The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-03-16
Well PAT.
In an article on Spanish politics last week,
the New York Tribune remarked as follows:

In sn article on Spanish politics last week,
the New York Tribune remarked as follows:
| The despotic deeds of the new administration
will still be fresh in the memory of our readers.
The Constitution was avowedly trampled under
foot. The liberty of the press was abolished. A
wholesale arrest was made Of the members of the
Cortes who attempted to sign petition to the
Queen against the violation OF the Constitution
Other measures of the kind are contemplated
The Senate, which in its present composition re-
presents the aristocracy of wealth and intellect,
as well "a that of birth. il henceforth to be solely
composed of the hereditary Representatives of the
first families Of the kingdom The laws against
all the dissenters from the Roman Catholic
Church will again be enforced with the utmost
rigor. Public instruction is once more to be de-
based into an unprinciplod tool of despotism.
The New Orleans Crescent. noticing the
damaging picture of Spanish tyranny and out
rage drawn by the Tribune, takes it and by
few very slight notifications produces the fol
lowing:
The despotic deeds of the Federal Government
will still be fresh in the memory of our readers
The Constitution was avowedly trampled under
foot The liberty of the press was abolished. A
Wholesale denunciation and disfranchse ment
were made as to persons who attempted to re-
monstrate against the violation of the Constitu-
ton. Other measures of the kind are in contem-
plation. Congress, which, in its composition
ought to represent the opinions of people of all
of the states is henceforth to be composed solely
of the accredited representatives of party which,
although in a majority in the dominant section,
is in minority in the country. The laws
against dissenters from the established political
faith are to be enforced with the utmost rigor.
Public instruction is, if possible. to be debased
into an instrument of party and sectional des-
potism.
The Tribune drew the picture ofthe despotic
deeds of Spain to exhibit the grounds upon
which Instruction and revolt might be expec
ted and abundantly justified in the people OF
Spain against the administration trampling
down their constitutional rights.
The Crescent says:
How the Tribune could have fallen into such
heresy we can scarcely conceive, excep: by an
admission of the favorite hypothesis that the
things which are odious and despotical when
perpetrated by the ruling class in other countries
are eminently wise and proper when done by the
ruling party in this country Yet inquring
people will beapt to ask why it is so terrible
thing to trample under foot the Constitution OF
Spain, when 1t IL SO necessary thing 10 trdmple
under foot the Constitution Of the United States
why it is wrong to abolish the liberty Of the
press in SPAIN when it is right to abolish the
liberty of the press in America: why it is an
odious act of tyranny to imprison members Of the
Spanish Cortes for pe.itioning against violation
Of the Spanish Constitution, when it is not only
jlstifable but meritorous to arrest and imprison
American "copperheads' for demonstrating
against the violation of the American Constitu-
ton; why it should be leprehensible to exclude
from the Spanish Cortes all but the representa-
tves of few families, when it is commendable
to exclude from the American Congress all but
the representatives Of single section why il is
unjust to prosecute dissenters from he Catholic
Church in Spain, when it is just to dsfranchise
dissenters from the Republican party in the
United States; why, in short, is it the height OF
tyranny to circumscribe public liberty in one
country, when in another country freedom re-
quires the subversion Of law, the enforced SUI
premacy of the military over the civil lower. the
substitution the sword OF the soldier for the wand
of Justice and the arbitrary will of an irresponsi-
BILE pro-consul in place of the settled customs and
precedents of the tribunals of justice!