Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1875-03-02

vance OF the Assem- O!ln& OF the Legs
ature, by order of his master, the
Federal manacles to shackle Louisiana
and lay her PROSTATE beneath the heel
of military power. 1t was he who,
from the custom-house, through Cen
raj Emory and by means of telegraph
wires, communicated with the soldiers
at the State house and ordered the put
ting out Of the five members. The
conduct of this majOr-general Of ban
ditti" nOtOris t. cannot lie eXtenu&ted
or justified by anything in the history
OF Christian civilization, or by any law
human or divine. His name Will be
handed down through the ages as a
cruel, bl0ody-t 1irsiy trooper, and his
desire to outlaw Commonwealth will
be dark chapter in the pages Of our
history when some futuae chTOnicieT
shall transmit to posteity the deeds
| OF the present.
A sovereign State shackied and
bound at the feet of military power,
that u5uTper may ravish il and the
carpet-baggers who like foul birds of
prey have flOcked thith9r may fasten
their filthy beaks in the quivering flesh
OF PROSTATE people her citizens tax
ed without representation /; her chill
dren practically outiawed without the
forms of law and in violation of that
wise provision of the Constitution
which guarantees trial by jury-these
are the monuments which testify to
the infamy of all who were concerned
in the outrage done to liberty.
Mr.. Speaker, the question is not at
whose instance the soldiers entered
fha laf~f a hDIlc hr,t fhpf +l1aEy ~,
tered at all and under authority OF
what law. To say it was done because
somebody had improperly been elect
ed is not sufficient to justify an inva-
sion OF the rights of q sovereign State.
II Witt and his people in the Legis-
iataFe had usurped power, the soyar-
eign state of Louisiana was fully able
to do justice in the premises and right
the WONG without any impertine2t
intermediing frOM outsiders, If we
tolerate or cOuntenance such unlawful
interpOsition of Federal power, we
strike down the right of local self-gO-
vernEent, which is the chief corner
stone of our institution. 1T was for
this principle OUR fathers fought, and
l am mistaken if their SONS are not as
Jealous Of it as they were. The whole
country has spoken in unmistakable
tones Of the great usurpatiOn in Lou
isiana. We hear it from Boston, the
cradle Of liberty from the broad swell
ling pFairics Of the West; from the
dawn-trOdden south J. and we hear it
ech0ing along the galleries and
throughout the halls of this Capitol
Thank God, the people are aroused.
Mi. Speaker, General Sheridan when
he arrived in New Orleans, as the
whole country knows, telegraphpd the
Secretary of War asking that the lead
ers (Hnd by this lie 10 doubt meant
the prominent men( be declared ban
Gitti," Yes, he asked that that peO-
pie, nearly al the prominent men Of q
sovereign State, lie convicted without
law or authority, and then foIsOoth he
would, | suppose, with his bold troop
ers have gone through that state kill
ing and Numbering until almost the
entire white population would have
been destroyed. Did the Christian
world ever Eear such a proposition :?
Ones blood curdles at the cOuteEE.a-
ton.
There are times and occasions when
The human heart must give Gtlergnce.
Though | preferred 10 have been Z
quiet listener and have heard some
voice more eloquent than mine upon
TINS SUBJECT. and ,h0Igh have been 1t
quiet member Of This House, / should
he recrcant TO those who sent ne here,
es well as to myself, were | not 10 en-
ter my earnest, prayerfui protest
agS nst the conduct Of the Federal Off
GERS, troops sud the President in this
l.nnJa5sas.o 81 -
the South should feeldeepIy about this
matter. TIL human heart is full Of
pride aud prciujlices hut the people
of the South had conquered both
They did all that had been required Of
them siuce the war by the Federal Go
vernment They freed the slave, they
enfranchised him in obedience to the
wishes Of the Federal Government.
they have cheerfulIy borne all the
burdens Of taxation, sometimes with
out representation. In many instances
men who have assessed and collected
the largest portion of the taxes are
men who never paid a shilling hut
under all these circumstances they
have shown a fortitude and courage
never before shown by any people,
Houses have been repaired, fences
have been reset, forests have been
hewn down, roads constructed, and
with good government the country
would rapidly improve, as it has in
those States and sections where they
have been under democratic and con-
sentative rule.
But III addition 20 the Outrages in
Louisiana, another State is threatened
with annihiIatioD, aud ExecutiY pow
err has given the COUNTRY to understand
that its government, established by
the voice of a majority OF the people
is to be ovefthrowa. False to his
former action aud uBmindfui Of the
fact that by the cnnnivance OF FEEDER
al power the existing government in
the Stale Of Arkansas was called inlo
being the President of the United
States. assuming the power of an
autocrat, aud confessiug that he
winked at fraud in recognizing the
Baxter government. turns now upon
its offspring, like Saturn upon her
children, to destroy, it. Great God
has it come to this that creature
of the States is permitted to destroy
that which gave HIM official life
Have He sunk down into the quietism
Of Indifference to Liberty and law,
that we tamely submit to such acts
Of despotism? VIII the Peep e of
the North countcaance such bold at
tempts to enslave a people and strike
down liberty? In the name OF the
Constitution, in behalf Of liberty and
law, and by all the ha!lowed memo
RES and associations clustering around
the establishment aud progress Of the
Republic, invoke them to let their
condemnation of this last threatened
outrage be such as will make executive
n IN, 4