The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1868-02-15
Letter from Hon. B. H. Hill, Of Georgia.
WASHINGTON, D. O.. Oct. IA. 1867

TO The Editors of'Mc Chronicle and Sentinel
suppose all men must now admit TIM,
the great reaction has certainly commenced.
The suggestions Of reason always taught me
this must be sooner or later. Earnest and
anxious observations Of men and things in
the North for ten days before the election,
confirmed mo in my opinions. This reaction
will go on and rapidly increase. All ordi.
nary principles of human action must fnil
or New York will rendera more decided yer,
diet than has yet been given. Even Massa-
chusetts gives promise of showing ut least "a
great reduction Of the Radical vote.
The fact is also worthy the consideration
Of statesmen and true patriots, that the de.
cis0n of the people is moro decided against
the Radical policy than tho Radical party.
This tact must teach the party that ifit shall
adhere to a policy after it has been 40 en-.
phatically condemned, the party itself must
be cursed and utterly east out, for it will add
contumacy to heresy.
No man ever understood anything woll
without understanding the reasons Of the
thing.
Now, then, what are the reasons Of this
popular reaction against Radcaiism |
think no honest, intelligent mind eau mis-
take them.
|. In the first place the passions cngcnder.
cd by the war and assassination Of Mr.. Lin
coin are subsiding As passions lessen the
vision gets clearer aud the judgment strong.
er. All the measures of tho Radical party
since the surrender has becn founded ia ven.
/ geance, enforced by passion, aud supported
/ hy wicked se,ishucsS and ambition. People
begin 10 see this, aud naturally they begin
To condemn. As they see mnre. they will
candcnn more, aud thc process of seeing
aud condemnimg will <, on until everything
Of the nature of Ral.cal!sm will be hated
and dcspiscI.
.. This cooling o. TIE passions is enabling
/ the people already Il begin tp sec that the
real purpose of ghe katie.d party is tn change
/ thc Constitution an4 thc whole character Of
! the Government by force and fraud. The
men who we're persuaded to make war to
preserve tbs Union arc beginning tD ste that
! they laced Themselves under tie lead of men
who hated the Uu.on ani the Constitution,
and VINO were determined tl.e war should
not end IN it, prc-crra,i0n. Thus. tbs pco.
/ pie lind they have not only bccn deceived
| but actually used to accomplish what they
desired 10 prevent. They are discovering
that those who have lceu continually cxcit-
ing them wiGh cries Of rebels aud rebel
atrocities are. in truth. the only real. in
tcntiDnal traitors, and that these cries have
been used 10 keep the people blinded by pas
s:On until these Intentional traitors could
I destroy the Constitution uuIcr the protection
of Oains To support il!
= llnw startled to s.u ldering will the Amer.
lean people he, when, freed from oil passion,
they shaIl loDS. Lack aud see that they had
been 80 mad Is tn ll-lcU with tolerance to
men who taught ilcsn thai large portion 81
the people were uHIeg the jurisdiction vi the
|GoNernment without tac protection of the
Constitution, aud that Congress had author.
Ivy 10 icgislute uui-id. ii that Constitution :
ani more still, that outside 0f the C0nstitu.
tion Congress alone bad authority, aud the
other departments Df the Government the
Executive aud Judiciai-auiy had existence
~ tools 10 be used by Congress ia carrying
out Its unchecked work Of hate in It's limit.
less ield If vengeance How tie people will
thea curse the wTetchci lncn xh9 kcp; them
blinded ~ pass.oa, uHly h secure their mp.
pT0yal Ot SUCH wicked treason to the C0nsti.
tuition, aud Of such cruel expressions upon
a portion "i their fellow cilzens who were
helpless, because tLcy had surrendered their
arms uadcr promise Of protection rs equals
in the Union Oh. tho horrors of that fear.
ful craftsmanship which has taught the peo.
pie to be trcachcruus tu themselves
II ). In the next place tic people find they
are more heavily taxed than any people on
the globe. A their passions cool they nat.
uraiiy inquire how these taxes are applied
J And TO their disniay they find they are not
applied 10 the payment of tic debt created
} - preserve the Union. After paying the cx
penses OF the Government proper, they find
the balance, which oughthe 20 to the reduc.
ton Of the debt is used s. admins.er this
Government which Congres has created ont.
side Of the Constitution now, lust think
lof it! Five military relationships created in
the South, III time OF peace, which arc this
day costing the people far more than the lc.
gItimate administration of the whole cgiti.
mate Government, and either one Of which
relationships is casting more than the whole
administration Of the Government in the
honest times Of the earlier Presidents And
the only effects Of these military dictatorship;
are to dcpress the hearts of the people and
paralyze their industrial energies so as ta
E make them hating burden to the nation
whereas, with these relationships withdrawn,
these oppressed people would be cheerful
and prosperous, and pay millions Of net rev
} lessenlng Of the taxes and the reduction oil
; tho debts.
Hundreds Of millions of taxes levied and
SoIieStcd dn1uhliJg 10 UluiHLdIu an armed
, force against our own unarmed fellow citi.
zens More taxes required to pay the ex.
penses Of an illegtimate Government outside
Of the Constitution than are necessary to ad
minister the legitimate Government inside oI
the Constitution Can any sane man believe
{ that such stupendous facts can long be hid
, from the people? And can even a lunatie
imagine that when the people learn the facts
they will tolerate the party guilty sncI
enormous outFages
No. the people will discover these fearful
facts, and are discovering them, and they
, will utterly condemn their authors and are
. condemning them and here lies the whole
explanation of the reaction developed by thc
recent elections, and the whole explanation
Of the reasons why this reaction must in
crease.
, Whether the discovery and condemnation
will como in time to save the Constitutions
Government is a question which the futur,
alone can settle. | have both hopes ant
: fears on this subject.
In view of the hopeful and even glorious
: changes going on in the North, what is tn,
s manifest duty of the South? To give m,
: opinions on the subject is the chief induce
ment to write this letter.
. do not wonder that mary, under tho ad
verse circumstances which surrounded us
l committed some mistake. All history show
! that in times of severe trial many are timid
. few are courageous, and still fewer willing
Hafrx ~