Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-01-15

themselves Have they refused
70 conform to any reasonable re.
quiTement-yas, any Requirements
of the United States govern.
ment? Have they not shown
every disposition to fOregO and
forget StFifef Have they not en-.
gagged in the sober, responsible
and c~ommendable occupations Of
commerce, agriculture and trade ?
Then where is the justification
for the governmental party? It
Is here. "Times have changed
and men and principles III seems
have changed with them. The
Constitution and the system OF Re-
= gerc their
guide long ago. Now they are
non est, "played out" "gOne up
and the guiding principle Is, what
Is best to subsetve the interests OF
our party. This being the pivot
upon which their actions turn, let
US Of the South and Of Mississip.
pi be not too sanguine Of what
shall result from the reOrganiza-
ton Of the State Government,
even il We are so fortunate ? as
to get into the beloved Union.
Tho brief sketch we have pre-.
sented Of the governmental party,
too surely indicates what policy
will be pursued toward our State:
whether admitted or not. II the
present action Of the Legislature,
and the Senators elected, are per-
fectly satisfactory to the ruling
party, and suhservient to their
party interests, then We will be id.
mitted into the heaven Of States ;
otherwise, not. As 1t Is undoubt.
edly the determination Of the Re-
publicans to manage every South
ern State in their own interests
or keep Il tied up hand and foot,
we may as well sit down and look
on as to be Hdgeting, worrying,
and exerting ourselves to no pur.
pose, or as blind tools Of fac
ton.
We do not say this discourag-
ingly, but TO check any undue.
aspirations and hopes that may
be doomed to a failure. When
we look back over the past and
see what has been submitted to
by the people, how they have
been deceived and lured by false
promises, how they have asked
bread and received stones, we are
hardly able to recognize them as
the same, who made the fields Of
Manassas and Gettysburg, the
woods OF SpOttsylvania, and the
hills Of Vicksburg, rcsplendent in
history. We think we know our
noble Southern people, and wish
ing only for peace and prosperity,
we turn shudderingly away from
terrible antidpatiOns that are
forced upon our mind when we
contemplate what may result from
the perfdy aud vindictiveness Of
those who rule. The past ever re-
peats itself. 1t does not require a
great stretch Of Imagination to
make the story of Carthage a
counterpart of ours In many re.
spects. 1t is old but let US re.
it. More than 1000 years
ago Carthage, ailer heroic strug.
giles alternated with victory and de.
feat, became Inundated beneath
the Roman power. But Rome
sighed for q complete supremacy
by the utter extinction Of CarthA-
genian power and nationality, In
spite Of pledges, hostages and a
surrender Of all arms and mu-
nitions OF war, they we're fur
ther required by Rome to de-
stroy their city and remove
to where they might build
anew, but without walls or fortif-
cations, After the extreme sub.
missions already made, this de-
mand was exasperating beyond
measure. Carthage refused, clos.
cd her gates, armed her battle
ments with stones in lieu Of more
warlike material, recalled her ban
ished General, converted all brass
and iron domestic utensils into
weapons Of war, while their wO.
men gave their hair for bow.
strings and cOrdage for shipping,