The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1868-08-15

uHIe0 rs the le9lumate fruits OF policy,
the offspring Of malice and cupidity, and
pursued in the names OF LOYALTY and
liberty.
Dark indeed is the picture before us !;
and | would call upon Sfp reckless men,
who are hurrying US on to a desperate
alternative, to pause in their madness
to pause and reflect. There is a point
beyond which patience is exhausted, and
men viii not iorbear. The sublime prin-
cipies OF the Declaration of Independ-
ence are not dead forever. The spirit
which actuated its authors is mex
tinguishable in the breasts of their de-
scendants. If they force war upon US,
as they seem disposed to do, it may be
their ruin as we'll as ours.
Then, if convicted criminals, Boosting
and glorying in the preparation of the
highest crimes known to the law, and
turned out OF our Jails and penitentiary
by hundreds, for the purpose, are to be
turned loose upon peaceable and inof-
tensive citizens-men, women, and child |
ren-to burn, murder, pillage, and COM /
NIT nameless crimes, then who doubts !
- sn = su NEVIS s5s ne nenest people Of
( the State are clamoring for peace. II
war comes it viii not originate with the
people it Will be instigated and forced
upon them by the bastard authors Of all
our woes, the present usupers and time
1 servers in Office.
l know Of but two roads out Of our
/ present unhappy condition. One is to
/ fold our hands in inaction and await the
tardy Justice of the North-bearing in
silent fortitude expressions such as no
other freemen ever endured, until pity
for our misfortunes touches the great
heart of the American people and ami
mates them to strike the shackles from
our limbs The other is the great Anne
rican republican remedy-the remedy of
the Constitution.
Article 1st, section LIST, of the Consti-
tuition of Tennessee is as follows: "All
power is inherent in the people, and all
free governments are fo~aed on their
authority and instituted f0l1their peace,
safety, and happiness for the advance
ment of these ends they have, 1T all times,
an inalienable and indeieasible right to
altar, reform, or abolish the g0cer3iDteAt
IN such manner as they may think pro-
per. Article 1, section ,, reads as fol-
lows: =" That government being institu-
ted for the common benefit the doctrine
of non-resisiance against arbitrary power
and oppression, Is absurd, slavish and
destructive of the good and happiness of
mankind
L know that, to the irresponsible fac
ton who have usurped absolute authority
in the State, and Who have resolved that
the people must rule, and we arc the
people, this sounds ike rebellion"
But it's said that if we attempt to
alter, reform, or abolish the government,
United States troops will be called for to
crush Us. [ would reply that we would
be acting strictly within the letter Of the
law and the Constitution, and in the ex-
ercise Of right guaranteed to US By the
Federal Constitution itself and so far
from driving from Us our friends In the
North, such a policy, if we keep within
the bounds Of the Constitution and the
law, viii encourage them to help Us
ealism enough. It's head, It's hands, its
feet are scaly with the deadly leprosy.
What political crimes has radicalism not
perpetrated in the outraged names of
!. Liberty and Loyalty ?"
They have established law higher
than the constitution, and invaded the
very holy OF holes in the temple Of lib
erty.
I They have made the sublime princi-
/ pies Of the Declaration of independence
/ a by-word and kissing.
| They have invaded the sacred pre-
cincts of the courts of justice with cor
r'uptien, and overturned the very bull
Yarks of the law.
They have violated the prerogative of
the Chief Magistrate of the nation, and
attempted to prostitute his high Office to
partisan and unholy purposes.
They have established military des-
I potism over sovereign States In times Of
/ peace, and by system of outrage and
usurpation, for party purposes, .unheard
of in the annals Of any Republican gov
eminent, have foisted upon them consti-
tutions and Office holders against the ex-
press viii Of the people, and against the
/ peace and dignity of the StStes.
They have over burde%A the people
/ with taxation, and consumed their sub
stance for the purpose Of filing the capa-
cious pockets of their hirehngs, and for
the purpose of keeping themselves in
power.
They have made one currency fer the
rich and another fer the poor.
They have excluded from the halls Of
legislation the representatives chosen by
the people, and admitted in their stead
the plant tools of partisan power.
They have kept immense standing
armies in times Of peace, and taxed an
overburdeped people to sustain them.
They have trampled under foot the an
cient affairs of our country around which
cluster a thousand sacred names and
memories they have abolished time
honored customs, forms, and presidents,
and erected strange affairs and strange
gods, and bid US bow down and worship
them.
And we are asked to endure all this.
But, rising infinitely above all questions
3 Of minor import-above Congressional
reconstruction, which means no recon
struetion at all-above questions touch
ing the prerogative of the President
above the violated ermine of the judi
,, ciary above question of taxation and
finance above temporary disfranchise-
ment above the rights of the States
? the great question before US in Tennes-
see. and before the American peoole, is
, shall we hurl from power the faithles:
guardians of our liberties, and preserve
, inviolate the great heritage of constitu
tional liberty, and transmit it to other:
as it has been transmitted to US, or shall
we surrender our birthright and suffer
consolidated military despotism to b,
erected over us ? Let the people ponder
and our rulers take warning.
JUDGE Bigger, Demoefatic Electo