The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-11-10

ton, but il cannot be denied that the po-
Iitical logic on which this prediction Is
based is Self-evident truth In the
records of the past-and these alone must
always be our guides in estimating the
chances of the future-nothing is more
plainly taught than this No nation can
long be governed by one system at the
centre and another ut the circumference
no code of laws or of morality can be en-
forced upon one portion of a people with
out sooner or later extending over the
whole, and where two systems or two
codes Numerically opposed to each other
are, by combination of circumstances,
brought face to face, one or the other OF
them must inevitably be driven to the wall,
and pass out of existence. 1t would not
be difficult to prove, by reference to well
known preccdents, that this rule holds
good even in countries which make no
pretcnsions To civil liberty, but from the
very nature of the case it must he apparent
that i'm a government such as this of ours
Processes to be- liberty and tyranny can
not Join hands and dwell together in
harmonious union. Gradually but certainly
the more powerful lcaven crosses the line
of demarcation and finally pcrvades the
whole lump-and which shall prove the
more powerful depends upon the eternal
vigilance of the people, for il IS the dispO-
sition of all rulers to extend and cOnsOli-
date their own authority, rather than con
fine it within strict constitutional bounds.
minimizing persons are ready to tlatter
Themselves with the idea that the abnormal
condition of affairs which existed during
The war, and has continued more or less
ever since is about drawing tOa close, and
Ina when all the seeded States are re-
ccived again into the Federal Union, and
hive their Senators and Representatives in
{ pngreSS, the work OF reconstruction will
b We been accomplished and the machinery
belonging thereto be laid aside forever y
gryer error than this never appealed to
human crcduity Reconstruction. 50 far
from touching its conclusion. Is literally
but Just begun For four years ii has been
intrenching itself in the South, and now,
feeling secure in its position there, is NOV
ing norlhwam. The vanguard Ofthe main
army passed the border some time since in
the shape OF the Fifteenth Amendment.
Only comparatively small portion of the
Radical party were really in favor of Civ
inc the negro the right To vote and hold
office at the North; the majority would
have preferred making him Il citizen
within the limits of the late C0ntcd-
eracy, and keeping him in condition
OF tltclage elsewhere; but having started
the ball they were pOwerleSS to control il,
for revolutions never either go backward
or stand still. SO the amendment, which
could never have been fairly carried in any
State, outside of New England, was
through fraud and rascality hitherto un'
heard Of in country claiming to he
free crHmmed down the Threats of tho
people. The people made few WY faces
but they submitted, and thus paved tho
way for another and b0ldcr step iii the re-
construction of the North. The election
business at the South Is, and has been from
the beginning of the Radical regime
openly controlled by Federal officers and
the Federal army There has been no sort
of disguise about it, and the outrage was
defended on no other plea than political
necessity. Ii the Southern people, whit,
and black We're let entirely alone, they
woald vote the Conservative ticket and
>entl Conservatives to Congress
This might icopardizc Radical suprem-
acy IN the country al large, and therefore
Radical cmisSarcs stirred up strife from
Virginia to Texas. and soldiers We're dis
trlbUlcd wherever terrorism was needed
" nat was done in North Carolina few
weeks ago, and what is being done in
Alabama to-day, are illustrations of the
means Used to maintain the balance OF
power. The North looked on compls
Gently while all this WAS Transporting be
yond the Ohio, but did not for moment
imagine that the same rod was in
pickle for their own backs; yet the
election law passed at the last scs-
sion Of Congress and which four thousand
regular troops are preparing To enforce in
New York city, is nothing more than The
VilrSt amt most dangerous phase of South
Cin reconstruction cloakcd under fimSy
disguise In both cases the preteXt is the
same; to preserve the purity of the ballot
b X. In both cases. too. the real reason il
the same, To cut down, and, if possible
destroy Democratic maiOrities. The central
@ovc' nment at Washington, i'm time OF
profound peace, and without excuse OF
ll>l icatlOn that will bear moment :
impartial scrutiny, stretches its military
arm into the metropolis of the nation and
prcscribes who shall, and who shall
not appoach the polls. New York
on the eighth of November next
VIII sit under the same baleful shadow
OF the sword. which. since 1860, has
cnyeloped New Orleans, Mobile, Charles
ton and Richmond The precedent
being established will he followed br
other advances in the same direction, until
the curse of Imperialism is surely fastened
upon the whole land. We repeat-the
work Of reconstruction is just beginning
and unless tn. Radical party are driven
from power, will cease only when every
vcstige of popular liberty in this coun-
try i literatcGl.--UssSo'fri RepUJiicdn.