Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-04-28
THE KU-KLUX BILL.
UBIQUITOUS LEGIsLATIOS-THE VOICE
| OF THE PRESS

Bill, passed at the last session Of Congress
the Republic is virtually abolished, and &
military despotism established. The State
governments are wiped ont, ard then
powers, with others as foreign to our Con
situation as they are dangerous 10 the lib
critics Of our people, are placed in the
hands of one man, Uiysse, S. Grant. The
press OF the entire country seem alive Il
this fact. and TEEN with warnings to the
people AMI denunciation of their Infamous
legislation. We give few extracts from
the editorial columns of our exchanges
The first is
From the Now York Evening Post (RepJ
HOW TO MEET UNCONSTITUTIONAL LEGI.LA-
TON
| The President having signed the Force
Bill. the whole subject of national police
Legislation enters the field of legal dlscus-
sion. We yesterday published the Act in
full, and advise all citizens who wish to
understand the history of the times. aud
60 take an intelligent part ia politics, to
examine it carefully for themselves. 1t
will be seen that it directly violates sev-
eral distinct provisions of tho Coastitu-
ton and that, still more threatening
fact, 1t violates the spirit Of the Constitu-
ton more than its letter, assuming to
change fundamentally the theory on which
our system of government is cOnetructed
and therefore demanding a reversal of the
| principles on which the supreme Law has
hitherto been interpreted and enforced
II this Bill is valid the United States have
suffered, by the adoption of recent amend
ments of the Constitution, a revolution
not less complete and momentous than
was wrought by the original adoption of
the Constitution itself.
This revolution consists in the asSump-
ton by the Federal Government of that
municipal sovereignty which was at first
reserved to the States, and has always been
jealousy guarded by them.
1t cannot be disguised that the passage
of this bill makes crisis in the polite ii
history Of the nation crisis which calls
for ali the wi dom of groat People to
meet it properly. La any Other country
THAI our own it would inevitably lead
either to IL centralized imperialism OF to
civil war. /. is only among people long
habitnatel t, freedom aud to respect fer
law that rulers could b. fond 10 hold
such p"Wers even iOr a week, witt out
danger to lib rty. Ia 9th, I nations, with
sucn SrHut OF power u, this, IL stlOpg
executive won ,trlk- fer absolute so7or-
dignity, aud a We * one would quickly be
led by ambl ,ipai advisers to DO the same.
Here "e are IL ~galrs such "A d4rger.-
The present. ne cat, whatever miatakea
i'll statesnauehip he may hay. male, is an
honest patriot and that usurpation which
General Chant Is too faithful ard to pur8
to desire, even Il reckless and Corrupt man
III ms place would be too prudent 10 at !
tempt. The habit If freedom has de
stroyed among our people the material of
which slaves are made, aud nc sudden
clzure of absolute power is TO be feared |
here.
The false step must be retracea. The !
Act must be disowned by the nation But
t ID with regret and remonstrance that pa
riOtlc citizens will hear the exhortations
already uttered in some quarters to meet
t by violence and disorder. The Consti-
ntion, which has been outraged by pass
ng this Bill. provides the means for It's
'wn vindication. On the first test case
which can be brought before the Supreme
Court OF the United States, it will do bt-
ess be found and dc clared, in way which
N itself will heed, that Congress
'annOt abolish the States and repeal the
Even should it be impossi-
'le to obtain such Judgment before the
leXt meeting of Congress, yet the Act will,
re then, have been studied by the people;
nd public opinion will demand impera-
lively that it be removed fro n the statute
'ook. By such means only can usurpa-
ion, under the forms of law, be met in {
manner worthy of the nation and the
1eaDs, We are confident, are adequate to
be end.
From the Louisville Courier Journal
THE RADICAL DECLARATION OF WAR
The passage of the Ku Klux bill and the
lection OF the General Amnesty bill
Irnlsh conclusive proof of the campaign :
Obey on which the Radicals mean to rely :
ext year. The Ku-Kinx bill is expected I
} foment disturbance in the South, which
i'll supply a pretext for the refusal CT am !
esty; and the relations of the people of 9
le two sections thus muddled, the bayo- {
ct election law may be brought to bear :
pom the ballot box with show of neces. O
ty il not of justice. This IS the warlike s
rategy to which we have so often refer +
d. 1t is scheme made up partly of the G
brit of eternal hate and partly OF the lust r
eternal rapine-a hidao revolutionary q
heme, the more hideous because it is +
rutal, the more brutal because it is de n
Derate. appealing to the wicked passions f.
the Northern people and the venal de- n
res OF the Radical politicians. v
The rejection of amnesty and the passage -
the ku-Klux bill fix the lines of battle r
here we have placed them from the first. n
be Democratic party is the party of lib +,
al impulses; the party of tolerance, ma >,
ona!ity and peace; the party Of union o
i'd order through local self government;
g party of progress in constitutional free r
I'm and law; the party of honesty, hu- a.
anlty and generous ideas in political and a
vii economy. The Radical party is the a
rty of eternal hatred, di.union and strife; t.
Q rarty of public pillage and private
:ong; the party of vengeance, rapacity c.
d double dealing; the party with a wood n
head aud an iron heart; the party whose is
orality is represented by Ben Butler and q,
nose Intelligence is represent ted by Ulys- ri
S S. Grant, and whose entire fabric en- r.
aces an organized plot against the liber- n
ss and property of the people. Proscrip- -,
IN is the first step in the forward move FL
ent of the politicians against free thought .;
d free speech. The Ku-Klux bill is CON u u
cation in embryo. The Radical leaders "
We named Grant dictator. They have 81 81
up machine for suppressing all the ~
e ID I