Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-01-30


good government, we did not dash /
hastily from u.s. On its face it pro
tessed to respect our wishes; il pre-
posed that we should vote freely, 70
or against it-accept or reject it-an
thus, by implication at least, invite
us to examine and consider it. w
did So in the light of the Constitution
and we found not one word in tha
instrument 20 warrant the passage O
the Reconstruction Acts. They res
upon the assumption that Congress
has the power to CONSTRUCT GOVERN
MENTs tor the States. They abrogat
the Government of Georgia, which III
people organized in Difference to th
Presidents wishes, and, in its stead
place us under Military Governor
clothed with the power of dospotism
under which the sovereignty of th,
people is ignored and the principles 0
Magma Charta, Incorporated into tn,
Constitution for the security of prop
erty, life and liberty, are trodden un
der foot. They disfranchise large
portion of the most intelligent anC
virtuous citizens, as a punishment fol
alleged crime of which they have no
been legally convicted, and confer
universal suffrage upon the emancipa
ted negroes. Hence, the Congressiona
scheme is not only violative of the Con
stitution, but grossly cruel and unjust
and devoid Of that far-seeing and com.
prehensive craftsmanship which seeks
good government, in contradistinction
to partisan ascendancy. For who can
fail TO see that those Acts must lead
and were intended to lead, to neqro
supremacy Else why such disfran.
chisement Of the white as to throw
the power of the ballot-box into the
control of the enfranchised black race 7
Such is obviously their design, de-
duced from their letter and spirit, not
denied by their authors and fully illus
trated by the manner of their enforce
ment. Having placed us under mill.
tary law, and toleratlng our organized
government as merely provisional. its
civil officers were compelled to support
them, on pain of dismissal. JUDGES
and other officers were deposed for
refusing to violate the Constitution
and laws which they had sworn to
obey and execute; all civil and mill
tary officers were ordered TO publish
their legal advertisements in such pa-
pers only as sustained the Congress
sional scheme. Thus the purity and
independence Of our judiciary have
been polluted and stricken down and
the sanctity Of the jury box desecrated
by compelling jury lists to be made up
Of whites ard blacks indiscriminatelv /;
and thus the liberty of the press is
iettered and tolerated at the will of
The District Commander and Military
Governor of the State. To these we
might add numerous instances of the
personal liberty, by arrests
without legal accusation or warrant,
md Imprisonment without an impair
'ial and public trial by jury. In con-
therefore, that the estab-
lshment Of neyrJ supremacy was their
Intention, and that, from the mode of
heir enforcement, it would inevitably
&c consummated, we firmly and delit-
'rately opposed the Reconstruction
Acts, as most compatible with our self
aspect and our daty to the dead and
he living-to the present and future
But power has, thus far, triumphed
'ver reason, justice and right and
he Convention provided for, repre-
enting negroes only, with the excep-
ion Of a few thousand whites. now
its, to crystalize into constitutional
orms the policy OF bringing The State
fGeorgia under the dominion ofnegro
il is without parallel in
be annals Of theworld. Foralthouph
istory furnishes instances of aboii. !
on, yet it affords no example of an
tempt by military force to elevate
he emancipated slave above isreeent
laster, to subordinate the superior to |
ne inferior race, and clothe the latter
18th the political power Of the State. /
is the most outrageous policy ever
ivocated by Christian people. I'll
lould arrest the alarmed attention Of
very friend of constitutional govern
ent throughout the Union, as it must
waken the astonishment of the civil
ed world. The perpetuation ofsuch
wrong has been reserved (
II the dominant party now contron-
g the destiny Of this country-for
en-, Sicorn TO support and obey the
onstitution Of a Government pro
ssedly deriving, as a fundamental
"its just powers from the
'nsent OF the governed"
Fellow-citizens, shall negro suprem-
y be permanently enthroned in the
ate OF Georgia Shall ten States of
is Union be surrendered, at the point
the bayonet, to the dominion of the
friean racer Shall eight millions of
hites be subjected to the rule Of four
illions Of blacksg Shall they become
r Magistrates, our Legislators, our
Idges, our Governors and Represent
ives in Congress Shall seven hun {
ed thousand ignorant negroes, who :
n neither read nor write, who know
thing of the principles Of the Con- '
tuition or Of legislation, agrarians {
instinct and taught by political
illmasters that they have injuries to
engc against the white race. be q
mitted to the ballot-boxy These 1
Q the momontous questions which 7
mand solution and disturb the peace 5
d harmony Of our country. If they a
9 to be decided afirmatively. what G
n or tongue can portray the dire
Iamities which we shall reap at no 7