Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-01-13

ocAl contest 10 our state in 1870 an unim-
paired Union, an unim paired fedora authori.
", an nnimpaired public faith, and sn undi-
ninished measure of personal franchise will
be found TO have survived the imagined
calamity
The Democracy Of Missouri have found
nothing TO lament in the results which fol-
lowed the spontaneous aud informal league
between themselves and the Liberal Repub-
licau minority, in the last regular election. !
The improvement wrought in the |
change from the public condition then,
TO the public condition of to day, |.
is so immessureAble that they do not
ask themselves whether something more I
might not have been effected by the Demo /
cratic party acting alone in that campaign. |
The good ghsI was accomplished is 50 large
10 measure as 10 have no occasion for con
lectures about what might have been &C
complshed with osher agencies. The con
test Of 1870 Was not without material effect
upon the Democracy. The result was
simple selt-ad justment 90 the structure OF
an altered national constitution, recognl-
ton of the amendments which, Ia their
Inchoaie condition, they had opposed, Sad
an saclusiscence ia the new order OF things
which those amend ments had sctualy pro-
duCed. The cornerstone OF their creed Is
still the national constitution. They medI-
tate 10 other reaction than the restoration
OF the constitution 70 its legitimate auihor-
Ity, the restitution of the privileges which
have been taken away III defiance oft aud
the siern subjugAtion OF power TO its clear
restrictions A great party cannot afford 10
become an instrument OF vengeance and
retaliation, and while the patriotic Demo
Gratis Of Missouri hold their national party
pledged 10 the tssk of restoring Liberties To
lhose whJ have been deprived of them, aud
combining powers to ;he limits marked out
tor them, they neither expect nor d-slre
this party TO revive vsnquIshed and con
demned dogmss, nor TO become The cham
pion OF causes lost 10 spite OF exhaustive
deiences, nor to attempt the impossible
reproduction o: 9 state OF things mArrsd by
q great convuislon Ii is would win and
maintain The popular confidence, 1t must
eonsign the irrevocAble past to history, and
address itself TO the imporlunAie issues OF
the present aud the future.
Inturniug from the peaceful situation 10
oar own state, 10 the national field, We hud
condition Of things that deserves the
suspicion that 1t has provoked.
The first presidential term Of the dom.-
naui party's ssceudAucy was period OF
open war, and although six years have
elapsed since the sure uder OF the cOntedvr-
ate forces moved ne last vesuge OF re-
sls,ance to the authority Of the government
and although no opposition has been made
to lie lersl laws since that time, the recent
proc lamAtiop and enforcement of martial
| law in one OF the Southern states and the
existence Of law on the congressional
statute book which authorizes the proofs
NATION and enforcement Of martial Law IN
any state or territory OF the Union al the
discretion of the president, warns US that
we are still living under the stern msxims
aud methods Of war, without az actual war
to justify their application. II the tri'
! umph of the government over the late 70
! beliou has been as complete as the doml-
nant party boasts, ana as facts uudeHlA6iy
| prove, and # the peace which this dominant
/ party vauuts Of having restored TO the land
10 al Actusl condition, and not teluston,
We might ask, Why are not Varlide habits
laid aside and the processes Of peace a.
loved to have The legitimate sway Why,
at a time when the rebellion ought % have
passed into history, ID the government dir
gently engaged 10 lighting the imagined re "a
nauis OF u ia South Carolina, with meas
ures destined to provoke the eEecrslion'
which a haras.ed people never fail TO heap
upon their tormeutors? That unhappy
state ~ little better than wreck
its society dislocsted, its people
burdaupd with az enormous debt trSudu
lsnilg contracted; its treasury robbed by
the officials whose duty II Is TO protect it
It's villages surprised by military visits IA
agriculture burdened with oppressive taxes
and its legislative halls He'd with q oodl
Of persons too ignorant and inssusIbls Il
feel shame ~ ths exposure OF their veue'i-
", and too bsrbsrol, 70 be affected By th'
complaints of the victims of their miago7
eminent. Yet Surs ruin OF state - th'
field sc -cted b : the national al administration
for toe exhibition Of the harsh rlgOrs o
military law; aud IL ~ mournful evidence
Of the distrub Of the federal government
With which the dominant party has inspired
our subjugaied couu,rymen Of the South
that the people in one OF the reconstructst
states c.uuoI mediate q change In their con
st;tuIion, the election of q democratic gov
ernor, or any other important measure o.
domestic concern without considering wheth
! or u may not provoke the extension 20 EheIi
state Of thu draggonsdss that are witnessed
in South Carohua. There IS no hostility q
the federal power, and no opposition 10 tn
laws Of congress ~ - single southern state
No attacks on the federal forts, arseu~ls o
dOck.ySrds 10 threatened; no IudIgulty L
federal symbols "a heard Of; and a squad o
ga. rsh HI
length and breadth Of that seci on withou
molesIAliou. Yet large share Of The leg
, IsiAtiou OF congress for the last SIX year
has been b system OF force bills TO deprlv
our country men OF the southern states o
those rights and privileges which are no
less a heritage from their revoluuOBar
fathers than from ours; and even as late a
the last session Of congress the dOminsu
party, Notwithstanding the opposition OF
number Of its most enlightened aud LIBERIA
minded Rdherents, add OF the entlr
democratic minority, passed an &C
placing the great writ of persona
liberty at the discretion OF tn
president aud authorizing him, without tn
consent of governors or legislatures, to IN
wade states at his pleasure, set aside thei
laws. usurp their functions, and arrest an
imprison their citizens. The psssAg
of this aud kindred extrsordinsr.
! euactments, and the vigorous eIecu
ton of them by the military arm OF IN
government, in districts where the execu
{ ton excites no other feeling than vsRu
terror aud dismay, proves, if proof wer
needed, not only that the party in powe
!: has not restored the Union, but that 1t ha
not permitted the Union TO restore ''se
t through the operation of peaceful agencies
> 90 the contrary, it has made rebellion
r suppressed six years ago the pre'ext TO
8 military interierences rapidly growing int
. settled system, not only IN the South bC
] in the North; il has bewildsred the peopl
, Of the South and hsrassed the whole cour
a try by suhjecting the former to cumuls
= tive and indefinite expiration which they de-
y pair Of complying with, and which they sc
q no relief from except in listless submissio
q to the varying will of partisan govern
u ment The evil effects of such polio
!; cannot, in the nature Of things. be locate
i =. L