The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-01-18
The Revolution.

The news from Washington during the past
week is startling, and indicates reckless, re-
evolutionary spirit on the part of our radical
Congress that should fill the country with
alarm, if not dismay. The radicals evidently
see. in the spirit manifested by the people, that
the end of their reign is at hand, unless they
can convulse the country with excitement
sufficient TO enable them once more to ride
into power on the waves Of some new popular
frenzy. Finding that their reconstruction
scheme in the Southern States, the sole object
of which was to secure the vote OF those States
for the radical candidate at the next presiden-
tial election, is doomed to an ignominious
failure, they now propose to consign those
States to new bondage, more degrading and
hopeless than any yet imposed upon them, by
converting the whole into one military district,
and making Gen. Grant dictator over them
all. The bill for this purpose, now before
Congress- was most justly (however unparlia-
mentary it may have been) characterized by
Mr. Wood in the house on Wednesday, as ..'the
EioSi vi ali Ills iIldIlAOuS IncuSuTCS VI
this infamous Congress" The powers confer:
red on Gen. Grant are absolutely unlimited.
Every officer of the southern States, from Co.
vernon down to constable, is placed completely
at his mercy, to be appointed or removed at his
pleasure, or entirely dispensed with. Offences
crimes and misdemeanors of every grade are
punished as he may see fit, or overlooked or
pardoned No autocrat of Russia was ever
clothed with more unlimited power than Gen.
Grant is by this bill
Congress are not only on the eve Of passing
this BILL but knowing full well that such bill
could not for day stand the test of the Su-
preme Court, they have virtually silenced that
Court in advance 10y passing bin requlringa
concurrence of two-thirds Of the. Judges'in'a
decision to nulity a law of congress to give
such decision effect. The Court is composed
6 -c:1sAt judges, 81 nat any two of the eight
dissenting, t.o law of congress can be declared
unconstitutional. ,.A ,..E.t-{e. g,aH
They have gone further As, in spite Of tire
intention Of the present military bills, Gen.
Hancock has allowed the civil courts (which
the reconstruction acts recognise) in his dis
trict to administer justice, congress not only
proposes to legislate him out of Office by the
dictator bill above alluded to, but have passed
a resolution dismissing him from the service,
under the cloa!, of reducing the number OF
Major Generals in the army. ,,,f s nan
Thus the revolution proceeds Determined
either to radicalise or crust, the south. they
move straight to that object, 6 outside of the
Constitution" by their own confession. II the
Executive undertakes to arrest them in their
revolutionary career, they pass bill transfer
ring his powers to subservient tool call a
General of the army; and if the Supreme
Court steps in to stopthem by pronouncing
their law, as they are sworn to do, unconstitu-
tional, they strike down the Supreme Court
And the end is not yet Tho aim il to
elect the next president At all hazards. the
vote Of Pennsylvania in doubt, there are 40,
900 negroes in that state over 81 years Of age,
and congress can pass Law, il necessary, to
enfranchise them. And 20 for New York,
Ohio, Indiana, sc. Would such : law be i'm
constitutional The Supreme Court il stricken
down by law OF congress. and il, ,powsrless.
Two radicals toadies on the bench hold that
august tribunal completely in their hands,.
Whittier is the country drifting, or rather
rushing headlong9 DO ,'V~' '"''