Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-06


10 which we invite q general Democratic
assent:
81. Congress may henceforth do all
that is necessary to maintain republican
government in the States, in spite of old
rules, interpretations, and even decisions
of the Supreme Court in the days OF
slavery.
I'll The, war has given us a new in
terpretation of the constitution in the
name of freedom and equal rights. ;"
The Montgomery Adoerttser truthfully
characteristics these admissions or declare
tions Of the national organ of the Radical
party as infamous as they are true, and
says the work Of the Radical party for
the past ten years may be thus epitomized.
1. A civil war as bloody and destruc-
tive at it was unnecessary.
2. The suspension of the liberties OF
citizens in the North and West during the
war, their seizure by lettre de cdchet,
and incarceration not for cause made
known to the party, but at the sound OF
the Sinking Of a little bell"
s. The subversion of the constitution
of the United States, and the substitu-
ton for it of thing which is no longer
the evidence of compact between
States, but letter of unlimited domina-
ton in Congress- -
4. The demolition of the States as in
dependent political bodies. saA' ,4
5. The complete subordination of the
once Executive and Judiciary Depart
ments of Federal system into the char
acter of mere agencies or instrumental
ties of the Legislative Department, thus
accommodating all the power once residing
| in the reserved rights of the States, and
| all the powers once distributed in the two
coordinate departments Of the Executive
and Judiciary, into the keeping and adj
ministration of a congressional caucus.
In other words, the accomplished revo-
luton spoken of in the Chronicle leaves
us without federal constitutional system
which any lawyer can now recognize and
define; and also without States possessing
the faintest characteristics ofpoliticalinde-
pendence. Having accomplished the rev,
olution, tie Radical party leaders now
| propose to take such steps as may be ne
cessary in their opinion to fix and con
firm their usurpation.
First, They propose to take possession
of the baIlot-boxes of the people in th'
name and authority of Congress, witt
congressional registrars, commissioner
and other officers of election, backed by
| the army of the United States; and they
further propose to take measures to sc
cure republican government in the States
| by educational or religious means, BY
military force, or by any other contriVanc'
to which they choose to resort.
| Second. They have not yet proposed
but will soon do so, to change the law o
treason in the constitution, and to resor
to executions for political offenses agains
republican government as defined by act
of Congress.
In the meantime, they viii continue b.
| legislative acts and constitutional amend
ments so to omasculate the people o
their original power rs such, and so TO in
vest themselves at the same time, VIII
arbitrary prerogatiyo3 10 prevent tn
people from oLJaaissng, in either civ
or military form, in opposition TO thei
false end wicked tyranny. They will IN
doubtclly succeed, too, in ell this, if Thu
people do not act in time. Certain it il
that the masses in the NoIih and Yves
know and feel their true situation, anC
j comprehend in their terrible import th'
great perils of the future.