The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-06-03
ACCEPTING THE SITUATION.


the principles they contended for, elected
to submit to the power of the U. S. govern
ment rather than indefinitely prolong hope.
less struggle, the final result of which could
only be their own destruction. How far
they were influenced in this course by spe-
cious promises on the part of the govern
ment which have never been fulfilled and
whether it would have Jared worse with them,
had they not accepted the situation," as all
things have turned out, are spcculations for
the curious. We will not here discuss
these matters. But that this phrase should
have been adopted by members of a great
political organization, in no situation or po-
stion at all parallel, in any view, with the
supinencss and Indifference to the unrighteous
acts of Gen. Grants administration, seems to
us passing strange Because law, as for
instance the recent Enforcement Bill passed
by Congress, has been placed upon the statute
books of the nation, and thus become an ac-
complished fact, surely we are not to be pre-
cuded from agitating, at all times and in
every practicable mode, its repeal, because
thereby we may incur odium for refusing to
"acccpt the situation And the same will
apply, as a rule, with but few exceptions, to
the bulk of the legislation enacted by the
present Congress. The truth is, the situation
as it now is, cannot in any correct sense be
accepted by any body. We arc in transi-
tinu ctofo IF ravo1uiipnorv action No uraot
conservative principles arc retained in mod
ern legislation, as balance wheels to our po
litical machinery, or looked to as touchstoncs
to test the correctness of any law. Extreme
measures are the order of the day and we
only fear that the reaction which must ac-
cording to the unerring laws of human ma
ture, ere long set in, will carry us to other
extremes. Those who are extremists now,
will be extremists then in the contrary di-
rection; and in this view of the case, we do
not think the idea at all chimerical that
the time will come, when the Democratic
party of this country, representing as it
does, the only conservative element. in the
land, will be called upon to stand between
the negroes and the extreme radicals, in the
character of protector of the former from
the violence of the latter.
However, that we are called upon to ac-
cept any situation, or obligated in any sense
to refrain from discussing Or agitatig the
repeal of any obnoxious law of Congress, we
do not believe
We have been led to these reflections by
most excellent article in the Quincy (ll.)
Herald, commenting on an article upon the
same subject from the New Hampshire
Union. We give the following extracts:
We propose to "accept" nothing, but the
right to agitate for the repeal of every obi
Gus measure which the radical leaders
have palmed upon the country by I'M
constitutional legislation, force and by
fraud. We regard no act of congress upon
any subject as "fnaity." An act of con-
gress may be repealed, and it is the duty,
as it is also the privilege of the people to
elect men to congress who will promptly
wipe out all the obnoxious laws enacted by
any former congress. That is the great
work the democracy Of the nation now
have before them, and that is the work
they intend, sooner or later, to accomplish.
Upon this subject, there is the ring of
the true metal and the fire of the pure flint
and steel in tie following spirited and STIR
ing article from the New Hampshire
Union
"When our fathers came to America the
rule of King George was San accomplished
fact" his stamp was another, and the car
go of tea in Boston harbor was another
There were a good many accomplished
facts" which those brave men of old swore
before high heaven should be facts no lon
ger. They went to work to dcmolish and put
those accomplished facts" out of the way.
They didn't wait for the next assassin, but
pitched into the one at hand. They as
saulted the tyrant and all his works and
fought seven years to overthrow and de-
stroy all he had done in the country. They
disputed his right, wiped out all those
accomplished facts" and established it as
an eternal duty to Submit to nothing
wrong"
Where should we have been these last
eighty and odd years, had George Wash
ington, Patrick Henry, John Hancock,
Charles Carroll and their compeers, preach
ed the cowardly doctrine "accept the stu
alton ?" Do we want liberty to die and be
buried in eternal disgrace in soil baptized
with revolutionary blood and dedicated to
human treedom9 Then "accept the situa-
ton"
Now let us come down to the present
time. We would like to know what in
ducement or motive any decent man can
have to be a democrat and go with the
democratic party if that party is not to in
terfere with accomplished facts ~
Where is the reform and improvement
in public affairs coming in? The party in
power can do nothing worse than they have
already done. And if we are to 'accept the
situation" why not hold our peace and
let them rule forever9 Why keep up
foolish noise about nothing9
This accomplished fact" or "acccpt the
situation" doctrine is an abomination. IN
der its operation every crime of all ages of
the world, down to the end of time, would
go unpublished and unrebuked. A pretty
world we should have here--a literal hell
upon earth. Everything like settlement
would be impossible, because nothing can
be settled until it is settled right. 1t will
never do We would fight against wrong
continually. Attack in front and rear,
harrass TANKS right and left with every
weapon in our power to handle. Accept
an accomplished fact" when it is an Ac-
COMPIIsUED RIGHT Otherwise mover