The Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1870-1871, 1871-03-30

HAS THE REPUBLIC A RIGHT TO
DEFEND IT'S OWN LIFEa &,
The Federal Constitution, which orr
ginally threw its protecting shield over
Slavery and human degradation to q
level with brute chattelhood, has been
transformed, by the three Amendments
last adopted, into essential and benef-
cient conformity with those great princi-
pies of Human Equality embodied in the
preamble to our Fathers Declaration of
Independence. He who swears fidelity
to that Constitution swears that he will
respect and uphold such Equality of
Political Rights, at least until the Con-
stitution shall in this respect have been
radically changed again. The existing
political contest is struggle between
those who mean to maintain ''the Con-
stitution as it is," and those who seek
by violence and fraud to subvert it.
Now as heretofore, the citadel of op-
preston and wrong is an exaggeration
of State Righta According to the
World and The Evening Poa, the enemies
of Equal Rights and the Constitution
which uphold them have only to get pos
session of the machinery of State, and
they may rob, MAIN, burn, and slay loyal
Unionists with perfect impunity. The
Nation has no right to protect its faith
full citizens the State connives at and
facilitates their enemies crimes SO they
have no choice but death or an ignomi-
nious submission while those enemies
consummate their nefarious designs
We protest that this is consistent neither
with the spirit nor the letter of that
grand Charter Of our National existence
which expressly says:
AIT. vi. S2 This Constitution, and the
laws which shall be made in pursuance thereof
- shall be the supreme law of the land, and
the judges in every State shall be bound there.
by, anything in the Constitution or laws of any
State to the contrary Notwithstanding"
"AxENpxENr XIV. l. The right of citizens
of the United States or by any State, ON &C
| count Of race, color, OK previous condition Of
| servitude.
IS 9 Congress- shall hare the po,osr to enforcs
his article BY appropriate legislation"
That there is widespread and
formidable conspiracy to subvert these
vital Constitutional guarantees by
violance, terrorism and bloodshsd, is as
certain as sunrise. The active agents
of this conspiracy are in part the mid
night raiders commonly known as Ku-
Klux, by whom a murderer was recent
ly liberated from Jail in the very pre-
sence Of the Kentucky Legislature at
Frankfort, by whom the late murders
and arsons at Meridian, Miss, were per-
petrated, and her Mayor driven into
exile without even o charge that he had
done wrong, but simply that the Ku-
Klux might ell his place with man af-
ter their own heart and it is in full
view Of these and many kindred crimes
that the Evening Post commends-
"The simple exercise of forbearance and
kindness, respecting the local Independence Of
the community, and throwing upon it the entire
responsibility for its own internal condition,
while doing all that can be done, without attack
ing this independence, to difYuse intelligence
and patriotism among its members.
ut is this remedy for local disorders which
the Constitution of the United States contem-
tlates, and this alone. The nation is one in all
its relations to foreign nations and the growth
of trade and of the national spirit, as our
common history lengthens, makes its unity
moro and more close and solid. The moral
power Of the whole nation over each Of its cons
tituent communities is immenee for good and,
if this is properly exerted it becomes impossible
that social disorder should last long anywhere.
The natural condition of body through which
healthy blood is circulating freely, and whose
leading members are in vigorous activity, is one
of health and the local hurts and sores which
at times visit parts of it soon give way.
Tho constitutional remedy, the civilized
remedy, has never been tried in the case of oul
Southern Shtss. Prescription in the mas,
persecution in detail, have been characteristic
Of the course pursued toward them form the
beginning. by large class Of influential men in