Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-02-26
The Present Peril.


Mans capacity for self-government is taken
for granted on this side the Atlantic But it
is not true of all races, nor of all nations nor
Of all the people of any nation. 1t is not true
Of the blacks of the United States whose iu-
capacity has almost overweighted the capacity
Of the Southern whites. Is il true of their
political allies, the whites Of the North, who
call themselves the Republican party7 One may
doubt.
President Grant is putting that teSt-question
10 his party. Thus far It's answer is not salts
factory. 1t neither practises that eternal vigil
ancc which is the price of liberty. nor a spas
noiic vigilance which nigh, encourage us TO
hope that il deems the laws, which guard the
liberties of American freemen, worth preserving.
That bold usurper President Grant cheated
Louisiana of her self-government in 1872, max
ing a drunken Federal judge his tool. The
Republican party not merely acquiesced in his
usurpaiiou. IL defended him and his usurpation
\ gain that bold usurper has cheated Louisiana
of her self-government, making the rough-rider
Sheridan and the bavoneis of Federal troops
his instruments. The Republican party again
acquiesCes in his usurpation again defends him
and his crime. Encouraged by success the
bold usurper prepares 10 destroy self-govern-
ment in still another sovereign State. His
message to Congress plainly SAYS: ''lf you do
not upset the existing government in Arkan-
>as shall do So after you have adjourned.
Will the Republican party acquiesce in this
fresh usurpation. and again defend the Presi-
dent and his crime?
The question is very serious one. For al
though man capacity for self-government may
he indicated in the principles and the character
of the Democrats Of the United States, yet If
that capacity is handicapped by the capacity
Of the Southern blacks plus the incapacity of a
ma joriiy of Northern white Republicans, the
question is at once most grave and imminent
whether the forces that work for 'liberty re-
gulatei BY law may not be overweighted.
The federal executive, the federal legislature
the federrl treasury, the federal army, be it re-
memhered, now count upon the side of usurpa-
ton.
The present Congress will adjourn without
restoring seit-covernment TO Louisiana. The
Republican party will not instruct its represen-
tatives at Washington to compel Grant 10 take
his heel of the neck of that PROSTATE suffering
State. Under whose orders the federal troops
moved when dispensing the Legislature of
Louisiana. nobody knows to-day. Grant is
dumb, Sheridan shuffies Emory is to be pro-
NOTED and put on the retired lSt,-a bride for
his silence The Republican party denies to
the American people this due knowledge of the
orders under which their army moved in sub
veriinE the government OF LOUISIANA. MOI one
Republican senator, not one Republican repre-
sentative demands ligh, on the secret history
of that uSurpation.
The present Congress will probably adjourn
without protecting the self-government of Ar
kansas against the execution of the President 5
omiuous, open, public threat. Will the Repub-
publican party permit its head to utter this
bodeful threat, permit its chosen representatives,
in the case of Arkansas as before in the case OF
Louisiana. to consent with their inaction to
the Presidents crime? Will the leaders of the
Republican party throughout the Union and
the Republican press everywhere tolerate with
their consenting silence his threat, and hereafter
with their apologies and their arguments in his
defence, will they make themselves accomplices
in the crime of its execution? Will the present
Congress. though repudiated by a popular ma
jority of half million at the polls, have the
support of the defeated Republican party in
leaving Louisiana and surrendering Arkansas
TO an open published usurpation?
OF mans capacity for self-government these
are the two highest marks, first an Unborn love
of liberty second, faithful upholdng of the
laws which guard that liberty 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 at
only with perpetual vigilance. But the hope
was not absurd that the white men comprised
in the Republican party should love the liberties
and defend the laws Of American freemen
against their first formidable assaiant when
nothing tempts them to concur in the Presidents
treason except their vain expectation of a share
in the power which they consent to his usurp-
ing. That consent will mark with the brand
of incapacity for selt-government the white Re
publicans of the North, as our Southern fellow
citizens, the blacks are marked. Their refusal
of consent to the Presidents ongoing usurpa-
tions their indignant reputation OF him and
his acts, their rejection of him as a political
outcast will vndicate themselves and their
party and secure future to the "great expert
ment'' which for one short century has given
to so many millions of men large measure of
prosperity and peace. But free institutions can
hardly survive the incapacity both of Southern
negroes and of Northern Republicans, for self
", Y. World.