The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1873-08-22
ARE WE GOVERNED By CONSENT
OR FORCE ?


The Farmers assembled at Jonesboro
an he Sth inst. He told the assem-
bly that eighteen years ago he spoke
to The people Of Jonosboro, and that
now he would speak as he did then,
sprecisely what he believed to be
trnc,v and he certainly uttered
great many truths, though not all, or
the mos, important truth, bottomed
in the existing state Of affairs. he
spoke truth in saying that the lar
lner's, is the poorest OF all classes, IN
all countries. because other classes
manage 10 control Legislation. lie
spoke truth in saying that the South
ern farmer is poor and will become
poorer. If VIC cultivate Cotton not as
a surplus crop, but as the main pur-
suit of Southern Agriculture. lie
spoke with equal truth in saying that
If we make cotton simply surplus
crop, producing all things else to
which our soils are well adapted, we
will have money TO invest IN all M
dustrial enterprises and the South
ma, be made the richest country on
the globe. The difficulty, with Mr..
HILL, seemed to be our inability 20
control the labor question especially
as it relates to negro labor. He
said -
"The negro, as a race, prefer to
live by idleness and theft, rather
than by labor. When the present
generation of negroes--who acquired
their disciplinary habits in slavery
shall pass away, the troubles alluded
TO will increase with every future
generation. This brings US face to
face with great problem. And !
say here now, If there is not sufficient
craftsmanship in this country to de-
wise laws which shall compel the me-
gro to quit stealing and so to work,
then the best thing we can do is "a
pick up our children and hunt an
other country. | would give the ne
gro every right to which he is en-
titled under the laws, but he is emit
tied under no law to become the des
troyer Of his neighbors property, no
to keep tho white race Of the Soutl
in poverty and bondage"
The remedy, said the speaker, III
a Home Government for Home AT
fairs" and he proceeded to state tina
the proper construction Of the Goa
stitutionaI Amendments would b'
brought into prominent debate in th'
next Congress, and that the repre-
sentatives of the South would 0
should have the question detinitel,
settled, whether this isa government
Of consent or force.
Here, we regret TO say, MIR. itihl
is oblivious of, or, Intentionally ig
nores, a great political tact---ihe fac
that the question he proposes to dis
cuss, is already determined and set
tied. The constitution of the Unite'
States formed a government founde,
upon the consent of the States
That Constitution conferred no au
thority, as against State, but t
preserve its own proper powers
The sear--subiugated--conquered
States, and in so doing, substitutes
for consent, the spirit Of the old gov
ernment, the rule of force, the living
principle Of the new. Il matters no
whether il was a war "between th'
States,n or between seeding States
and the central Government, or who
yields the force now controlling our
political destiny, the fact remains,
that the country is ruled by right q
conquest. Radicals understand this
and hence their sneers at all appeals
TO the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES their crea-
ton, by Congressional enactment, of
race of sorereigas unknown to the
Constitution, and hence their whole
system Of military reconstruction, all
legitimate sequences of the principle
of force inaugnrated by the war. Sc
we 60 not think the construction Of
the Constitutional Amendments viii
be much debated hereafter. Tie
great and last issue, II 1t IS ever made
lies beyond, and may yet stir this
country up ito mutiny and rage,
though We hope, not first. away
down South in Dixie" Let US be
prudent, wisely industrious, inclin-
ing to 'suni6cation" never; to segre.
CATION, considerably, end possibly
we may reach happy solution of
the labor problem whatever may be
the political character of the govern
ment under which we live.
A. .,<.s,. oooi- mas saen one daX