The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-08-17
Gpsni,,g Stats aoi'rnal'
THEN AND NOW.


Indignation, which fill the columns OF our
Democratic cotemporaries whenever allu-
sion is made to the presence Of United States
troops in any disturbed locality, within the
limits of the States, which were so lately
the theatre of bloody strife, it might be
supposed that such police duty was entirely
without precedent in the history of our
country. To listen to the waillng IN the
same class of papers, because Congress has
seen fit to confer upon the President, under
restrictions most explicit and guarded,
power to suspend the operation of writs Of
habeas corpus, it might be supposed this
was also an invasion of individual rights
equally without precedent.
But we need not search history for pre-
cedents. The use of United States troops,
and suspension of the writ of habeds corpus
were considered marvellous proper,
when the Infamous fugitive slave. law was
the pet measure of the same Democracy
which fills the air with its indignant wall
ings; and the living actors in the use, and
resistantance to the use of these extraordina-
~ means of securing proper enforcement
of the laws, are living testimony that De-
mocracy clamoured for these measures
then, even more loudly than it denounces
them now. When we consider that the ac-
tual Democratic use of these extraordinary
means, was to remand to hopeless slavery
a painting, hunted creature, whom God had
created and Christ died to save, whose only
crime was that he was created with
a dark instead of white skin,
who had escaped from charnel-house OF
bodily, mental, and spiritual degradation,
and reached the Canaan's shore Of freedom
and the contemplated use is to bring muir
derers to an account for their bloody deeds,
in taking the lives of men, who, as citizens
of this now free Republic, are entitled to
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,
in common, and equally with themselves;
not even a bigoted Democrat of to-day
dare make the assertion and attempt by ar
gument to sustain it, that what was right
then is wrong no,c.
If slavery was once our political Jugger-
naut, under whose bloody chariot-wheels
it was our high duty to cast cherished rights
and immunities, it is SO no longer. The
last revolution in its track of darkness and
death was at Appomattox and as it top
pied to eternal overthrow, angels and men
cried Amen! Amen!!
The slave has been transformed into the
citizen, and is with us, Of us, as people !;
and as a citizen he is entitled to protection
as such. When foreign power attempted
to arrest one Martin Kosta, a natao'dl'zed
citizen of the United States, the whole
country applauded the action Of the naval
commander, who offered battle to enforce
the irnmunities claimed for Kosta, by virtue
of his partial adoption as one Of the citizens
of this country. And shall we do less fol
our native born than our adopted citizens
And when not only the attempt but
the deed, depriving our native citizens o
immunities, privileges, and life, is brought
to our notice, not in an isolated case, lik'
Kosta's, but in dreadful category of hun
dreds, shall we sit supinely by, and neglec
to use every constitutional power to stol
these crying outrages, against even th'
humblest of our native citizens? ? No
Democracy may bubble, and howl it
loudest, but ''eternal' justice" demand
that, if need be, barrier of steel shall b.
placed between aggressor and aggrieved-
between murderer and victim; and ever,
good citizen will sustain the agent who ju
diciously and Effectively uses the mean
placed at his disposal to erect that barrier
and make it as fatal a dead-lme to trans
gressors, as was that marked at Anderson
vile to hungry and thirsty prisoners VIII
ventured to cross it.
Should President. Grant, as the accredite
agent of loyalty, use these means as IL
struments of wrong or oppression, it wi
not be necessary for Democrats and dis
gruntled Republicans, who have person'
grievances to avenge and personal aims
subserve, to call him to account. Republ
cans who elected and sustain the govern
ment, will be swift witnesses against de
potic interference with the rights of the ci
izen, and metc out prompt and condie
punishment upon the offender without Il
intervention of Democrats or assistal
Democrats, as infomers, counsel, jnr.
Judge or execntioner.
The Wing counselling united Sou
says: perhaps platform with habe
corpus alone inscribed upon it would co
stitute the best rallying cry and enlist tevel
heart that loves liberty"
Contrast the attitude Of the Whig in Il
Then of fugitive slave law, with its attitu'
in the Now of universal freedom, freedo
won in spite Of its bitter persistent effol
and we have grand confirmation of t
poets prophecy:
ssTruth crushed to earth will rise again,
TIL eternal years of God are hers;
While error wounded, writhes in pam,
And dies amid her worshippers.