The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1868-08-22
The People Demand a Change.


to the conclusion that change is the irreyer-
sibie fat of the American people. It avovs
this to be its deliberate Judgment, and be-
lieves 1t to be as much the judgment Of the
radical leaders 1t recalls the fact that these
leaders in 1863 succeeded IN retaining power
with comparatively small maiorities in New
York and Pennsylvania, " by skiIIfuI an
peal to the passions evoked by the war, and
by the pretense that they We're not really at
issue with the policy Of the President"
That In the year 1866 they retained the
same power partly by melting sectional
hatreds, by presentations of the policy
of the Executive and by the insincere pledge
that they would use their power in Congress
to restore peace to the country" They sue
ceeded so as again to be tolerated by smaller
maiorities, showing that their power was
held by but frail tenure But instead of
needing the warning and now retaining
power by moderate counsels, as might have
been done, they sought to take a bond of
fate by manufacturing rotten boroughs at
the South" They struck down State gov
ernments "to which they had given the
|
ratification their own constitutional amend
ment" and inaugurated military despotism
and put a sword, as their own orators an
nouneed, to the throat of every man in the
South, proclaimed universal suffrage, and
DISTINGUISHED one-third of the population
providing for fraud by test oaths, and throw
ing Offices into the hands Of corrupt adven-
turers as a consequence The E1telHgencer
continues:
Such was the sin. Swift followed the
punishment The first State that voted after
! these reconstruction laws were passed, and
after the enactment of negro suffrage, was
also the first to repudiate the radical party.
California followed Connecticut Maine re
duced a radical majority from 27 900 in
1866, to II 600 in 1867. Pennsylvania
blotted out a radical majority. Ohio elected
a Democratic Legislature and repudiated ne
gro suffrage by $4,000. New York and New
Jersey coming after this reaction had been
thus demonstrated, rolled up enormous Con
servative maiorities. The reaction went on
everywhere, IN every State, in large cities,
In the great hives of industry, in the work
shops, in the fields and pTaiTies of the West
Everywhere human nature rose up and tes-
titled against the brutality and low villainy
Of these bad men.
Seeing bLeir almost inevitable fate the
radicals abandoned all their favorite States
l men, smOthered their ambitious aspirants-
the Wades, Colfdxes, Butlers-and even re
pudiated so great an intellect as Judge
Chase; hoping that by evoking drum and
fife enthusiasm for General Grant they
might delude the people into allowing power
| to remain In the hands of these leaders.
Their autumnal defeats of 1867, In effect
nominated General Grant; the Chicago
{ Convention simply registered the foregoing
conclusion and expedient Of leaders who
? saw no hope whatever for themselves in the
sober Judgment Of the people
The year 1868 has now more than half
gone, but shows TO ebb in the great popular
tide no ceasing Of the mighty current
which has occasioRcd these consprators so
much alarm. All the elections held this
year eyince a still more general awakening
of the people, still more steadlast deter
mination to rescue the government from the
hands of the spoilers Gen. Grant has been
formally nominated for two months and
} more, and as yet we fail to behold particle
of the needless enthusiasm which was ex-
pecJed to drown all appeals to reason and
to blind the popular apprehension in respect
to the cruel and prOlligate band Of plunder
ers, who bestTide the country like Il curse
The calculations upon which Grant was
nominated have thus utterly failed What
: is this but a proof that the causes Of dis
l content are deep, widespread and universal
. they 90 to the very heart of the nation it
Is not a question Of shows canvass, hurrahs
catchwOrds or ciap-trap; but question Of
bread, human liberty, and constitutional
l right-Of relief from the tyrant and the
spoiler, whose rule Is insupportable-a bur
den and an agony under which a whole ma
} ton cries out for q change.
p And this word " change IS written so
! broadly and legibly on the canvass of the
future that be who doubts the result of the
D coming election must be stupidity blind.
> / What good name has radical rule brought
/ | this land that men should desire or permit
It's perpetuaiion? How many persons are
. happy, how many are comfortable, and how
e many free under this sway What relief
e does it promise to the tax payer and the
o iabOrer? They promised peace; and yet,
while using the word. they tell us in the
very next breath that they have established
a rule at the South so hateful, so unendu-
u Table, so directly the reverse Of the princi-
: pies Of popular liberty, that bloody civil
l. war may become necessary at any moment
v, to make apparent to tbis people the bless
ings Of their rule. Nay, more; they de-
= mand fresh army a large militia force, for
II the North, In every Congressional district.
s This party has now held almost uudis-
puted sway for three long, weary years, and
= just so long has the whole land groaned as
IN an agony Never IN this country before
e has so much power been welded by po
IF Iitical party They have not merely used
= all the powers which rightlully belong tC
p Congress, bat they have taken to themselves
'i the power Of the President and the Supreme
e Court; and, lastly, by treating the Constitu
ton as a thing Of naught they have usurped
a large mass of powers rightfully belonging
g to the States and the people. With all thi'
= vast concentration Of power in their hands
e Is the country prosperous? Have they
d, made 1t happier, freer, richer, or more peace
ful, or the reverse Of all these
II Therefore, seeing all this, the people de
IL mand a change. Approaching, also this
b. fact of the popular discomfort, Congress IS
full of schemes to battle and Outwit the pop
% ular determination. Thirteen enslayed
IN States are the counters these leaders play
ID in this infamous game for power. But /
er VIII avail not ne masses ol tHe Iaha are