Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-12-12

on the rights of the people and State in forci-
BILE terms, and taking the latest act the sus-
pension of the habeas corpus at the South,
gives expression to his views in the following
language: - y
'Such a condition of affairs could never have
been apprehended by the fathers of the repub-
lie, having before them the experience OF past
generations and past nationalitles, and actuated
by the most profound regard for the liberty OF
the citizen as well as the efficiency of the gov
ernment, with foresight amounting almost to
prescience, they formed our government for
perpetuity; they omitted no principle neces-
sary to It's preservation, and they included none
which, properly administered, could work its
destruction The absorption of the powers and
functions Of the States by the federal govern
ment was as foreign to their design as the null
LITIGATION or reputation of the federal authori-
ty by the individual action of the States, for
the triumph of either involved the destruction
of the Union, and between these fatal ex-
tremes- secession upon one hand and centraii-
cation on the other-we have been osclllatlng
since the foundation of the government ad
1--WE have passed the terrible ordeal Of at
tempted secession, but the recoil has carried us
to the other extreme, and the dangers which
menaced the nation 10 1861 are finding a par
alel IN 1871. Power is ever grasplng after
power: It's Unsuitable NAV is never cloyed !; 1t
climbs by fraud and holds by corruption; its
solicitude for perpetuatlon exceeds that for the
public veal, and is fostered at the expense of
the people. When venality triumphs in our
public places, and insidious approaches of tyr
amy are unheeded by the masses when at a
loyal election federal soldiers by order of fede-
raj officers, with loaded muskets and fixed bay
onets, surround the polls, or federal batteries
beleaguer city to overawe its citizens In the
free exercises of their elective franchises when
i'm beetle and corrupt local governments are
forced upon people, and they punished for
the ineficacy and rottenness of these very gov
ernments, by the arbitrary deprivation of all
civil government all rights aud all liberty, ar
rested by thousands, without warrant of law,
and driven to prisons like cattle to the sham
bles, 1t is time that the alarm bell was sounded,
and the people awakened to sense of the dan
gers impending. They alone can apply the
correction /; they have the means of redress in
their own hands. Let them insist that the
doctrine of the indestructibility of the Union
as the fathers framed it shall be recognized,
and the original and inherent sovereignty of the
States and the strict administration of the pow
ers granted by them to the Union shall again
be acknowledged. Let them demand that the
inviolability of the haheas corpus, the subor.
dination of the military to the civil authority
the inyiolabiity of public faith, State and IA
tional, untarnished, honesty In the administra
ton of public affairs. the publication and re-
duction of tariffs and taxation to the lowest de-
gree consistent with the maintenance of the
public credit, free education for all, fostering
care, encouragement and elevation OF labor
and until fully, finally and permanently accom-
plished, universal amnesty and impartial sui
L. t. o,<se fhnf / NIT
these words of warning to you. should b.
derelict in the execution Of the high trust i'm
posed on me did I not make known to you ths
perils which surround Us, and indicate thu
course which in my judgment 1t Is wise to pur
sue. III lal Is gsa ~ sltiTa ssnH. 3
81 would that [ could present less sombrt
picture that | could congratulate you upoI
the complete restoration Of the national gov
eminent to its pristine purity and excellence
strong In the affection Of the people and tn
Just execution of their sovereign will: but a
affection is not begotten of force. nor honest,
of corruption, SO liberty is not nurtured by tyr
amy, nor peace by violence. Not until tn
people rise in their majesty a8d reassert thel
liberties, now trampied on, not until klndnes
shall supersede hate, and patriotism rise su
perior to partisan sel6shness, may we lock TO
the inauguration Of an era of good feeling. =
tleb US AiOpo tUs%V kfatifNtS anu eAdtGotAeui So1
men and Christians. everywhere and through
out the land regardless of past associations o
affiliations, will unite in an honest and earnes
effort to redeem the nation from this Immature
and dangerous condition of affairs, to the en-
that peace and harmony be again restores
among the people, so that the nation united
purified and harmonized, may march on to tn
grand consummation of the mighty destin
which awaits It, ~ 3neo 81