Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-10-08

would be the result Of such con-
vention as that contemplated, If it
should take any action at all, as it
was no doubt expected 1t would. l
do not charge the gentlemen who
made the call with designs like
these, yet / have no doubt such
would be the consequences Of their
action if carried out. They may
have acted, unwittingly, as the In
nocent instruments Of others, for /
am strongly inclined to believe the
scheme had its origin in the hot
bed Of New England Radicalism.
But why should the Wings be
unwilling to act in unison with the
Democratic party2 There. are
now but two parties, and but q sin.
gle issue before the country: that
issue is, Is tho Constitution para
mount to the viii Of Congress ? or
is the win of Congress paramount
to the COnstituHon2 The party
questions on which the Wings and
Democrats formerly divided are
utterly obliterated, and IL they for
merly engendered anlmOsities there
is no sense or propriety in keep.
ing these animosities alive when
the causes which produced them
have ceased to exist. The party
now known as the Democratic par
ty is an opposition party, 9 new
party Of Wings and Democrats
united for the purpose of restoring
the Constitution to It's primitive
vigor by utterly abrogating every
innovation that has been made up
on 1t. This is the high, the chief
purpose Of the Democratic party,
all other questions being subordi.
nate to this.
What is the Republican or Radi.
cal party2 The doctrines or prin-
ciples which had originally distin-
guished that party from others,
ended with the war. They were
then exhausted, but very soon It
began a new system of tactics. It
commenced By denying represen-
tation TO the Southern States, al
though the people had established
for themselves State governments,
as they had a right to do, which
governments were in successful
operation. Senators and Repre-
sentatives were elected, who went
to Washington and claimed their
seats, which were denied them in
direct violation of the Constitu-
ton. The next step was to tax
the Southern people heavily with
out representation-the very
grievance that brought on the
American Revolution. Congress
next assumed unlimited power
over the State governments, abol.
ished them and substituted mill.
tary despotisms over the people,
with unlimited power In the mill.
tary commanders over the lives,
liberties and property of the peo-
pie, in utter disregard of the most
sacred guarantees of the Constitu-
ton. But this is not all; State
Constitutions and amendments to
the Constitution of the United
States were dictated to and forced
upon the people. The validity
and propriety Of these measures
now constitute the cardinal prin-
ciples of the party; all other ques.
tons which may be put in plat
forms are but side issues intended
to divert attention from the main
issue. OF course, all who belong
TO the party must believe all these
reconstruction measures to be
valid and within the constitutional
power of Congress. Any one who
does not so believe should prompt.
ly abandon the party, for It is said
to be hypocrisy to belong to q
church and disbelieve its creed.
not only believe these measures
fragrant violations of the cOnstitu.
ton, but utterly destructive of the
foundation and superstructure Of
the government; hence, as be
tween these parties, the path o.
duty seems plain to me.
But, at the cost of being some
what prOlix, l propose to extend
my remarks on this question some
what further: Is it supposed thai
the Wings throughout the United
States will rally and unite at the
call of a little band in Mississippi
break up their party affiliations
and organizations which have ex
listed for over three years, and thus
abandon all prospect, all hope ot
defeating the Radical party, which
is now, and has been their cher
ished object, and for which pur
pose they first united with tn,
Democrats9 Will they thu
strengthen the party they hav,
been so vehemently opposing, ant
insure its success2 Will they
abandon all hope of restoring
| constitutional liberty as guaran
teed to them by their fathers P
They will be guilty of no sucl
folly; and therefore, a Wing con
: vention in Mississippi would b
} an object of ridicule, and nothing
, better if all the Wings of th
| Southern States were to unite