The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1867-11-29
The Downfall Of American Liberty.

1t isnow about eighty years since the Consti-
tuition of the United States was adopted, and in
the formation of that instrument the greatest
men OF the country were engaged. They were
pure patriots, they were experienced statesmen,
and they were learned men. They examined all
forms OF government, they studied the history Of
other lands, and framed system of self-govern-
me mt, resting upon the intelligence and virtue Of
the people, which has made us great. The cor
ner-stone of this system OF government has been
the virtue of the people, the selection by them
of competent officials, and their thorough ODE
dience to laws which operated equally and fair
ly upon ALL The system seemed dest ned 10 last
forever. Yet six years of power given to the
Radical party have made our liberty by-word
and n reproach. To say nothing of the shocks
sustained during the war, we see to-day an eff
fort by the party which controls our Congress to
reorganZe ten tates upon basis which is, in ev-
cry respect, the reverse of that which the wisdom
Of our forefathers found to he the safest and best
The purest and hest of Southern citizens are dis
frinchised, and every effort is made to throw all
the power into the hands, not of the white rare,
instructed and able to govern, tut into the hands
| of the African race, whose grandfaihers in
many instances, were imported slaves. Robert
| Il. Lee cannot vote; his former slave can. While
| Light Horse Harry was routing the British, the
grandfather OF the slave may have been bending
the knee to his fetish, or practicing the dark
rites of Obi in some African jungle 1t has
leen charged that slavery degraded the negro,
made him british and lowered his humanity. -
Yet set him free and he becomes the statesman,
capable Of ruling the great American natiun.-
Our race has learnt self-government by muuy a
hard and bitter lesson. By Magma Charta, torn
from the tyrant by the armed bnrons, hv the lie
struc,on of these sanar barops by the King and
Commons united, by the Wars OF the Roses by
the Great Rebellion in England, by the over
throw of the Sluarts, by our own Revolution
ani the lale terrible Rebellion, has the white
race learned to govern itself. Look al our Con-
stitnilon and read English history, aud it will
be seen that every provision for the security of
the individual, has been bought with tho blood
of pure and patriotic men.
| Where does this abject race, so broken down
by slavery, learn the art of government? France
cannon govern herself! Spain grovels under a
despotism Russia is under an autocrat-even
! in Germany, the land of learning, music and
poetry, the people have not achieved sel.gov-
ernment but here the African, once emancipa-
ted, stands forth statesman.
Into the hands of such men are entrusted the
destinies of these States. In Virginia, Hunni-
cult and Underwood, represent Richmond and
they are men who could not be elected Consta-
bes in "A Northern city A slave, FIVE times con-
vcted of larceny, represents another county
| Lev iItSe lien Will make Lne constitution OF
Virginia These men can enfranchise and dis
franchise whom they pease-they can parcel out
all the land in the State, and in the name OF
liberty, commit any crime they please. Two
merchants of Richmond are warned to leave the
city, because they despise Hunnicntt. A white
mai is arrested near Charleston, by vigilance
committee of negroes. The military interfere
and he is safe. No wonder the Southern people
prefer even the five Satraps, and take no interest
in the elections, for when the military are remov-
ed and the new Constitutions are in force, with
Underwoods, Brownlows Hdnnicutts and other
black and white men of debased character at the
head of affairs. no decent white man will be
safe from the Potomac 10 the Rio Grande
The great issue of to-day and of the Prtsden-
tial election, will be the endorsement of th, Sc
things. If they are endorsed, then, indeed, is
American liberty dead. If the len States are to
be Afri- ,nized, merely that the Negroes may
vote the Radical ticket though the States them
selves relapse into barbhrism, then indeed may
we despair. But we wait for the vel dict with
increased confidence. The elections this fall
have shown a reaction against the twin brothers,
Radicnlism aud Treason, and we pray to God
that 1868 may prove their eternal Waterloo. -
Lancaster Intelligsncer. .l 3D..