The Van Buren press., 1868-02-28
The People put to Shame.

The 'scum Of all villainies," the "so-cai'-
ed" Constitution Is upon us. On the 18Th OF
March the people of Arkansas viii be eslled
on TO determine the question of White or
Black supremacy. The advocates Of the Con-
stitution may do their utmost to disguise the
revolving truth. but 1t will not - down at their
bidding" but like 4 hideous monster, still
stands forth, prominent upon the face OF that
Instrument" Negro Supremacy This Il
the only issue before the people and the ac-
complement Of this end was the aim of all
the advocates of this infamous Reconstruction
poiic, from il. birth 10 the Present inoinrn-
All the agony Of suspense felt by good and
patriotic men for three years past; all the
money taken from the pockets of the tax-op-
pressed people Of the South. has all been for
the purpose of ofconferrng upon the negro po-
litical and. incidentally or consequentiIly.
social equality, IN the South. And all this
not for the good Of the country, but to boost
some carpct-bag intcrlopers into offices. III
the course Of this Radical party in Congress
and the Southern States in their fraudulent
Conventions, has not sufficiently bctokencd
their true aim, the tone Of the instrument now
offered to us as Constitution. assuredly de
velops, fully, their ultimate intentions. No
grand new principle of republieanism not
found in our former Constitution, is to be
found In this. If the Constitution Of 1851
framed under the auspices of President Lin
coin was not Republican in form,' why was
II not? IL it was not and this farce of the
/ llth OF February Is in all things republican, in
form, then we must find something in it not
contained in the Constitution of 81. What is
il? The Constitution of CT did not clothe the
attorneys OF Il bar with the power Of electng
special Judge from their number in certain
cases, this of llth February does-was the for
mer anti-republcan in this? The Constltu-
/ tion of Ga did not provide that the allegiance
of the citizens was first due to the Federal
Government, nor does any Constitution Of the
Northern States nor does the Federal ConSti-
tution-arc all these anti-republican in form
The Constitution of 81 does not deliberately
violate the compact made between the State of
Arkansas and the Federal Government, on
the subject of school lands, this Constitution
of llth February does-is a violation of Il sol
emn compact an evidence of repubicanism
! in formi The Constitution of GA does not
compel the poor white man to send his chill
drcn to school with negroes three months in
the year-ths Constitution does does MiS
make it republican in form? The former con-
fers the right OF suffrage on all white male
! I.i, tkIa Nnu nf n tbp lut
| ter confers it OH all males, white and black
over twenty. one years of age. Does this con
sttute the long sought feature; does this
make the one antirepublcan, and the other
republican? Isa Constitution ant-republi-
can in form, because it qualities the franchises
/ to be exercised under its provisions? j. it
anti-rcpublican in form because if does not
confer the right of voting upon certain class
If IL thc Rs9pls who are to be governed by it?
self fanr-repuhlican in form, because it dis
franchises thousands. The Constitutions of
some Of the Northern States make property
qualification for voters, are they to be over
turned BY the strong arm of the military, be-
cause they are not republican in form? All
the Constitutions of this Union exclude Ger
tain classes of persons from the jury box and
from offices ;this Constitution allows the dear
est rights of the white man to be passed upon
by the ignorant negro--the lowest type of hui
manity. Does this constitute cpublicanism ?
and were all the former Constitutions anti-re-
publican? The Constitution of 6i taxed the
property of all and also levied poll tax or
allowed it-this Constitution abolishes the
poll tax ~ a very "grievous' burthen--and
compcls the property holders to pay for the
support of the State Government which is to
be controlled by negroes who pay no taxes.
j. this in accordance with republican ideas |?
Many of fthose who will thus be taxed are de-
| prved of u voice in the choice of those who
are to receive and expend their money. Let
1t be noted that the President of the Conven-
tion, that framed this instrument. has no tar
able property-and many of the members of the
Convention are Of the same class; the poll tax
being abolished they pay nothing at all These
are the important features of difference exist
Ing between the Constitution of lS6i and the
one (" so-callrd") M lde llth February 1865;
I the first, the Radical party pronounces anti
republican in form" the last Is the paragon of
rcpublicanism. Citizens judge yc between
them.
Mr. Brown at Home.