The Van Buren press., 1867-11-01
Radical Threats.

Col. Johnson is his feeble attempt tt
justify his and his party's course, in hi,
speech of Saturday last, indulged in tn,
threatening language so often used b,
Radical speakers We were told that h,
had warned the people to accept the Con
stitutonal amendment offered to the last
Legislature for ratification, for if they
did not, worse fate awaited them. lie
tells us now to call Convention and
adopt such Constitution as will be nc.
ceptable to Congress, or a still worse fate
awaits us. Such language has become SO
common in this land of liberty that il
has ceased to be wondered at. Coming
from Despot would surprise no one
but falling from the lips ofAmerican citi-
zens, such language ought to awaken the
deepest solictude. Freedom Of though,
and opinion to be harnessed to the car
of power, and forced into unwilling
tracks, and free people look on and not
feel alarm! Why this repeated threat OF
something worse" if we do not resign
our honor and cringingly bow to the ar.
bitrary and unwarranted dcta of AZ
emasculated body, self styled, Congress
Something worse" because, forsooth
we chose to exercise the paltry right
permitted us, by those ungenerous ty
rants, of deciding for ourselves whether
we approved of the l4th article propos.
ed, or not. And now the same dcspo,
has said there is my plan of reconstruc
ton; to carry it out you must call Con.
vcntion but the question of calling one
or not calling one, you may decide fol
yourselves. And yet these demagogues
and the whole pack of Radical prints in.
form us that if we dare to decide against
a Convention, something worse" will
come. We have the freedom of choice
provided we choose to do as Congress
desires us. This is the old PuritanicaI
doctrine of conscience" "You can
have perfect freedom of conscience in
your religious belief, proviaed, you be
lieve as do" Our advice to the people
is to do what they think, is right, honor
able and lawful and let the something
worse" take care of itself. We obeycd
our judgment and rejected the Constitu
tional amendment. if now the majority
of the voters of this State decide to re.
fuse to call Convention, what excuse
can the most tyrannical Radical have fol
sending something worse upon us. Is
this freedom of choice snare, set by de-
liberate malice to catch an unwary peo
pie? Do they offer us a mode of escape
only to shoot lis down as we are obeyine
the instincts of nature? Away with such
doctrine or away with the present Gov
ernment. If we live in a Republic, in the
name Of justice, let us have republican
laws, and not enact the terrible tragedy
ofa Republic in form and despotism in
fact. A Nero or Caligula might laugh at
the innocent victims caught in the snares
deliberately set for them, but the genius
Of Rcpublicanism turns with unfcigned
horror, from all deceit and doubel- deal
ing. 1t deals openly and fairly with. all
its people. If they violate the laws, Re-
publics should punish them in the man
ner provided by the laws The country
has long been struggling through ter
rible though bloodess revolution. The
theory of free government is being put
to the sorest trial. The sword and bayo.
net may fail to overthrow Government,
the foundations Of which may easily be
sapped by corruption Unscrupulous
ambition Is more dangerous in the coun-
ellis than in the field Of battle. Evil coun.
sellors may overthrow government,
that might otherwise ride unscathed
through the whirlwind OF war Let us
hope that the present revolution may re-
suit in fixing our republican institutions
more firmly on their foundations. The
late elections inspire US with the hope
that the light Of reason is again ntarn.
fnO.