Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-03-24
NUMBER XXX.
A vigorous Assault upon the Leaders of the
Radical Party, and their Measures and
Policy.

Radical Party, and their Measures and
Policy.
lExtract from Senator Saulsbury's Speech
The Republican party waged three wars at
one and the same time. A war against the
Southern States, war against their political
opponents and war against the Constitution
of the United States. In the prosecution of
these wars they were guilty of almost every of
fence for the commission of which our fathers
declared their independence of the British
Crown and made war to secure that indepen-
dence. will say nothing of their action in re-
spect to the people of the South Against those
who adhered to the Union, and who were much
more devoted to the Constitution and Govern
ment of the United States than they were them
selves, they were guilty of the following offences
charged in the Declaration of Inde pendence
lst. They dissolved Legislatures for opposing
with manly firmness their inva,ions on the rights
of the people. I'd. They obstructed the ad-
ministration of justice by imprisoning judges
to make judges dependent on their will alone
tor the tenure of their offices and the payment
OF their salaries. 4th They erected multitude
of new offices and sent among them swarms of
ofncerS to harrass the people and eat out their
substance. 5th. They kept among the people,
who were at peace among themselves, standing
armies, without the consent of their legislatures
9th. They rendered the military independent
OF and superior to the civil power. 7th. They
subjected the people to jurisdiction foreign to
their constitutions and unacknowledged by their
laws Sth. They Quartered large bodies of
armed troops among them. 9th. They protect
ed officers and troops from punishment for MUIR
ders and other crimes committed by them
10th. They cut off the trade of the people among
themselves and with other parts of the world
llth They deprived the people in many cases
ot the benefits of the trial by jury. 18th. With
out authority of law their President exercised
the following powers which belong exclusively
to Congress, and was thereby guilty of usurpa-
ton, which usurpation was approved by the
Republican party, and thus it became their acts:
/, he increased the army; 2, he increased the
navy; s, he appropriated the public money; 4,
he regulated commerce with foreign nations 5,
he regulated commerce between the States 6,
he contracted debts on behalf of the nation; I,
he suspended the writ Of habeas corpus Is.
The following powers, denied both to Congress
and the President their President exercised,
which exercise of unauthorized power they ap-
proved, and thereby are guilty as party of the
usurpatlon themselves: |, he proclaimed mar
tlal law; 2, he arrested without legal warrant;
3, imprisoned and punished without conviction
and legal trial 4, punished under ex post facto
or non existing law; 5, introduced letters de
cachet, bastiles and the midnight secret pro-
ceedlngs of the lnquistion 6, interdcted re-
ports; I, favored some ports to the prejudice of
others; s, regulated the commerce of State
within It's own bounds 9, impaired the freedom
OF speech and OF the press; 10, infrineed the
people right to keep and bear arms 4; l. made
unreasonable searches and seizures; l. prohibit
ed emigration and required passports 3 dis
missed the police OF cities in States not pro-
claimed in insurrection and appointed Others in
their place IA, interfered by the mita.y force
with the freedom of elections in the States Is,
took private property for public use without just
compensation. 18th. The party has conferred
the elective franchise upon the negroes in the
District OF Columbia against the will Of The peo-
pie. 18th. They have placed Governols over
the people against their will and in violations of
their laws, by military force. 10th. They have
caused pretended Legislatures to be selected in
the States against the will of the peonle by the
>ame means. 18th. They have by the same
means appointed pretended conventions to re-
form and revise the constitutions of the States.
18th. They have forced illegal State constitu-
tons upon the people against their wills 10Th.
They have appropriated money out ot the pub
tic Treasury for the support of negroes living in
idleness, and have levied taxes upon the white
citizens for that purpose. Goth. They have at
iempted to deprive the people of the States of
the power to determine evidence ant regulate
the judicial proceedings of their own courts, in
violation of their laws and constitutions Dist.
They have deprived the State courts of the
jurisdiction to hear and determine questions re-
Iating to the right of persons, liberty and pro-
perty within the State, and to pas and de-
termine upon the guilt or innocence o. those
accused of crimes committed within the State.
22nd. They have authorized the arrest and
punishment of judges for deciding questions of
Jaw against their enactment. 23rd hey have
annulled the constitutional authority and pre-
negatives of the Executive of the United States.
OATH They have baniShed citizens frou family
and home without trial. 25th. They have
violated every one of the twelve amendments to
the constitution designed to protect the PEOPLE
in the enjoyment of their rights of person, lib
erty aud property. 26th. They have sacrificed
the lives of half million of men in a wal which
they might have easily averted, and have bur-
iened the industry of the people by the crea-
lion Of debt amounting to billions of dollars
And yet, MIR. President, this Republican
party, with this record, instead of calling upon
ihe rocks and mountains to hide them from the
face of an outraged and indignant people, cool
y charge the members Of the Democratic party
with being disloyal and with being untalthful
the Constitution and laws of their country!
y shame, where is thy blush