The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-08-01
The Situation.

The Situation.
II has been our fate to live in stormy and
tempestlous times; to see q Government
founded on the benign principles OF Tree
dom, love. and justice, and intended only to
be felt by It's benefits, suddenly changed into
ono of hate, corruption, and oppression.
Such is the mutability of human affairs ;
and such will ever be the fate Of the people
when they confide the administration OF the
Government to the most prot1iSatc anu ADAM
doned of men instead of honest and patriotic
ones. Indeed, our Radical rulers have be-
come so wicked and debauclcd rs to spurn
the solemn obligations of their oatiiS OF
office; make laws so as TO invite per-
iury: construe the Constitution and
stotutes for the accommodation and pro-
lection of their criminal partisans and
set public opinion at defiance. And
what a terrible and melancholy fate has be-
fallen our beautiful and lovely South! Seven
long years of outrage and of misery have not
appeased Radical hatred and cupidity. The
crv is still for blood and plumber, and they
ruthlessly destroy that which they cannot
carry away. Husbands torn from their ter
ror-strickcn and helpless wives and children
are hastily condemned by partisan iurics,
perjured witnesses, and venal judges, and
hurried off to northern dungeons to meet 4
slow aud torturing death. The indignant
historian will write that, under Radicalism,
"they found their punishment in living and
their relief in dying" Yet, rising superior
to desolation, ruin, and death, they nobly
spurn to seek relief by becoming accessories
to the crimes of their mcrciless tyrants, but
prefer that ''glory which will last forever to
that of Il day"
And what have the southern people done
to be subjected to such unparalleled hui
initiation and suffering? Simply differed in
opinion from the northern people rs to the
true construction of the Constitution. This
is the "head and front of their offending"
Their only object in the se-callcd rebellion
was self-defence-not injury. The fact that
good and wise men may honestly differ i'll
opinion in regard to the same subject should,
we think, have caused them to doubt their
Own perfection, and have excited some little
feeling of charity and mercy for us in the
breasts Of our tyrants. On the contrary, our
PROSTATE and helpless condition has only in
tensitied their malignity; and, as impunity
gives confidence, our s%utlerings since the war
have been infinitely greater than they were
during the whole period of active hostilities.
We have learned to our sorrow that in HUI
man affairs power and sclf-interest are some
times more potent than principle or justice.
The condition of the southern people un-
der Radical tyranny and robbery, particu-
larly South Carolina, Is truly shocking. No
words can truly describe the torture and
agonies which they have suffered. These
atrocities are portentous Of untold evil to
the whole country. The Radicals still cult
vate the dreadful passion of hate, and thirst
for blood aud slaughter. The true lovers of
liberty throughout the land have a great and
solemn duty to perform, the vastness of
which cannot be over-eStimated. 1t is to
defend, by their votes, the majesty and unity
of the nation, their liberty, their property,
their lives, and the honor and happiness of
their families, from Radical tyranny and plum
der. Freedom calls upon its loving children
to be equal to the great emergency, and act
with the dignity and tirmncsS demanded by
the mighty interests at stake, the conscious
ness Of a just cause, and the necessity of ex-
traordinary sacrifices and efforts. BY thus
nobly acting in this great crisis of our public
affairs they will maintain the freedom and
honor of the country in the overthrow OF
Radical pleasure-seekers, gluttons, thieves,
and tyIants, whose horrible and pernicious
example has corrupted society to a fearful
extent.