Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-02-21
The most lgsla.nguinc. must llave. ceased


ruinous despotism lowering upon the
entire country. One hour of patri-
otto wisdom would suffice to bind up
a broken Union, and restore prosper
;ty, liberty aud happiness to thirty
millions Of enslaved and despairing
people. But villainy and tyranny
hold sway where wisdom patriot
ism once sat enthroned; the brave
and generous impulses of once free
and proud people have given place to
stolid apathy, trembling timidity, or
Unsuitable craving for the spoils OF a
government wrecked and fortunes
ruined. Congress might, by single
RESOLUTION, gladden. the hearts of
millions, brighten their prospects and
restore their lost heritage Of liberty |;
but instead of thus earning undying
Gratitude and, better still, the solace
of approving conscience, that body,
like bull in china shop, takes mad
delight in smashing The precious con-
tents, or ike beast Of prey, lies in
wait for its victims and exults as it
strikes its fangs deep into their quiv-
ering flesh. The eagerness of Con.
gress to break down all the safeguards
which the Constitution has thrown
around the rights of States and indi-
viduals, is apparent in everything
done by that usurping clique which,
in nothing, is restrained by pure mo-
tives. 80
For instance, the country was led
to believe the reconstruction meas
ures, SO glaringly unconstitutional,
and so cruelty unjust to the South,
would be permitted to succeed or fail
upon the terms laid down in the bill
but as soon as it was ascertaincd that
the measure had failed, in Alabama
through the action Of the voters crea-
ted by that bogus enactment, reso'
luton was offered in Congress dc
claring the rejected constitution rati'
fed and the State entitled to repre-.
sentation. But as if to divide the
- -------- 49,, IL -r-a.,,- r,,nh infa.
nous dcspotism, the satrap is allowed
to reopen the polls for five days more SC
as to give the negroes time to vote as
often as they please and, if necessary
to impors'othors, and thus secure ;
seeming majority for the rickoty bant
ling Of monstrous political misce
gcnation.
But justice might still triumph
over licencious tyranny were tn
departments of the government tru
to the constitution and their Quito,
under it, The Executive has, Ion,
since, folded his hands and sufIere,
them to be tied, and the Suprem
Court, either fearing the power c
Congress, or being willing co-ope
rator in Congressional usurpation.
disclaims any jurisdiction over quos
tons growing out of those usurpo
tons, thus ignoring their sworn dut
to maintain the Constitution, tn
protection Of which was the primar
object OF It's creation. With two dc
partments of the government for tn
establishment of despotism, tn
other rendered powerless by its ow
inaction, ana a large body Of III
people sustaining the conspirator
against liberty andlaw, the only re
maing hope for the ultimate safety c
the government is in armed revolt
ton, and that can only be inaugurate
Ivy that people whose boosted love c
fte pnion and the Constitution in
PEELED them to wage a bloody war, a
the dupcs of party that has disse,
cred the one and trampled under foe
the other The South, disarmed,
powerless fos self-defense, and it II
mains to be seen whether the peopl
who porpetratcd murder and robbcr
under thdaOg, that was described b
Greedy as q "aaunting lie" and a
for the Constitution aud the Uniol
will defend them still, or tamely be,
one end of the yoke that has bee
fastened upon the necks of the pc,
pie. If they fail to prove their sin
cority by their works, the fact will z
forth to thowolld that the pretexts f,
the war were a lie, and that envy an
malice and abolitionism were the so
incentives TO the bloodiest crimes ,
which history has any record. ri
people of the North must save Il
Constitution and the Union or be,
the stigma of n lawless, cruel horj
of depredotors upon the rights an
property Of an unoGonding peopl
--H--' - 49,
Contrary 10 our expectations, judo