The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-05-11

American citizens even those but lately rescued
from the lazar-house Of slavery-the free, and full
and safe, exercise of their rights-that he was
firmly and resoutey resolved to do
For time the weapon of the assassin changed
all that Whether or not the dreadful deed was
done by Southern connivance do not undertake
to determine. Let us hope that it was not so.
Be that as it may the consequences to the country
were very much the same. The man who would
have dealt out equal handed Justice justice not
untempered with mercy-to North and South, to
the defeated master and to the liberated slave, was
struck dead by act of appalling atrocitv And
when the nation awoke from its sad bewilderment
whom found it in his place?
A man of violent passions, and of extremely
limited education. Consequently man whose
ignorant egotsm, and brutal obstinacy, were more
than sufficient to swallow up any good quality
which he might possibly possess. No sooner is he
seated in the chair of state and finds the rens Of
power in his fingers, than he begins to execute
"policy' which, in everything practical, performs
the work, and fufs the will, of those whose hands
were still reeking with the red blood of the nations
best and most loyal sons, far more effectuay than
they, by any earthly possibility, could ever have
hoped to execute it themselves.
He usurps at once without conjunction or cere
mony, the power which the constitution had made
sacred to the Legislative branch of the American
Government He makes laws for the States of
the South-n fuflment of his peculiar policy
and these laws he forthwith proceeds to execute
The most rebellious States, which had poured out
blood and treasure like water to murder liberty and
md IN ara1 10
be as Justly entitled to- and as fully in possession Of
all their rights as those which sacrificed fathers and
brothers and sons by tens and hundreds of thou
sands, to save them. eThey were never out of
the Union' Of course not. Not even when
they were endeavoring to drive their swords and
bayonets through its heart And to complete the
hateful and hideous farce the most prominent and
murderous rebels are not only selected for pardon,
but at once elevated to the highest official sta
tions, as governors and chief magistrates of the
very States and cities, which they had, not many
months BEFORE been leading to do battle against the
nations life
The natural consequences of this organized
iniquty'' were not long in making themselves felt
and heard. The serpent of treason it was very
soon seen, slightly scotched perhaps, but not
killed by any means Once more its foul and fatal
fangs were found to be in Internal activity And
in Memphis and in New Orleans the white union
lists of the North well the black loyalists of
the South, were effectually taught by daggers and
revovers that it was death to do their duty to their
country and liberty.
There was nothing for it then, but to take the
bull by the horns"-to cut the poison fangs out of
the serpent's jaws--to pare the claws and draw
the teeth of the savage tiger. And this is just,
neither nor less than, what the present Re-
publican Congress have been obliged to do. And
they have done it. And we honor and thank them
for it,
Those States lately in open rebellion have been