The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-08-23

OF 10 feel to vote for either of them /.
hard to overcome. did and do most
heartily sympathize with that class
which received Mr.. Greeley's nomins-
ton In much sorrow. l am sure this
feeling proceeded from no unworthy
passion or prejudice, but was the natu.
raj result OF sober thought on the con
lditiOn of the country and the fitness of
things pertaining thereto.
In our view the controversy betwesn
the parties was not all about men, and
not wholly on questions of mere admin.
istratiOn. The Liberal Republican, ami
some democrats think that we owe all
our sufierings to the corruption or in
capacity OF General Grant and the rings
tnst surround him. But the prime cause
lies further back and deeper down in
wrongs for which the triumph of Mr..
Greeley with all his reforms offers no
immediate atonement and only partial
In England, after every civil commo.
ton, the victorious party vented its rage
ana gratitied its rapacity by passing bills
OF attainder and bills Of pains and pen.
altles against their fallen and helpless
opponents. The best and greatest men
OF their respective ages were the victims
OF these Legislative DEGREES. In all the
most notable cases subsequent Parlia-
ments acknowledged the wrong, rever-
sed the attainders, and made what repa-
ration they could. Our fathers deter.
mined that no such thing should ever be
done here, and so they put their solemn
interdict into plain words and made II =
part of the fundamental law that neither
Congress nor any State Legislature
should ever pass bill of attainder.
The reconstruction act Of 1867 was
bill OF attainder more deliberately cruel.
and with pains and penalties more com.
unjust than any British bill
that ever was passed. But it's authors
were conscious that il could not stand.
ana they must re-place it with some.
thing else, tor sooner or later the courts
would be sure to pronounce it void. Be-
sides, the object being to put the South
ern people under the denomination OF
greedy adventures from the North.
with unlimited license to oppress and
plumber them, the officers Of the armv
were not very good agents in such ne
tsrious business. The negroes would be
instruments OF tyranny much more essi-
" managed. But an act Of Congress dis.
the white people for offcnses
real or imputed, and handing over their
State governments to negroes, TO be run
BY them In the interests Of carpct-bag.
gers, would DO merely another bill of at
lainder, or rather modification Of the
frst one, making 1t much worse, but
equally within the reach Of judicial cor
rcction. In t'is strait they resorted to
he expcdicnt Of converting the Consti-
ution itself into bill of attaider.
The 18th and 18th amendments were
'nuds upon the spirit aud letter of the
instrument, inasmuch as they effected
he worst outrage which 1t was made 10
prevent. They were carried against tho
Known will Of nearly every State in the
Union by shameless deception in the
Worth and by brutal violence in the
south. May tins be washed in Lethe
nd forgotten" Certainly not as long
. any portion Of our people are com.
.elled to bear the intolenbls burden Of
he yoke thus fastened upon them. 1
'esd say bow much they will be called
0 endure hereafter ;but II 10 certain that
ny ordinary despotism would have
'een . visitation Of mercy in compari.
on. When we reflect upon the mum.
'er and rapacity of the thieves that have
.een upheld in their pillage by means Of
he negro governments we can not help
'ut regret the n0n-adOption Of Mr.. Ste
ens's proposition, atrOcious as it was,
or universal confiscation. The PERM.
iOus consequences Of this rule are felt
u the general % we'll in tho local GOV.
rnments. The legislation of Congress
J largely controlled by fit representa-.
ives OF the carpet-bag interests, and the
vorst acts Of the Executive administra-
ion are done to please the power which
orrals the negroes at the meeting places
{ tie leagues, and drives them hence
0 the polls.
Mr.. Grceley's election will not do all
hat we could wish to free us from these
wills; 1t will not even be popular con-
emnation Of the base means by which
hey were inflicted upon US, but it will
egin the process Of their gradual ex-
nction. 1t will give tho white people
reasonable hope that the heritable
ualities of their fathers blood may
omc day bc restored. In the meantime
It docs not reverse the attainder, il
1ill ut least insure merciful execution
{ It. Democrats who disliked Mr..
ireeley's nomination hare reflected well
nd think will support him with al
sost perfect unanimity. The thought
hat victory will NOT give NJ every
hing ut once may diminish in some de-
rec ''thc rapture 0f The strife but IL
'ill not impair the efficiency Of their
app0rt, for they are impelled 10 their
tmost excrtions by profound convic-