The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-09-06
Letter From Colonel W. P. johnson.
Barrow, JEFFERSON Co., Ga, I
July 25, 1871. {
ioy D. n. iSDeer, LGGrangc, Ga:

Major ID. n. Specr, LGGrdngc, Ga:
DEAR SIR :-Your letter, addressed
from the st. Nicholas Hotel, New York,
came duly to hand. You ask me to
give you the political news OF Georgia.
It is a difficult task to give the true
condition of political affairs in this
State, The Democratic party seems to
he divided into two factions, each
ennalIy patriotic and honest, and seek
ing to accomplishing same result-tho
overthrow of Radical power and the
restoration Of the Government to con-
stitutional principles. This schism in
our ranks viii, fear, prove disastrous
in its consequences. The party, weak
before, is weaker now. United, there
was little hope of victory; divided,
there is none. 1t is Of the highest I'M
portance that we should present to the
enemy an unbroken front. Our col
umns should be marshalled IN solid
phalanx and hurled, with a determina-
tion to succeed. upon those who rule.
Let us first gain the victory, and then
we can dictate terms, looking towards
the recognition of every right. 1t is
unnecessary to disclose our plans to
tile enemy or capitulate before the
battle. 1t is sufficient to know that
those in power have trampled under
foot the Constitution Of our fathers,
and denied to us the right of self-go
ernment. 1t is the duty of every man
who loves liberty to unite in the over
throw Of this common enemy.
have said that there are two fac
tions in Georgia, and in fact through
ont the South, equally honest, equally
patriotic, and seeking the same noble
end-he subjugation Of Radicalism.-
One party, led by Mr.. Stephens, one Of
the purest of men and ablest of States
men, proposes to stand by the issues
set forth in the Democratic platform
adopted III New York in 1868, upon
which The Democratic party, North and
South, entered the presidential con-
test. Those issues We're adherence to
principles time-bonored princi pl es
that the leaders of all parties in the
puRr days of the Republic admitted
and thought it treason to dispute, and
which have been subvelted by the So
called Fourteenth and Fifteenth amend
ments 10 the Constitution. 1t is tEue
that the platform adopted in 1868 de-
clared those amendments "uncoustitu
tionalr and therefore null and void.
1t is also true that Mr.. Valandigham
and those who are termed "new de-
parturists," endorsed that platform
: 1t is further true that a large class Of
honest and patriotic men who denoun-
ced the Fourteenth and Fifteentl;
amendments in the last Presidential
contest, propose to acqniesce and ac-
cept them now as legal parts of the
| Constitution. We cannot accept au
amendment to the Constitution as val
id while we are conscious OF its uncon-
stitutiopality, and of the fraudulent
and illegal manner of its procurement.
We cannot accept lie as the truth
1t is moral inpossibility to convert
the one into the other. When we as
seit that the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
amendments are legal parts Of the Con-
stituton, we assert that which we know
to be false. If we acquiesce and ac-
cept them as constitutional, we &C
qniesce and accept falsehood. 1t is
urged by some that they must be ac-
copied as binding and constitutional
until settled to the contrary by thS
Courts. They are binding, and must
be obeyed until the Courts have adiu-
dicated. SO is the law of any despot
binding upon his subjects as long as he
has bayonets at his command TO en-
force obedience; but when power for
sakes the despot and returns TO the
people, his law binds no longer. But
the onstitutionality of the Fourteenth
ttuu Il iiISSnlu uiUGlihLiSulS Is IL Y uSS-
ton of fact-a question of figures.
They were not ratified by the requisite
number of States. We know this to
be a fact, as much as we know that
two and two make four. Shall we as
sert the truth to be lie, and wait for
the Courts to proclaim that, which is
,-self-eyident? We acknowledge no
power short of heaven our guide in
morals 2 We will not accept what we
know to be false in the discharge of
any duty, public or private. Those
obnoxious amendments have been
forced upon us without our consent.
They are the off-springs of corruption,
and ola spirit of NATURALIZATION to the
Constitution, that persisted in will lead
to anarchy.
What shall we do To boldly as
sert and stubbornly adhere at all times
aud under all circumstances to the
truth, is honest and sincere, but it is
sometimes unwise and impolitic. We
are weak we want assistance; we
want relief from those Cumbersome and
oppressive measures which our unre-
Ienting enemies have fastened upon us
In thousand different ways. 1t is