The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-08-24

states or the people, and designed 70
protect them against usurpation by
the Federal Government. The Eley-
enth Amendment was restrictive OF
1 the powers of the Federal Govern
ment, and the object of the Twelfth
Amendment was merely to alter the
mode of electing the President and
Vice President. More than sixty
years elapsed after the adoption OF
/ the Twelfth Amendment before van-
dal hands were laid upon the Consti-
tuition of our fathers.
Fifteen Chief Magistrates had ad-
ministered the affairs of the nation,
and, inspired with the teachings, and
carrying out the principles of Democ-
racy, raised it 10 a position never be-
fore equaled by any nation upon the
earth. Peace and prosperity reigned
at home; respect encountered US
abroad. All at home was content
ment, happiness and bfotherly love-
We were surrounded, protected, and
secured, by our Constitution, from
the power and violence of the world,
as some wealthy regions are, by their
own barriers, sheltered from the raw
ages of the ocean. But small, in
sidious, persevering reptile, may, un-
seen, bore through the loffiest and
broadest mound the waters follow
its path silently and imperceptibly at
first, until, at length, breach is made,
and the ocean rushing in, iocks, herds
and men are swept away by the del
| uge. Radicalism is the reptile which
bored into our great barrier-our
Constitution-and civil war came in
like the devouring seattle grandest,
the bloediest, and the saddest in his
tory. Never was anything equal to
it. Millions of brothers there met in
@The intestine shock
And furious close of civil butchery.''
Men, women and children, native
and foreign born, Church and State,
clergy and laymen, were all swept
along with the current. Thousands
bent before the tempest. Social rela-
tions were dissolved, friendships were
broken up, reason fed, madness
reigned, the gospel of love perished.
hate sat enthroned, and sacrifices of
blood smoked upon every altar. The
spirit of persecution for opinions
sake, almost extinct in the Old World
by some mysterious transmigration
appeared incarnate in the New Con-
stitutional Limitation was broken
down hd6eds cog,pas fell; liberty of
the press, of speech, of person, of
travel, of ones own house, and ofre-
ligion; the right to bear arms; due
process of law; trial by jury trial at
all-every badge and muniment of
freedom in a republican government
went down at blow, and the Amer
ican people were taught that maxim
of Rnman servility, " Whatever pleas
ed the Executive-that was law"
But this, like all other wars, had
its end. The storm had spent it's fu-
ry. The warning elements were at
rest. Then was adopted the Thir-
teenth Amendment to the Constitu-
ton. Shortly thereafter the Four
teenth Amendment was adopted and
more recently the Fifteenth Amend
the right of suffrage upon all citizens
of the United States regardless of
race, color or previous condition of
servitude. The second sections of the
Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendmends confer upon Congress
the power to enforce said amend
ments. This was entirely unnecessa-
ry. They really confer no new pow
er, no enlarged authority. They are
mere caudel appendages-meaning
nothing, signifying nought. They
are attached to none of the other
amendments. When an amendment
is adopted it becomes part and parcel of
the Constitution, and article /, sec
tion 8, paragraph 18, of the Constitu-
ton, gives Congress "authority to
make all laws which shall be necessa-
ry and proper for carrying into exc
cution the powers enumerated, and
all other powers vested by the Con-
stitution~ in the Government of the
United States" No new, enlarged
or extraordinary powers are conferred
upon Congress by these amendments;
but after their adoption there is vest
ed in Congress authority given in the
article and section already quoted
Yet the Republican party, pretending
to act under and by the authority of
these amendments, have struck fatal
blows at the rights guaranteed by the
Constitution itself. 1t denies to
States a republican form of govern
ment; it is attempting to wipe out
State institutions; it is altering our
mode of government; it is consolidat-
ing all power in the hands ofathel
General Government; it has con-
ferred upon the Executive despotic
power; it legislates for party z; it dis
regards the welfare of the country; it
violates the honor of the Nation /; it is
impoVerfshing the many and enrich
ing the few.
The war closed at Appomattox.
Millions who had become familiarized
with slaughter and carnage returned
to the peaceful avocations of civil life.
The terms of capitulation were hon.
estly accepted, and desire manifest
ed, on the part of the Southerners, to
quietly and peacefully abide the re-
suit. Their armies disbanded, and no
people over whose soil conquering,
and triumphant armies
have ever, after the blasts of
war were over conducted themselves
with SO much propriety as the con-
quered people of tie South and it
needed only wise measures and just
conduct OH the part of the Republican
party in power, to restore peace and
quiet throughout the entire land. His
tory furnishes no example for the acts
and conduct of the Southern people. |
They have resumed their normal con-
dition they have gone back to the
natural channels of labor and indus
try, have rebuilt their homes, colleges
and churches, and erected once more
the torn down standards of civiliza-
ton in their midst. And it is upon
the miseries, misfortunes and jealous
les of such people as this that the
party is now seeking to
make political capital with which to
prolong their miserable and infamous
rule in this land. The right of the
States to sever their connection from
the Union was denied !; yet, no soon
er had the war closed than they were
declared out of the Union. Terrific
rial governments were organized
military satraps placed in supreme
authority over sovereign States State
laws disregarded, and military tribu-
mails usurpedt the powers of the civil
Courts. Six years have now elapsed,
and the condition of affairs, under the
mismsnagement of the Republican
party, is worse than atthe close of the
war. TIE South has been reconstruet-