The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1873-01-11
AGITATE! AGITATEI


subjects or victems except uncomplain-
ing, resistless submission /; but discus
INSTRUMENTATION are the
life of free government.
When Charles I, King of England,
undertook to levy ship-money, de-
signed professedly to build a navy,
John Hampden, country gentleman,
refused to pay it on the ground of
English liberty, that the property of
no Englishman could be taken from
him without his consent, given through
his rightfuI representation in Parlia-
ment. Hampden determined to agi-
lost his case, but took Off tho Kings
head.
When the British Parliament in
England undertook to tax their colo
onists, our ancestors, by a tax on tea,
as King Charles had done before, in
his ship-money, without their being
represented in Parliament, they like
wise refused to pay the tax, contend
ing, like Hampden, that it was the
privilege Of every Englishman to tax
himself through representation, and
that all other taxes laid by any other
authority were without authority, and
null and void. They agitated, they
united for resistance and, aftera seven
years. war, won their Independence.
After the constitution of tho United
States went into OBJECT, there was q
party in favor Of Capitalization then,
as there is now; and this party in the
control of the General Government,
passed two tyrannical laws, the one to
prohibit emigration to this country
from foreign nations, and the other,
abriGging tho freedom of speech and
of the press" The opponents TO these
measures determined to overthrow
them; and they ayilatecz, agitatcd by
! assemblies Of the people; in the public
press and the Legislatures Of the States
and succeeded in electing Mr.. Jcflcr
son to the Presidency, who said that
tho constitution was only saved at its
last gasp.
When tho abolitionists and section
! alists at tho North designed to over
throw slavery in the South and consol-
idate the Government of the United
States, they ugitotct!! They began
their agitation by presenting petitions
to Congress to abolish slavery. They
introduced slavery into their schools,
their colleges, their pulpits. They
hired lecturers to go over the country
preaching hate TO the Southern people,
and liberty to their slaves. They Sue
ceedcd. They united the North against
the South. They got negro eman cipa
ton, with war, debt, consolidation and
despotism in the Government of the
United States.
Now, what do all these instances,
which we have laid before our readers,
prove? They prove this, that agita-
ton is the grand instrument, in all
free governments, either for aggression
or for successful resistance to despotism
or tyranny. Arc we now in Louisiana
in q position to require this instrument
tality, to inform our people, cn'ighten
their patriotism and strengthen their
resolves? 1t seems q noc!>cry to ask
the question.
What were the few shiliings of ship
money, which fred England at the
voice of Hampton? Or the three pence
a pound on tea, which lifted the arches
of Faneuil Hall, under the denuncia-
too of John Adams? Or the thunder
of Patrick Henry in the legislative
halls of Virginia, crying out, as if to
| rend the heavens themselves, "Wc
must fght"? Yet, what were these,
and all of these, in the wrongs they
sought to redress, when compared with
those, which now hang in chains upon
the people Of Louisiana. Represen-
tation," for which HamPden and our
iStthclS SOAtclNtctt, "listG IL
farce! The right to tax ourselves ~
With gangs of thieves, who make them
selves masters of our property by the
| most brazcn and scornful frauds Not
Il single principle of free government
is ut stake, but all of them. a whole
State taken possession of, executive,
legislative and judicial, at one fell
swoop of the sword, and we arc not to
"agitate!" We are to be dumb, like
tho poor brute, except in groaning,
which he, too, can utter. Not to agi-
tate! BY all that is glorious and free
in tho past; or that men live for, or
die for, we will ayitoteI We will agi-
tate, and wo will call upon every free
man in Louisiana to join us in the CT
fort to recover our lost liberties, and
our once "frec and independent
Statc.' We will oyitatt', until every
hamlet and valley III tho North shalt
hear the story Of the foulest and most
treacherous subsection by their power
We will dgitcte until every man in the
Congress of TIL" United States, shall sit
in tho silent chambers of his conscience
an arhit~r of his own, and his country's
liberties; and will forro the bayoncts,