The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1871-08-03
What He Prpscs.

sf> 'ShiONto'iS pb'tss luC Dt-
low, which appeared over his initials a
few days ago in response TO All interrog-
atory propounded by the True Geor-
gian, will give the intclligentand reten-
tive reader pretty correct idea of the
distinguished gentleman,s position. Mir.
Stephens is likely to exercise a respect
able degree of influeiice upon the peo-
pie of his State in reference to the next
Presidential election, and it is unfor-
tunatc, we think, that there should be
even seeming or immaterial discre-
pancy between him and his brethren of
other sections as to the platform upon
which the battle shall be fought and the
victory won. THERE'S one thing about
which there can be no diffcrence-that
success in the contest is essential 10 the
restoration of equal rights and the pre-.
servation of the more liberal and pro.
perly adjusted features and functions oil
government, general and local. This
Mr.. Stephens as earnestly desires as any
one, but he prefers to cling to the old
traditional landmarks, now nearly in.
distinct and untraceablc. rather than tC
strike a bee line for the place that he
wants to get to. We respect Mr.. Ste
phcns' faith in the venerable and hoary
past, and admire his boldness and can.
dor; at the same time, we believe hi:
tactics and strategy are at fault in refer.
ence to the future. The following is the
article, which it will be seen is not with.
out pretty good show of reason and
plausibility -s
What we propose is that the demo.
cratic party in the approaching struggle
shall arraign the party in power before
the people directly and squarely for all
their deeds-conniving and winkina
at none-much less indorsing or sane.
tioning any one or any number ofthem
| We hold that if the party in power arc
misdeeds-their high crimes and mis-.
demeanors against the Constitution and
the liberties of the people; and that in
their arraignment for popular condem
nation, their highest crimes should be
Hlttte W Stlnu ioiill lHOsI
in the bill of indictment against them
These obnoxious Amendments" at
tempted to be intcrpolated in the Con
stitution by bold "usurpation, fraud anC
perfidv.' sustained by bayonets, we hole
to be the highest crimes perpetrated b,
them, and among the highest crimes
against popular rights that can be com
: milted by men invested with officia
II, s,, Al
most ubiquitous of all the acts of tn,
party in power, thus made prominent il
the bill of indictment against them i
with the view to get a judgment of con
domination against them and their au
thors at the polls.
1t is not however, with view TO ge
; them removed or cXpunged from tn
Constitution. 1t is with the view o
having them declared by the rightlu
; authority to be no rightful parts of tina
instrument. and consequently to b
, holly noperative-utterly null ant
void---as all usurpatory, unconstitution
al acts are. We do not propose to in
woke this popular condemnation o
these monstrous frauds with any view
of having them removed, or eXpunged
or repealed, or even touched with ten
foot pole.
Our object is, that the verwhelmin.
majority of the voters in the United
States. who recognize these so-callct
amendments as nothing but the consu
nation Of the most infamous frauds ant
usurpations ever practiced upon fire.
people, shall so declare at the polls ant
put into power men who, in their Off
cial positions, shall so hold them to be
Unconstitutional acts require no reno
yal-no eXpunging-no repeal to get rit
OF them. All that is required to ge
rid Of them, is for the people. at tn
polls, to turn out Of Office those VIII
passed them, and put others in, who, il
all the departments Of Government
. will give no sanction to their effect o
validity.
What necessity was there for any re
: moval, expunging, or repeal. of the un
, constitutional, despotic, alien and sedi
! ton acts passed in the days of an Eide
! Adams, when the democracy, under Nj
r Jefferson, in 1900, put into power me
: who, in their official positions, he'll
e them to be void, and of no effect, a
, they were passed without rightful au
thority?
No Judge ever removes or expunge;
: or repeals an act, when he holds it to b
: void, because of the want of rightfu
authority to pass it. 1t still sands up
on the statute book, but without ope
y rative effect. This is an illustration c
/ how we propose to get rid of thes
fraudulent amendments.
Fraud of ITSELF TO say nothing c
force or other unlawful means, vitiate
and invalidates everything that rests O
stands upon it. If, therefore, an ovei
t whelming majority of the people of tn
United States, hold these so-calle
amendments, as we do, (and as we bt
lieve they do,) to be nothing but tn
consummation of the most daring an
| reckless usurpations ever perpetrate
I in this or any other country, where tn
principles of liberty have even a lodge
ment in the public mind, then it will b
easy enough to get rid of them, throug
Z the peaceful and quiet, but all powerf,
. agency of the ballot-box. We beliey
in the virtue, intelligence. and patrio
ism of the people of the United State
t We don't believe that they are ripe fc
: despotism, whatever contrary opinio
4 may be entertained by others upon tn
: subject and what we want is that the
. sovereign and pnrestrained voice sha
Lo l. a 81 ,,nn N n n N CT ~ t,.oU .