Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-05-12
The Issue.

The issues, or rather the Issue, for there
will be only one, upon which the next
oresidential campaign viii be fought, Is
being narrowed down to an extent most
uncomfortable for the Radical Party
That issue will be whether the Federal
Government shall be administered IN ODE
dience to the plain written letter OF Inc
Constitution Of tho United States. not the
Constitution as it was, but the ConstItu
ton as it now is, as Interpreted by the
legally constituted judicial tribunals OF the
country, or whether il shall be admins
tered in accordance with the arbitrary Will
of an irresponsible dictator.
Tt has been we'll said, that "When de-
1nocracy becomes despotism The majority
are long time in perceiVlng the change
because at first, the despotism Is bat the
Representative Of popular opinion. Crom-
wells party scarcely felt his tyranny. But
the example of violated law onco given, the
entering-wedgo has been applied, and ali
that is wanting is the appearance OF the
man who will WELD the despotlsm Tor his
own interest. Hitherto, 20 man has yet
appeared, and it may be the will Of Provi-
dence that no great man shall for some
time appear in the political horizon OF
America, but as soon as he does appear,
the political liberties of the country arc
gene"
The stern logic of events has at last
forced upon the minds of thinking mon
of the Northern majority the conclusion
g 81 Lo1 1o< nd
will be used as the entering-wedge to
sever in twain that union between North
ern men and their rights which they had
80 fondIy hoped was made indissolnble by
3nerciless destruction of the rights CT the
unfortunate people Of the Southern minor
~.
Seeing this, President Grant, WHO'S an
almost officially declared candidate for re-
election, and his adherents have de!lber-
ately gone to work to raise false issues
They dare not so before the Northern PEG
pie and Justify the continued exercise OF
usurped powers or defend the enactment
and execution of palpably unconetitutiona
laws for Nero personal and partisan fG
Erandizcment. Herce the persistent ef
fort to conceal the true issue by the cry
tfSouthern outrages upon Northern men
lolstered up by ku-klux bills and Execu
tive Proclamations.
In this condition of affairs, two sugges-
lions occur to Us. First, the aAJsolute ne
cessity of continuing to refrain from the
appearance even Of violence and dlsorde
in the Southern States.
We have borne and forborne until W
lad almost thought forbeRrance had ceases
10 be virtue but if we read the signs o
the times Alright, the future promises no
far distant reward for these long years o
silent submission to misrepresentation an
oppression. We repeat that the partisan
Of Gen. Grant know that unless they ca
raise false issue upon which to fight tn
coming campaign, they will be defeated
and accordingly they are now buslly en-
gagged in laying foundation therefor, b.
the publication of various stories of South
err outrages. Indeed, we honestly bellev
they 60 further than this. We honestl
believe they are melting their own partl
sans and emissaries to Outrages upon tn
persons and rights Of others of their owl
party, with the deliberate purpose of false
~ representing that these lawless acts pro
coed from the hate of Southern for North
ern men.
If this be SO a due regard for our hope
of success in the next Presidential cleo
ton, upon which, in our opinion, hangs tn
destiny of America, even if we had n
higher motive to influence US, dictate
that the law shall be scrupuiously obeyed
that every violation thereof shall b
visited with its legal punishment accord
ing to the process and at the hands of tn
legally constituted officers of the law.
Let no man be screened from fear. fave
or affection. The citizen who, in tim
like this, will leopard the hopes of hi
State for the restoration and maintenanc
of the right Of self-government, at th
dictate of even righteous anger, is III
worthy of the name.
We call upon good men everywhere t