Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-07-12
CLEARFlELD, Pa, WEDNESDAY,, JULY. 70, 1871

august tribunal sustained the ancient
principles of liberty and justice, its
authority was denounced, disobeyed.
and contemned. They have inter.
posed in pending case with legisla.
tive DEGREES to take away the jurisdic.
tion of the court, and prevent il from
protecting citizen whose plainest
right they desired to invade. We sol
emnly trust that they have not yet
succeeded, and will never succeed in
bending the court of last resort to
their foul purposes.
RADICAL RECONSTRUCTION.
Their so called reconstruction laws
are series of experiments for the
reduction of the Southern States to
the lowest condition of political sla-
very, hoping thereby to make them
instruments for the enslavement of
every other section. To this end they
have not only refused them repre-.
Isentation in Congress, but forced them
10 be misrepresented by persons who
cme there to get oppressive laws
enacted against them. They have
steadily struggled to make the State
governments the tools of their parti-
san tyranny. Wherever they have
fully succeeded they have debauched
the administration of justice, disre-
grded the popular will, and produced
the most frightrul disorders. Scala.
wgs, carpet. baggcrs, and the most
ignorant of the negro population vel.
ter together in one mass of moral
lutrefaction, scourging the respecta-
Ilc and peaceful citizens with their
dishonest exactions. These outrages
ire openly justified, and their encour.
agement declared to be necessary for
The good of the Radical party. The
foremost members of Congress have
avowcd their determination TO legis-
late upon them with reference to the
chances it may give them of carrying
future elections. In other words, the
worst wrongs and the most shameful
violations of common justice are com.
mitted in order that certain comb.
nation Of politicians already in power
may continue to rule us for their pleas
ure and plunder us for their profit.
INcoMPETENcY OF GRANT.
OF General Grant we desire to speak
with the respect that is due to the
chief magistrate of the nation and n
soldier of great reputation. But it is
painfully manifest that he is not fit
for his place. He mas never made
the slightest efforts TO preserve, pro.
tect, or defend the constitution. On
the contrary he has given TO its enc
mics in Congress all the aid and com.
fort he could, and he has assumed,
without scruple, powers which kings
are careful not to exercise and which
no republican ruler can hold without
mortal offence to popular liberty.
Instead of guarding the public treas.
ury he has encouraged the corrupt
extravaganza of Congress, and some
OF the worst jobs have had their origin
in the rings which Immediately sur.
round him. Before and about the
time of his election his inconsistent
expressions showed that he had no
convictions (perhaps no knowledge)
upon public affairs. He avowed open.
ly in writing, over his own name, that
he had no policy, that is to say no
opinions or sentiments which would
control his choice of measures. But
leading and ambitions men of the Re.
publican party proposed to him poll.
cy which would serve their interests
at the expense of equal rights and they
accompanied their suggestions with
offers Of enormous presents in money,
lands, houses and goods far exceeding
in value the annual salary, which the
people agreed to pay him for an i'm.
partial and just administration of their
government. He accepted the pres
cnts, adopted the policy and appointed
the donors TO office.
THE ISSUES.