The semi-weekly Republican. (St. Francisville, La.) 1872-1872, 1872-05-07
Presidential s5ayOne:s

Presidential sSayOnets
The Presidents message to the
House On the alleged Ku-klux il
South Carolina is too malignant il
every feature to merit aught but tne
condemnation of right-minded peo.
Pile. His own party in Congress arc
restrained by the violence OF its spirit
from volunteering it their defence
He heaps these gross charges on the
people of South Carolina thousands
of instances of criminal violence with
i'll year, in nine counties Of the
State--and links them with ga grand
system of criminal associations pre-
vailing in most of the Southern
States" that he may inAame anew
the old hatreds and force through
Congress the bill extending the pow
er to suspend the writ of habeas
corpus. The calmness of the magis-
trate is entirely wanting in this Ex-
ecutive communication nothing is
visible in it but a sleepless virdictive-
ness, an accumulation of deliberate
exaggerations, and the purpose to
pin the South to his political sup
port with Federal bayonets. 1t is
time that those who consented to
clothc him with such absolute power
should pause to review their action
and impose positive restraint upon
their;no ambitious. anent, .Ga1 NJ"
ed with perfect truth that the South
was never devastated as it has been
since the war. The Senate is about
to debate the propriety Of continuing
this irresponsible power in the hands
Of such an Executive. It is onino1s
that it should consent to consider
the proposal at all. It is now too
obvious that the President covets it
only for the sake Of enforcing his re-
election by tho bayonet and when
a Chief Magistrate is once chosen
; after that manner, the precedent vii
! prove q fatal one to Republican lib
erty. We warn the Senate to pause
before proceeding in this perilous
> path. A party that is indeed devot
4 ed to freedom will regard the securi
ty of free government far before an.
personal victory.
l. The unprovokea irruption OF
body of United States cavalry, b
: the Presidents secret order into tn
peaceful town of Laurensville, pre-
u sents a picture for those who ar
: still Jealous Of public liberty to cor
; template with all seriousness. .
> quiet town suddenly surrounded il
o unoffenaing citizens seized and cal
: ried off to prison without warning
D marched thirty miles to the place
% security women and children weel
4 ING and distracted F; the fields nesle
tod work and business of all kline
= brought to a sudden stand-still ];
. town and district blighted a fishe
t. man murdered. This is the rule
y the bayonet, which the law permits
IL dictator and tyrant to impose upon
II peaceful community, and for whi'
he puts forward the pretext of Il
'e Ku-klux phantom. Grant wants Il
- u, law extended that he may hold t
Ao Southern States in bonds until aft
c' his election by the help of their vol
Nc thus obtained. And the Senate
calmly considering whether it "
er lodge such power in his hands a
'er longer. In fact, it is held that tt
I'm supreme power is his in any eve
et- until the first Monday of Decemb
;nasmuch as the current session ca
of not be strictly terminated before IL
cse time. It's limitation was purpos
he left indefinite. It is the exercise
all 50 dangerous power that has cal
, it ont the recent letter from Gov. 1
nd mer, of Illinois he neither fav
lat tho delegation Of ii to the Preside