectacle of moral grandeur and
sublimity which challenges the admira
tion oftbe world. To those whotrample
upon her rights Of representation, while
they FOUL y abuse and slsnder her, she
answers with the stern dignity OF silence.
VoceIess in the midst Of her suffering, she |
makes her tormentora infuriate because |
though they have stretched her upon the
rack, yet all their ingenuity Of torture
Cannot wiring an unmanIy shrek Of pain
or weakness from the lips of the sainted
martyr.
II is this digniied, honorable and pa
tient bearing OF the South which puzzles
her prosecutors and disiocatss ali their !
plans of rec0nstrueticn so studiously wo
ven as to en,angie her in the ,neshes Of |
degrad But the South ,UiH notdis
honor herSeLf-the rod may strike, but she !
will not kiss it. Bound and PROSTATE ss
Rhe is, the blows given her smite alone
the honor Of those who aim them; and |
this judgment the world must ever pro-
nounce upon. those who strike fallen
foe.
The humiliation and notification |
which was prepared for the Southern peo-
pie In the Congressional project Of res,o
ration wiH recoil upon its authors. 1t is
this feeling OF political Villany, detected
and exposed, which is making our enemies
far more desperate than we are. The
howIs which they raise are howls Of terror
as we'll AS rage, and all the Indignation
which they seek to direct against us they
smpioy as means Of self preservation,
just as a rogue cries stop thiefl" to mis-.
lead the rabble yelling in pursuit. But
this ingenious game cannot las; long
The present Congress promised the peo'
pie "feconstruction," dave they given
itl In hopeless and helpless impotency
the dominant party founders in the mre
Of fruialess efforts and conflicting schemes,
unable TO present substitute for that wise
measure OF the President, which they so
insolently rejected. On the 4th Of March
the Thirty ninth Congress will expire
II that time comes as come it will, with.
ont a solution OF the difficulties which
now environ the question Of "reconstruc
ton," then the Tdes Of March will per-
haps prove as fatal to Radical power as
they were to the Efe and fortunes Of
Cesar.
CoNcILIAToRY.- will be observed
exith n IiIlla aurnyisa Ihot S.U.,o. c..