The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-09-24
WHERE WILL 1T END :

The Constitution of the United States guar
antees to every State republican form OF
government We know that large party IN
the country now holding forcible possession OF
both Houses of Congress rejects the solemn
compact made by our fathers, and insists that
the will Of the majority can overrule the funda-
mental law, but we believe that there is still
enough of virtue in the land to hurl that
party from power and to restore freedom to the
country. This may not occur Immediately In
lines of revolution popular opinion oSciliateS
too rapidly for any one to calculate with GER
tainty when and how an event will occur. we
to-day are living through revolution lar
more terrible than was that through which
we have just passed, and in which our
brothers, sons and friends found soldiers
graves. No one among us can tell what to-
morrow will bring forth. There are few among
us who have not more than once changed their
opinions with changing events. What seemed
to, be truth but yesterday to-day proves error.
OF this, however, we may be certain. it is
true that though for atime we may be deafened
by passion, reason will eventually be heard,
and the day will come when the American peo-
pie will ask themselves whether they can re-
cover their lost liberty. If the question is not
asked too late, and we cannot believe that it
will be, the Constitution will again become the
law of the land, and the United States will be
restored to their former prosperity. If the
question is asked too late, God only knows what
will be the result We confess that if the pres
ent condition of things continue long, we can
only see blank. and .dreary future. We be-
lieve that the American people will awake in
time, because we cannot believe that they will
long consent to be robbed of their birth right
their liberty.
When one section Of country fails to OBJ
serve good faith to anoth er section, liberty is
dead, and unless good faith is restored, as the
sins of the father are visited upon himself and
his children, so too will the sins of section of
country be visited ON present and future gene
rations Crime constantly carries in itself its
own punishment. This is true of man, the in
diydual; it is also true of the corporate man,
a people.
II cannot be denied that ten States to day
are deprived of the republican form of govern
ernment which they are entitled to under the
Constitution. While their State Governments
were in active operation they were refused the
representation to which they were entitled un-
der the Constitution, and Reconstruction Acts
"so-caled were passed. Their Governments
are to-day treated as provisional, and are, in
fact, nothing but name. A military ruler
dictates law in the shape of General Orders.
Their statute books are mere waste-paper the
that they do not suit the whims of
Single man, who has no interest in their affairs,
and who, however good he may be, is merely
soldier, and governs State in the same man
ncr as he would govern camp. In Louisiana
the military ruler has deposed Governor, and
by his breath created q pretor, whom he has
dignifed with the name of governor. In Vir-
ginia Judge died and the officer command
ing District No. l appointed another. In this
and in every other Southern State officers have
been appointed in the same way. Precedents
are never forgotten. A majority can unmake
States is the point established, and if majori-
ty can unmake States to-day it can do the same
t. o-morrow. If the rights OF one State are
trampled upon the rights of no State can be
safe
One act of tyranny causes another. The writ
of Habeas Corpus was the most cherished birth
right which we have inherited from our ances
tors. Struggling for centuries, constantly assert
ing its power though frequently evaded, until the
reign of CHARLES H., it finally attained perfeo
tion, and personal liberty was made secure. 1t
is singular fact that the author Of that Act
should have been one of the founders of this
State, one of the ten States today deprived of its
benefit. Our fathers regarded it as it was re-
garded in England, as the real safeguard of
the liberty of the citizen and one of the special
limitations on the powers of Congress in the
Constitution is, that the privilege of the writ
of HaJeas Corpus shall not be suspended ex-
cept in cases of rebellion and invasion, when
the public safety shall require it. If the writ
could be enforced, the military commander
would be powerless and consequently he has
been placed by Congress in position in which
he can resist this process of law in
o more effective manner than did subaltern
officer of General SIcKLEs resist in North Caro-
lima the mandate of Court, oyer which the
Chief Justice of the United States presided in
person, though that officer did temporarily sue
ceed in throwing the law into disrepute and in
making its officers appear contemplate.
Another step was necessary The Consti-
tuition provided for The preservation of life,
liberty and property, and guaranteed to all a
trial by Jury. This could not be permitted. A
trial of an offence against the Reconstruction
Acts by law court would have been a trial of
the validity of the law itself This was avoid
ed by allowing the military commander to try
by military commission.
If these acts can be done, if there is no pro-
test against them from the Constitution loving
portion vi lue Nolln, Tue resl eah eaoiiy pe o0
Tended If Congress can give away States to
it can declare who shall and who shall
not be citizens of those States. If it can de-
prve lis Of. our own constitutional State Gov
ernments, our courts, our liberty, and even our
lives, it certainly can declare what sort of gov
we shall have, and also who shall and
who shall not vote. It can declare, as it has
done in this State. that our purest and best
men shall be disqualified from voting, and that
the negroes, without education, without prop
erty, without any political experience, shall be
allowed TO vote twice where the white man is
allowed to vote but once. If Congress has the
right to do any of these things, "manhood suf-