The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-08-17

ever be done here, aud SO they put
their solemn interdict into plain words,
and made it part Of the fundamental
law that neither Congress nor any State
Legislature shosld ever pass bill Of
attainder.
The reconstruction act Of 1867 was a
Bill Of Attainder more deliberately
cruel, and with pains and penalties
more diously unjust than any
British bill that ever was passed. But
its authors we're conscious that il could
not stand, and they must replace it
with something else, for sooner or later
the courts would be sure to pronounce
it void. Besides, the object being to
put the Southern people under the
domination Of greedy adventurcrs from
the North with unlimited license TO
oppress and plunder them, the officers
Of the army were not very good agents
in such a nefarious business. The
negroes would be instruments oftyranny
much more easily managed. But an
act Of Congress DISTINGUISHING the white
people for offences real or imputed, and
handing over their State governments
to negroes to be run by them in the
interest Of carpet.baggers, would be
merely another Bill of Attainder, or
rather a modification of the first one
making it much worse, but equally
within the reach Of Judicial correction.
10 this strait they resorted to the
expedient ofconyerting the Constitution
itset into q BW Of Attamder.
The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amend
ments we're frauds upon the spirit aud
letter Of the instrument, inasmuch IS
they effected the worst outrage which
it was made to prevent. They we're
carried against the known will OF nearly
every State in the Union by shameless
deception in the North, and by brutal
violence in the South. "Nlay this
be washed in Lethe and forgotlenYv
Certainly not, as long as any portion Of
our people are compelled to bear the
intolerable burden of the yoke thus
fastened upon them. | need not say
how much they have suffered already,
nor try to conjecture how much they
will be called TO endure hereafter; but
it is certain that any ordinary despotism
would have been visitation Of mercy
in comparison When we reflect upon
the number and rapacity Of the thieves
that have been upheld in their pillage
by means of the negro governments, we
cannot help but regret the non adoption
Of Mr.. Stevens proposition, atrocious
as it was, for universal confscation.
The pernicious consequences Of this
rule are felt in the general as well rs
the local governments. The Legislation
Of Congress is largely controlled by &c
representatives of the carpet-bag in-
terest, and the worst acts Of the Execa-
tive administration are done to please
the power which corrais the negroes at
the meeting places Of the leagues, and
drives them thence to tic polls
Mr.. Greeley's election will not do all
that we could wish to free US from these
evils; it viii not even be a popular
condemnation Of the base means by
which they were inflicted upon us; but
it viii begin the process of their gradual
extinction. 1t win give the white peo-
pie reasonable hope that the heritabls
qualities Of their fathers blood may
some day be restored In the mean
time, if it does not reverse the attain
der, it will at least insure merciful
execution of it. Democrats who dis
liked Mr.. Greeley's nomination have
reflected well, and | think viii support
him with almost perfect unanimity
The thought that victory will not give
US everything at once may diminish in
some degree "the rapture Of the STRIFE"
but it will not impair the efficiency Of
support, for they are impelled to their
utmost exertious by profound convic-
tion that nothing but his election will
save the country from long period of
misgovernment and perhaps the total
destruction of our free institutions.
am with great respect, yours, &c.
J. S. BLACK.
YoRK, Pa, August 8, 1872.