The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-07-15

who fed from oppression that we lived
under government of laws administered
by the judiciary which kept the bayonet
and the sword in due subordination. We
would point to a written Constitution
which not only marked out the powers OF
government, but with anxious care Sc.
cured to the humblest man the rights OF
property, of person and of conscience. Is
| immigration encouraged by trampling
that Constitution in the dust, treating it,
with contempt, shackling the judiciary,
insulting the executive and giving all the
world to understand that the great guar
antees of political and social rights are
destroyed But the crowning Indictment
against the follies and crimes of those in
power is in these words:
"That we recognize the great principles
laid down in the immortal Declaration OF
Independence as the true foundation of
Democratic Government, and we hail
with gladness every effort toward making
these principles living reality on every
inch of American SOIL"
If within the limits of ton States of this
Union an American citizen, stung by
sense of his wrongs, should publicly
end truthfully denounce the men in
power, because in the very language
of this Declaration of Independence
they have elected multitude Of new
Offices and sent hither swarm of
officers to harass our people and eat
out their substance, ho would, in. all hu-
man probability, be dragged to a prison,
or If, in the inadequate language Of our
fathers, he should exclaim, "they have af-
fected to render the military independent
of or superior to the civil power, they
have abolished the free system Of English
laws and established there an arbitrary
government, for the offence of assert
ing these principles he would be tried and
punished by a military tribunal.
Having declared that the principles OF
the Declaration of independence should
be made ''liying reality on every inch of
American SOIL" they put in nomination
military chieftain who stands at the head
OF that system of despotisms that crushed
beneath it's feet the greatest principle OF
the Declaration Of Independence. To day,
in some of the States, it is held by militia
1'y orders to be crime to speak out the
indignation and contempt which burn
within the bosom of patriotic men. If
tomorrow q military order should be put
forth in that State where the ashes OF
Washington are entombed, that it should
be an offence to declare that the military
should ever be subordinate to the civil
authority, to speak out the sentiment that
it was disgrace to our country to let
hordes of officials cat up the sustenance
of the people, be who uttered these words,
could be dragged to prison from the very
grave where lies the remains Of the author
ofthe Declaration of Independence.
From this outrage there could be no
appeal to the courts, and the Republican
candidate for the Presidency has accepted
position which makes the rights and
liberties of large share of our people
dependent upon his will. In view of
these things, can there be one man in this
Convention who can let personal amb-
ton, passion a prejudice, turn him aside
cne hairs breadth in his effort to wipe off
tho wrong and outrages that disgrace our
country. Can there be one man whose
heart is so dead to all that is so great and
noble in patriotism, that he will not gladly
sacrifice all other things for the sake of
his country-its liberties and it's great
ness Can we suffer any prcjudices
growing out of past differences of opinion
to hinder us uniting withall who will act
with us to save our country We meet
to-day to see what measures can be taken
to avert the dangers which threaten our
country and to relieve it from the tolls
and burthens resulting from bad govern
ment and unwise counsels.
| thank God that the strife of arms has
ceased and that once more in the great
Conventions of our party we can call
through the whole roll of States and find
men to answer to each.
Time and events in the great cycles
have brought us to this point, to renew
and reinvigorate that constitutional gov
ernment which nearly eighty years ago
was inaugurated in this city. 1t was
here that George Washington-the first
President-swore to preserve, protect
and defend" the Constitution of these
United States And here this day we as
solemnly pledge ourselves to uphold the
rights and liberties ofthe American people.
Then, az now, great war which had des
olated our land, had ceased. Then, as
now, there was in every patriotic breast
longing for the blessings of good gov
ernment tor the protection of laws, and
for sentiments of fraternal regard and
affection among the inhabitants Of all the
States of this Union.
When our government in 1889 was inau
guratcd in this city, there were glad pro-
cessions Of men and those manifestations
Of great Joy which people show when
they feel that an event has happened
which is to give lasting blessings to the
land. To-day, in this same spirit, this vast
assemblage meets and the streets of this
city are th,onged with men who have
come from the ntmost borders Of our CON.