The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-09-28

j. Ssassi isss .s.sa -..ag ,:.s ANDEitSS
-.5tt .,s's, .-si..l z. .:.- ...a..- :,
interpretation, NoState shall make treaty !
no State shall coin money, or emit bills OF cred.
it or make anything but gold and silver alegai
tender, oripass any bill of attainder, or impair
the obligation of q contract or grant any title
of nobility. S'5
We cannot unmake the past-let us tnnke
the future, Slavery is gone, and we are glad 1t
is gone. The fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments have passed into the Constitution. The
contest upon them is over, and the enemy has
moved from that field to more advanced posi-
tions. Our work is to fight him just where we
now find shim-centralizing oil power in the
Federal governments and changing our repub-
lie into despotism, destroying local self-gov,,
eminent; laying violent hands upon the sacred
writ of freemen, dominating our elections, leg
islating for the few at the expense of the many,
squandering the lands of the people upon prl-
yate corporations, establishing monopolies, ex-
empting some from taxation and expressing all
Others with it. might 60 on but these are
enough, and these are living issues now pend
ing. and to be settled in the contest near be-
fore us. - ...aI..
And now, my friends, what of the present
administration and recent practices Z we
charge that it is centralizing all power IN the
Federal government, and changing it into a
despotism; that it is destroying local self-gov-
eminent; that it is laying violent hands upon
the most sacred privilege of the freemen; that
It is dominating our elections;. that it is doing
all and more than have stated. There never
was q time in our history when the Constitution
was SO little regarded as by the party in power.
They DO Just what they please. If the Constl-
tuition allows them, well; if it hinders them,
they put it aside. It has seemed to me they
stop at nothing they may think necessary to
maintain, their ascendancy and hold on to the
government. The President preceding the one
now in Office refused to do their bidding. He
thought helwas right, and he was right. They
impeached him to get his Office and fill it with
one who would do their bidding. 1t was q
desperate and dangerous proceeding, suggesting
the worst practices of declining Rome. Inc
Supreme Court is another department OF our
government, organized, among other purposes,
to interpret the Constitution; and in all cases
within its jurisdiction its Interpretation Is bind
ing upon all. It's purity should be irreproach-
able, and its independence sacred. In the per
formance of its legitimate duties it annoyed
this party, and did not do their bidding, and
they threatened it. For its decision in another
case, it is charged and believed by. many, they
changed it and tampered with it. The govern.
ment, as organized by the Constitution, does
not suit this party. 1t is too limited and
abounds too much in checks and hlndrances
They want something larger and stronger.
But will not dwell here, for desire to call
your attention especially to the purposes OF the
Republican party, as manifested in what are
known as the 'sbayonet" and seKu-Klux" laws.
In article 1, section 4, of the Constition, may
be found this provision: eeThe time, places and
manner of holding elections for Senators and
Representatives shall be prescribed IN each
State by the Legislature thereof; but the Con-
gress may, at any time, by law, make or alter
such regulations, except as to places of choos-
ing Senator'S" Last year, for the first time IN
our history. the present administration began
to lepislate on this subject. Itpassed two laws.
Under these laws United States troops were
stationed last fall in the cities of New York
and Philadelphia to control their elections. 1t
was done without consent, without any pre-
yious consultation with the States of New York
and Pennsylvania, and without any desire
shaying been expressed by the authorities OF
either State that it might be done. The Gov
ernors of those States denounced it in the
strongest terms as an unnecessary and most
dangerous domination of their elections. And
so It was. But this law was put aside on the
2Sth of February last, to give place to strong
er one. On that day another Law was passed,
very full and specific in its provisions. 1t ~
now in force 1t provides that each circuit
court shall appoint, on or before May, 10 dsal.
from the Circuit Court Commissioners, a CnleI
Supervisor of Elections in the district for which
he lis commissioner. This legislation is an IN
suit to all the cities of the land. 1t was IN
tended as means IN awe the voter, to domi-
nate our elections, and force them to do the
.oflor NJ L.
nize the manner of conducting the election
they must station themselves before or behind
the ballet-box, and just where they can best
see each person offering to vote. Can this
legislation be intended for peacef Not word
in it about the State keeping order or helping
to keep the peace; no plan or even suggestion
of harmonious cooperation, but exclusive con-
troll asserted and taken by the Federal govern
ment. II degrades the State as unfit to con-
duct these proceedings and it insults the peo-
ple as unfit to be trusted and all this too when
nothing had occurred to excite alarm or justify
this interference. And who are these ofhcers
having this extraordinary command over US on
this great day Of privilegef Men not OF cur
choice-irresponsible men, special depusies
picked up BY marshal, who give no bond, and
are vet authorized to doabout what they please.
The law nowhere imposes penalty upon them; ;
the law nowhere even admonishes them. 1t
bristles with threats against the people; it does
not contain one for their masters.
There is one other law of this Administra-.
tion I desire to notice It is what is termed
the. Ku Klux law. In the act OK May, 1870, to
which have referred, Congress has legislated
to enforce the fourteenth amendment by pro-
viding that if two or more persons conspired to
iniure OF threaten any citizen in order to pre-
vent his free exercise of any right granted by
the Consultation, they should be guilty of
felony, and, upon conviction, could be impris-
oned not more than ten years, and fined as
much as $4,000. That law also provided that
all persons should have the same right to sue
in every State, and equal benefit Of all laws,
and equal protection, any State law TO the con-
trary. So the law stood, putting all upon IT: the
same footing, and furnishing heavily all comS,-
nations to injure any citizen IN ms cInst,Sa Ma