The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-02-19
Breakers Ahead.

II becomes any man who has any regard
for the liberties of his country to ponder well
the present position of public affairs, and
calmly make up his mind 10 do his whole du-
/ ty in the crisis which Is manifesty fast ap-
preaching. The Indications are strong and
unmistakeablc that it is the intention of Gen.
eral Grant 10 hold by lorce Of arms the place
he now possesses, and establish military
dcspotism On the ruins Of The republic. No
thing will prevent the accomplishment Of
this purpose but that eternal vigilance u
which we have been taught is the price Of
| liberty, and stern and decided action on the
part of the people, when the time for action
comes.
The recent interference Of Federal troops
In the organization Of State Legislature
driving members from their seats at the
point of the bayonct, was an outrage TO
which our people are as yet unaccustomed,
and its novelty and holiness excited storm
Of indignation throughout the land; bu.
their condemnation of the net has been I'M
its perpetrators go unpublished. And now
within few weeks we have, in President
Grants Arkansas message. the threat of an
other equally gross outrage upon the indie
pendence Of States and the right of the peo-
pie to selfgovernment. We have the facts
in the published report Of committee of
Congress sent to Arkansas TO ascertain and
report the true condition Of affairs in that
State. Itappears that since 1872 there has
been State convention, duly elected by a
large majority Of the people. That new
constitution has been submitted and duly
ratified by the people of The State, and that
the Governor and other officers elected under
the new constitution have been duly install.
ed, and are administering the government of
that State according to the will Of the people
thus expressed through The ballot.box. There
is no instruction, REBELLION or civil war, but
peace, quiet and good order prevail through
out the State.
In this position Of aiinirs Grant sends his
message to Congress suggesting that the
State government thus lawfully establish
cd ought to be orerthrown, and that GER
tain Mr.. Brooks, fri nd of his, who was
said to have been elect under the old COLI
stitution in 1872, but was never inaugurated,
ought now to be put in "iiice; and declaring
in substance that if Congress does not take
the responsibility, he and Sheridan will.
If such things cun he done in Arkansas,
what is to prevent their being done in Mary
land and New York and o her States which
have adopted new constitutions and elected
Democratic Governors Or in any State,
North or South, the people of which General
Grant may find it convenient to denounce
as outlaws and banditli? And what is TO be
the final result? The political law as prac-
ticed by usurpeis has always been that two
wrongs make right" and q few such pre-
cedcnts will be claim'd to have established
the lawful authority OF the President and his
army to regulate and control all State gov
ernments according to their pleasure.
The next step will byio claim and exercise
the right to exclude from their seats obnoX-
ious members Of Congress, and fill their
places with his own par isAnB. After that, with
the sword and the purse, and power to sus-
pend the writ of lla0eas Corpus, all the rest
will be easy work Let the people take
warning before il is too late. They may
think that he is only striving to secure
third term, but he mean-, ifpossible, to havea
life tenure of his Office, with unlimited pow