The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-07-25

cation or notice of affidavit, as require
by the organic law.
1t has converted the American Capitt
into bastile.
It has established a system of spie
T and official espionage to which no con
stitutional monarchy of Europe woul
dare to resort.
1t has abolished the right Of appeal
on important Constitutional questions
to the supreme judicial tribunals anc
threatens to curtaiI or destroy its "rigina
Jurisdiction, which is irrevocablyFer
by the Constitution while the learned
Chiefjustice has been subjected to great
and atrocious calumies merely because
he would not prostitute his high office to
the support of the false and partisan
charges preferred against the President.
Its corruption and extravaganza have
exceeded any thing known in history,
and by its frauds and monopolies it has
near doubled the burden of the debt
creating during the war.
1t has stripped the President of his
constitutional power of appointment,
even of his own Cabinet.
Under its repeated assaults the pil-
lars Of the Government are rocking on
their base. and should it succeed in No
vember next, and il a lgurate its Presi-
dent, We will meet it as a subjected and
conquered people, amid the ruins of
liberty, AMI the scattered fragments of
the Constitution.
FURTHER DECLARATIONS.
And We DO declare and resolve. that
eversince thepeople of the United States
threw off all subjugation to the British
Crown, the privilege and trust of sut-
frage have belonged to the several States,
and have been granted, regulated and |
controlled exclusively by the political
power Of each State, respectively, and
any attempt by Congress, an any pre-
text whatever, to deprive any State of
this right, or interfere with this exercise,
is tiagrant usurpation of power; which
can find no warrant in the Constitution,
and if sanctioned by the people will sub
vert our form of Government, and can
only end in single, centralized, consoli-
dated Government, in which the separate
existence of the States will be entirely
absorbed, and an unqualified despotism
% established in place of federal u
1ion of equal States.
That we regard the reconstruction
'cts Of Congress, so. called, as usurpa-
ions, unconstitutional, revolutionary and
yoid.
That our soldiers and sailors who
arried the flag of our country to victory
gainst most gallant and determined
oe, must ever be gratefully remembered,
nd all the guarantees given in their
avor must be faithfully carried into ex-
cution.
That the public lands should be dis =
ributed widely among the people, and
hould be disposed of either under the
redemption Of homestead lands, and sold
l. reasonable quantities, and to none
ut actual occupants, at the minimum
rice, as established by the Government;
nd that, when grants of the public
ands may be allowed, necessary for the
Encouragement of important public i'm
rovements, the proceeds of the sale of
leh lands, and not the lands them 7
Elves, should be SO applied. |
That the President of the United
tates, Andrew johnson, in exercising
le power of his high office in resisting
le aggressions of Congress on the con.
itutional rights of the States and the
eople, is entitled to the gratitude of the
hole American people, and on behalf
the Democratic party we tender him
If thanks for his patriotic efforts in that
gard. [Great applause.
THE APPEAL To THE PEOPLE.
Upon this platform the Democratic
!rty appeal to every patriot, including
the conservative element, and all who
sire to support the Constitution and
St store the Union, forgetting all past
tferences of opinion, to unite with us
1.-The present great struggle for the
'erties of the people; and that to all
ch, to whatever party they may have
retofore belonged, we extend the right
nd OF fellowship, and hail all such CO.
Grating with usas friends and brothers
Horatio N. seymour.