New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-08-18
THE POPULAR GROUND SWELL.

W
The tide sets in strongly and gloriously
Its roar can be heard at a great distance
and it is like the voice of many waters. Its
progress is irresistible, its breadth immense
The people are everywhere reused as to the
mighty issues involved in the present con.
test, and are prepared to meet them as they
shoald be met The revolutionary pro-
granme of Blai; and its undisguised en-
dorsement By the old secession Democracy
North and South have effeotually "fired the
Northern heart His programme and its
reception by its friends, have opened the
eyes of the loyal masses throughout the
Esstern, Middle and Western States, very
wide. The guns Of Beauregard upon Sum
ter hardly had a more startling effect upon
the patriotism OF the country. Every
wind that sweeps from the North bears
us evidence Of this fact The New
York convention rendered real
service to- the country by revealing the
real dangers Of the situation, and thus
supplying, indirectly it is true, but never
theless supplying the means to meet and
avert the danger. We think the country
by this time fully comprehends the nature
Of the question at issue. We put it in the
singular, for though there are many col
lateral and minor matters, each one of
which under other circumstances would
be ofgreat Importance, yet the grand over
whelming issue presented in this cam
paign to the people of the United States,
which no intelligent, honest patriot can
blink, or dodge, or misunderstood, is sim
ply and solely the question of peace or
another attempt at revolution and civil
war. Peace upon the election of Grant
and Colfax, or attempted revolution and
consequent civil war upon the success of
Seymour and Blair. The latter has dis
tinctly declared that the reconstruction
laws Of Congress must be wiped out at
once; that IL viii be the duty of Democrat
ic President, if one should be chosen, with
the House of Representatives, If one of
the right stripe should be elected, to COM
pei the Senate to submit TO their demands
and abolish all the laws which have been
enacted for the last four years in reference
to the Southern States. The only way in
which this is possible is by an armed force,
by coup detat. Senators must be seized
and cast into prison, and others put into
their places by military power, or the said
President and the said House must declare
the consent Of the Senate unnecessary, and
proceed to make their ediets laws, and TO en-
force them OF thepOint OF the bayonet. There
is no alternative. H0nly this, and nothing
more" There Is no power upon earth that
can change the political Complexion Of the
United States Senate within the limits Of four
years. Ifany present member oft should die,
the Governors or Legislatures Of the respec-
tiveStates would instantly supply the vacan-
cies 50 created, and the persons appointed
or elected would represent the same poIiti-
cal principles that the members Of the
Senate now represent. The Senate there
fore can be compelled to yield to the die
tatiOn Of Democratic President and
House only By brute force. Now, the recon
struction laws can be Wip9d out only by
the consent Of the Senate. 1t follows IT.
resistibly that these measures can be over
thrown only By physical power. This is
an attempt ct revolution. 1t Ii civil war.
1t Is the feast TO which the Blair-seymour
Democracy invite Che southsrn people aud
the Northern people. to which they invite
The business, and material and moral inter-
esla Of The country,
This has become fully understood In the