The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-02-16
The Present Peril.

Mans capacity for self government is
taken for granted on this side the Allan
tic. But it is not true of all races, nor
of all nations, nor of all the people of any ma
ton. 1t is not true of the blacks of the |
United States whose incapacity has almost
overweighted the capacity Of the Southern |
whites. Is it true of their political allies,
the whites of the North, who call them
selves the Republican party? One may
doubt. 80
President Grant is putting that test
question to his party. Thus far its answer
is not satisfactory. 1t neither practises
that eternal vigilance which is the price of
liberty, nor spasmodic vigilance which
might encourage US to hope that it deems
the laws, which guard the liberties of
American freemen, worth preserving
That bold usurper President Grant cheat
ed Louisiana of her self government in
1872, making drunken Federal Judge his
tool. The Republican party not merely
acquiesced in his usurpation, it defended
him and his usurpation. Again that bold
usurper has cheated Louisiana of her self
government, making the rough-rider Sher-
idan and the bayonets of Federal
troops his instruments. The Republi-
can party again acquiesces in his usurpa-
ton, again defends him and his crime.
Encouraged by success the bold usurpeI
prepares to destroy self government in still
another sovereign state. His message to
congress plainl y says: ''If you do not up
set the existing government in Arkansas
Il shall do 80 after you have adjourned.
Will the Republican party acquiesce in this
fresh usurpation, and again defend the
President and his erime2
The question is very serious one. For
although mans capacity for self govern
ment may be indicated in the principles
and the character of the Democrats of the
United States, yet if that capacity is handi-
capped by the incapacity of the Southern
blacks Of plus the incapacity of majority
OF Northern white Republicans, the ques
ton is at once most grave and imminent
whether the forces that work for liberty
regulated by law may not be overweight.
ed. The federal executive, the federal leg
islature, the federal treasury, the federal
army, be 1t remembered, now count upon
the side of usurpation.
The present congress will adjourn with
out restoring self government to Louisiana.
The Republican party will not instruct its
representatives at Washington to compel
Grant to take his heel off the neck of that
PROSTATE suffering state. Under whose
orders the federal troops moved when dis
persing the legislature OF Louisiana, nobody
knows to-day. Grant is dumb, Sheridan
shutfes, Emory is to be promoted and put
on the retired list bride for his silence,
The Republican party denies to the Amer
lean people this due knowledge of the or
ders under which their army moved in sub
vertlng the government of Louisiana. Not
one Republican senator, not one Republi-
can representative demands light ON the
secret history of that ururpation.
The present congress will probably ad
journ without protecting the self-govern
mcnt of Arkansas against the execution of
the Presidents ominous, open public threat.
Will the Republican party permit Its head
to utter this bodeful threat, permit its chi |
sen representatives, ip the case of Arkar-
sas as before in the case of Louisiana, to
consent with their inaction to the Presi- |
dents crime? Will the leaders of the Re- |
publican party throughout the Union, and |
tile Republican press everywhere tolerate |
with their consenting silence his threat, |
andhereatter with their apologies andtheir |
arguments in his defense, will they make |
themselves accomplices in the crime of its |
execution? Will the present congress, |
though repudiated by popular majority |
OF half million at the polls. have the sup |
port OF the defeated Republican patty in |
leaving Louisiana and surrendering Ar
kansas to an open published usurpation !? |
vi man . capacity for self government
these are the two highest marks. first an
Unborn love of liberty; second. a faithful
unfolding of the laws which guard that lib |
erty against popular passion on the one
hand and the usurpation of rulers on the
other hand. 1t was absurd to hope that
the blacks should soon if ever rise to this |
great eminence, attained as yet by SO few |
of the best races of mankind and by them
attained with infinite endeavor and pre-
served only with perpetual vigilance. But |
the hope was not absurd that the white men |
comprised in the Republican party should |