Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-10-27

railroads brought into them, to deliver ar
ticles, I believe it would 10 better To
keep the present situation. otherwise u re
moval should be made as soon AS The con
dition of the fnaoces permits.
There is one thing that shou}d be called
to the attention of President Battle and
the Executive Committee. It is the price
asked by hackmen to carry passengers to
and from the Grounds The distance Is
about half a mile-the amount charged Is
fifty cents each way. / heard more com
plant in regard to this matter than all
others, and it should be regulated. Tween
ty-five cents is all that licensed hacks, at
least, should be allowed to charge. We
think the matter is worthy the consilera-
ton of the officers of the Society. =,
THE character of the American govern
ment has changed so much in the last ten
years that a retrospect int its past history
is like going back to a remote eye. The
thoughtful. dispassionate citizen of today
reading of earlier Presidents even down
to theswar, feels like a Roman of the
Lower Empire reading the records OF Gin
cinnatus, of Regulus. and the Scipios-1
great names whose memories only mark
more str ongly the degeneracy of the times
Our fathers cherished maxim. which to the
present generation would probably seem
old fogyism. eternal vigilance is the
price of freedom" It is almost amusing to
look back and read the denunciations OF
former Presidents, such as Jackson, Polk,
Pierce, mot to mention earlier ones)
charging them with designs of usurpation
and tyranny. All this, by the light Oh the
present day, seems like absurdlty itself.
But two great principles were involved in
it. They were the necessity Of being awake
to every encroachment of the executive
power, however slight it might appear !;
and the "SOlidariiy" of the States, that is
to say, that violation of the Constitution
in Florida touched Maine to the quick "a
much as if it had been in Maine itself.
This latter principle sent Virginia and the
Carolinas and Georgia to the defence of
Massachusetts and saved the Revolutionary
cause.
| But these principles are forgotten
/
and the suspension of the writ of Aabeus
corpus are proclaimed in South Carolina
upon the fiat of the President, even against
the advice of the best men of his own
party; and no heed is taken of it in other
States, because they think it does not
concern them. A few papers here and
there express feeble protest, but are I'M
IohI 70 kho fhx,o &c ho
Either they are willing to let the govern
ment do as it pleases, SO they can be let
alone and make money, or else they think
that nothing is too bad for the disloyal
South. They forget that they have pnt
into the hands Of the Executive double
edged weapon, and scout at the idea that
it may one day be turned against them-
selves. But time will soon show. The
Southern States are nearly all si!enced by
intimidation, and O number of the North
ern States are certain to vote for the pre-
sent administration. If there be any
doubt as to the result, then will the i'm
noensr pnwer put in tho Presidents hands
make itself felt. 1t Is not supposable that
Executive interference will take place in
| it. There will be need of that. But where
the result is doubtful, where intimidation
can turn the scale, there it will be exer-
cised with impunity. And where will be
the redress? Not in Congress, that placed
irresponsible power i'll the Presidents
hands; not in the Federal Court, whoie
Judges are committed to his support
When at a day not far distant some North
ern State finds itself tricked and defrauded
Of its fair and Legitimate vote. let it lay the
blame on nothing but the blindness with
which it sanctioned hasty legislation for
the oppression of others, and - @ apathy
with which it stood; by and saw the very
cornerstone of free constitution Slapped
away without tutoring q word of protest.
The Sorry Sans.