American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1868-07-25

ratification meeting which the l'iRt
holds up to rcprObation, is the 70
lowing: ... ......,...
We can have nc, relief, Unlps
the great Democratic party will com
out and pledge itself that we shat
hay G a fair electiNn-tllat the whit
people OF The South shall vote; am
| want you all to register m oatl
chat when they do vote, their vote
shall be counted. and If there is
majority of white votes, that yol
will place Seymour and Blair in tn,
White House. in spite OF all the bay
onetS that shall be brought agans
them. only want to see the elec
zion fair-and if they do that, ever
with the lncubuS OF black rule, We
can carry the Southern States.n
We can find nothing in this tc
diSapprDve. We should deprecatt
the necessity of a resort to force, but
We pour scoln upon the craven, the
puSlllanimouS notion that Greemen
may not vindicate their rights by
arms. Courage to resist oppression
is the ultimate security for govern
meut. his, at least, was the oDih
ION of our brave tOretathcrS, When
they took care to provide in the Con
StltutlOn that "uSht OF the peopl,
to keep and bear arms Shall not be
imtringed." The right to bear arms
implies the right, ON sufficient
prUvUcAtlon, to use them. lhe only
uebatable question relates TO the
sutIiclency Of the provocation.
II the Democratic party should
fairly elect the next President, ana
the Republican Congress, by mis-,
counting or throwing out votes,
should declare General Grant elect.
ed, nothing could be palmer than
The right OF the people 10 Vlndicate
their actual cnolce. Suppose, to IL
.ustrate the principle, that the result
OF the election should depend upon
the electoral votes Of the newly adj
mltted State oil Florida, that the
three votes OF FIorlua should be
Democratic, and that Congress
should throw them OUT and declare
General Grant elected. Now, on
the SuppoSitlon Of fair election in
Florida. odght the Democratic party
to submit The question answers
itself: only negative answer is
uossjLIp. That the Democratic mar.
t. would resist, and make its resist
ance cnectual, we have no manner
Of doubt. We should have on our
side the two main elements OF sue
ccss--right and numbers. The SUI
pcrlority of our numbers would be
the foundation oi our right; for if
the Republican party fairly out-voted
us, it would be our duty to submit. !
But if the election shall show that
the Democratic party are a majority, |
and Congress shall nevertheless de- |
aIaIe the I;cpHaIican candidates |
elected. our right to resist will be !
luqutstionable, and Oar power to
.esist successfully will depend upon
he same superiority in numbers
i hiCl made us u majority. ,.
The chief advantage of republican
Institutions is, that they keep the
Of physical force al
ways on the side Of The Government.
+ the minority grows into a MAORI
Y, they have only to await the next
lection to come peaceably into
lower, and tor this reason. q resort
. force is always ineXCusable under
epUNlican institutions, SO long as
lectiOnS are fairly conducted. But
+, by a change in public sentiment,
he minority have control of the
government at the time OF an elec-
ion. and Keep themselves in power
v refusing to count the votes by
'hich they are defeated. the very
ise al iSrs for which the Constitu.
ON guarantees the light of all citl-
ems TO bear arms. The power of
IrcibIc resistance by swimdled ma,
nifty is, in the last resort. the only
acurity of republican institutions,
Deny the right and YOU give full
cense to any nnuupuiOus minority, |
hich happens to be in power, to
,nder its authority perpetual. I
1t Is quite true that tie Republi- !
ms will have the counting OF the :
cctnral votes in tine coming Presi, {
entail election. aud that if they dis.
,ncstly exclude those given to Mr.. j
nymOur. the Constitution provides {
, peaceable method OF redress. Ii {
all in vain to say that we may
ait four years and try the result OF q
lother election for if we submit
the dishonest precedent we have /
} security that we shall not be
rain cheated and our electoral votes
gain thrown out. This is an evil I
at must be met on the frontier. Ii +
not in the power OF Congress to a
event the DemoeI attic party from b
in November. whether .
is a majority. The votes which a
ey refuse to recognize officially r.
.ey camot prevent MS from count h
e unGflicially. No political swim a
ing can prevent oar knowing, by tE
e middle OF November, whether r.
.e prepOndeTanee of physical !
rcngth is on ohT side, or ON their a
Re. II they are in a majority. we /,
Iall submit. like good citizens, and i
yallow oUr chagrin as best we may. n
az if we fairly carry the election, h
ld are cheated ont Of our virtorv \