The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1867-03-20

unnecessary delay. lie mas no nope Ol
release from custody, except the hope, such
as it is, of release by acquittal before mi
litary commission.
Tile United States are bound to guaran.
tee to each State a Republican form Of go
vernment. Can it be pretended that this
obligation is not palpabIy broken if we car
ry out measure like this. which wipes
away every vestigc OF republican govern
ment in ten States. and puts the life, liber-
ty. and honor Of all the people in each of
them under the domination Of single per.
son clothed with unlimited authoritys
The Parliament OF England, exercising
the omnipotent power which il claimed,
was accustomed to pass bills Of attaiader;
that is TO say, il would convict men Of trea-
son aud other crimes by legislative enact
ment. The person accused had hearing.
sometimes a patient and fair one; but ge-
morally party prejudice prevailed, instead
OF Justice. Ii often became necessary for
Parliament to acknowledge its error and
reverse It's own cotton. The fathers of our
country determined that no such thing
should occur here. They withheld the pow
e. from Congress, and thus forbade is ex-
ercise by that body and they provided IN
the Constitution that no State should pass
any bill 81 attalnder. Ii is, therefore, i'm
possible Tor any person in this country to
oe eunstltutionally convicted or punished
Tor any crime BY legislative proceeding
al any sort. Nevertheless. here is bill Of
at;ainder against nine millions OF people at
once. Ii is based upon an accusation 50
vague as TO be scarcely ineligible, and
found 10 be true upon no credible evidence.
/ Not one of the nine millions was heard in
his own defence. Tie representatives o.
the doomed parties were excluded from
participation III the trial. The conviction
! Is 10 be followed by the most ignoninious
punishment ever inflicted on large masses
! of men. Il disfranchises them BY hundreds
of thousands, and degrades them all--esen
those who are admitted to be gull,less-
lrom the rank Of ireemen 20 the condition
OF slaves.
The purpose and object Of the bill-the
general intent which peryades It from be-
ginning 10 ends 10 change the entire
structure and character Of the State gos-
ernnen,s and to compel them BY force e
the adoption Of organic laws aud regu's-
tions which they are unwilling to accept il
left to themselves. The negroes have not
asked for the privilege Of soting-ihe vast
raioritv Of them have no idea what Il
means. This bill not oniy thrusts i into
their hands, bul compels them, a. The whites
10 use il in particular way. u they de
no. form Consultation with prescribed ar
ticles iii IL, and afterwards elect leglsla'
ture which will act upon certain measures
in prescribed way, neither black nol
white can be relieved from the SLAYER,
which the bill imposes upon them. With
out pausing here 10 consider the policy o.
| impolicy ii Afrisanizing the Southern par
Of our territory. will simply ask the At
tention of Congress 70 that manifest wei
known and universally acknowledged rul,
|, Of constitutional law, which declares ina
the Federal Government has no Jurlsdic
ton, authority, or power to regulate sucl
j subjects for any State. To force tn
right Of suffrage out Of the hands Of th'
white people and into the hands Of the ne
, groes il an arbitrary violation Of this prin
T ciple.
This bill imposes martial law at once
| and IT. operations will begin 50 soon as th
: General aud his troops can be put IN place
! The dread alternative between us hars
1 rule and compliance with the terms o. tn
4 measure il not suspended, nor are the Peo
4 pie afforded any time for Tree dellberatiun
The bill says 70 them, take martial law nrs'
: then deliberate. And when they nave uon
{ all that this measure requires them 70 ~
. other conditions and contingencies, owe
], which they have no control, yet remain
: be fulfilled before they can be relieved iron
/. marital law. Another Congress must mrs
I approve the Constitutions made 10 conlor
1 nifty with the will of this Congress, an
! must declare these States entitled 10 rep