The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-08-04

/ the Presidential campaign. A more
[nnonstrous or shameless outrage in the
name Of law was never before perpetrated
| It is barefaced seizure Of the peoples
money to carry the election by bribery,
fraud, ana violence.
4 The next step was to pass bill which
substantially empowers Congress to re-
lceive or reject the votes of the Southern
Estates at discretion. After the revolu-
Itionary proceedings witnessed during the
last three years, and the open defiance Of
the Constitution, it is needless to inquire
how this self-conferred power will be ex-
|ercised in case of need. IF the Southern
States should be in position to decide
| the contest, their votes will be admitted
or excluded, just as the prospect Of Gen.
eral Grant may be made or marred.
| The most recent and the gravest in
this series of extreme and dangerous
measures is the scheme for arluing the
negroes which was engrafted on the army
lin the Senate on Monday night, against
the earnest opposition of a gallant but
Ioverpowered minority. In order that it
may be properly understood, we will cite
the section in question:
"Section pine authorizes the Secretary
lof War to deliver 70 the Governor of
each State represented in Congress, for
the use of the militia, not exceeding one
Thousand Springfield rifles for each Con-
Igressional district, upon the Governor Of
such State showing to the satisfaction of
the Secretary that such militia are
[loyal."
| The Southern Governors have just
been elected by the combined strength of
the militia and the Freedmen's Bureau,
which directed the negro vote. In South
Carolina the so.called "Goyernor" was,
in fact, an officer ofthe bureau, and there
fore managed his own election to suit
himself. He and others of the same
kidney will only recognize as "loyal" the
few whites who share in their designs,
| and The negroes who are expected to
lcarry them out.
Divested Of all false pretences, this au.
dacious and diabolical scheme for putting
arms into The hands of the negroes is
only sequel to the others, and intended
to consummate them by provoking civil
war. The policy of Radicalism during
/ the past three years has been to infame
the passions, to excite the envy, avarice,
and jealouy of the blacks against the
whites; to promise the negro lands by
Iconfscation, and plenty without labor.
Having stimulated these fierce passions,
and failed to redeem the promises, they
now arm him and tell him 10 help him
self.
Already We see in Texas and elsewhere
movements among the negroes which in
dictate Enthusiastically the storm that is
brewing, and which are the results of
Radical teaching. They rebel against
authority and commit the most horrible
crimes and depredations, yet are screened
by tho Freedmen's Bureau, and by the
miniens of pervading military despo-.
tism. Yet with a knowledge of these
facts, and of others equally grave, the
Radicals propose to give these infuriated
Africans arms to murder the women and
children of the South, aud to re-enact the
butcheries which make the very name of
st. Domingo appalling. They propose to do
with them as the British did with the Indi.
ans during our war-arm them for rnassa-
.withoutrespect to age, condition or sex:
Meanwhile the regular army is main
tained in the South, as heretofore, to
CO. operate with the negroes, in case of
disturbance, which they may and viii
doubtless purposely provoke by the in
oitement of their Radical leaders, in
crushing the white population.
/ Thedesign of the scheme is revealed
by the refusal of the Senate to postpone
the distribution of these arms until the
1st Of January, Radicalism voted in
solid column against the postponement,
and demanded its immediate adoption
The spirit which animated the reckless
leaders who would thus renew civil war,
with horrors such as have not yet been
known, may be ejudged of by the remarks
of Mr.. Drake, as they are reported in
the Baltimore Sun, though manipulated,
probably by his direction, in some other
papers:
"Mr. Drake would, if he had his. way,
arm every man in the Southern States
with Springfield rife and cartridges ad
li6itam; and SO far as be was concerned,
he was PERFECTLY willing for it to be
written in this bill that these arms were
intended for the protection of the loyal
men at the polls. There were no such
men outside Of hell as the rebels, and the
only way to deal with them was to crush
them" zeu54
While General Grant appeals to popu-
lar favor with the false cry of ''Let us
have peace" the party which he repre-
sents, whose bidding he follows, whose
principles he accepts, and whose instru-
ment he is, boldly prepares for war, and
arms the negro for vengeance and slaugh-
ter. He cries peace. when. there is not
only no peace, but when every sign in
the lowering horizon is marked with the
|presage of terrible civil war. Let US
not deceive ourselves with delusive ex-
pectations. av sss .ss5fs,...l.g.
Radicalism-has staked its all on this
contest, and il will employ. any means,
however desperate, to achieve success.
These preparations, and this partizan leg
islation, all admit a fear of popular con-
dsmnation. Their maxim is rule or ruin.
Bloated with the enormous spoils Of for
mer victories, they cling to power with
the tenacity of death struggle, and
with the consciousness Of deserved de-
feat.
It high time the country should be
warned by these serious indications, and