Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-04
THE FOURTH OF JULY.

draw its best inspiration, says the Phila-
delphia Argus, from that ever memo>
rable day. 1t is the anniversary of the
great uprising of the American colonies
in the cause of civil liberty, against mili'
tary despotism The British govern
ment, besotted with pride and self.con'
fdence, had ventured the experiment of
governing its colonies "outside of the Com
stitution The British Constitution was,
at that day, the farthest advance in the
direction of selfgovernment by the
people. 1t had left the colonies free to
expand and fortify popular rights, and
to lop of the feudal incidents that still
encountered the liberty of the subject, in
England Free government had taken
deep root and spread and fourished on
the soil of the New World, and it yet aca
knowledged with affection, its British
origin. But the necessities of The British
government led it to grasp at means of
supply, in defiance of the fundamental
principles which had long been the de-
Tense Of Englishmen, against extortion
and tyranny. To tax the colonies in
Parliament in which they were unrep-
resented, to cripple their trade and
manufactures in the interest of England
these were the measures to which the
British government resorted they an
ticipated the very policy, if not the
phrase, of our modern Radicals, "gov-
erning outside the Constitution" And
what were the appliances with which
the attempt was made to govern free
people Outside the Constitution ?" The
great protest against them, "lhe Decla>
ration of American independence" re
cites them and, in the recital, we seem
to read, not a page Of past history, but
the very events that we have seen with
our own eyes The declaration said Of
the British King 81.
He has affected TO render the S1ilitary
independent of and superior to, the civil
power, .............. H.
He has refused to pass laws for the ac-
commodation Of large districts of people,
unless these people would relinquish the
right Of representation in the Legislature
"A right inestimable TO tyrauts only.
He has erected a multitude of new Of
hces, and sent hithef swarms Of officers to
harass our people and eat out our sub
stance. ..
He has combined with others to sub
jeCt us to A Jurisdiction foreign to our Con-
stitution and unacknowledged by our laws ::
Giving his assent to their pretended acts
of legislation For qUartering large bodies
OF armed troops among us; for imposing
taxes on us without our consent for de-
priving as, in many cases, of the benefit of
trial by jury for abolishing the free sys-
tenn of English laws in a neighboring
province, establishing therein an arbitrary
government, and enlargiag its boundaries
SO as TO render il at once an example and
fit instrument for Introducing the came alb
solute rule 10 these colonies: By taking
away our charters, abolishing our most val
liable laws and altering fundamentally the
forms Of our governments: For suspending
our own Legislatures and declaring them
selves invested with power to legislaie for
US in all cases whatsoever" .t
This might serve as the history of Radi-
cal reconstruction" during the three
years that have elapsed since the war
One design may be traced through it ali:
ITO render the military independent Of
and superior to, the civil power" This
is to be completed by making the head of
the army the head of the government.
The latest word with the Radicals is:
Grant will not resign" and an act of
Congress will soon pretend to authorize
the union of the two Offices in one
The attitude of the Democratic party
now commends it to every man who is
still true to the institutions of our couns
try. 1t stands as the champion of civil
liberty. This is the broadest, strongest
plank in its platform a nation of freeN
men may stand upon it . l'.'
The Democratic Convention cannot
too clearly vindicate the authority of the
Constitution and the rights of the States
under it. Both are now in like danger.
Against the professions to arbitrary |
power every intelligent man now feels
hat he needs the shield of the law.
During the war many were willing to
East it aside too readily, Then, spas
nodic violence had an air Of strength, |
md men whose duty it was to administer
he law thought to show their yigor by
on it But it was an error.
The war powers and the peace powers
# our government are both ample, and
nut forth their full strength through
heir legitimate channels. To restore
he rule Of law, the true source Of peace
nd order, is the mission of tho Demo
ratio party. 1t will accomplish it, and
nder the Constitution and tie laws
very debatable question will find its
eaceful and proper solution