The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-08-02

country bat two often she wAvs II
Justice srt alk,uea a, i,s wb,liv PER
vertr'l i-r lark 1t u. Tn, -. nsu,, he
-vmeA brr- in 'hi- nati,n power
which eau garll this dark aud dread
iui spirit IL there is not then our
boast about our government is self
deception or byp erisy, and The zsv-
ernment itself IS an object os pi.y or
contempt IL it cannot protect its
own citizens. il is time for revolution.
either in public opinion or 10 the
structure OF our Constitution and laws
The time has come for this sin to
cease, and the General Government.
if the State viii not do it, should be
encouraged and empowered to put n
stop 20 il
The ballot-box must be protected
The freedmen are freemen now. and
the rights of freemen must be guar
auteed to them. The shotgun argu-
ment 10 deter them from the exercises
Of the franchise must be prohibited
The government may not dictate TO
any man how TO vote, bat il must al
all hazards guarantee him protection
in legal voting. Other wise free gov
ernmeut is at an end, and our much
bOasted Constitution becomes the
sport Of mobs.
Ic0nfess that am astonishsd at the
way in which this subject is treated
by some among US IL is not enough
that when one speaks word against
the sssassins Of these 10000 slain be
is ridicaled add eeasared. but the
dead themselves are moeked at The
funeral Of Mrs. Willis has been COM
pared to the funeral of a street car
horse.
IL is not enough that she lost all
ber kindred by violence; that she
shiyered through long night Of hor-
ror; that her last look through her
glazing eyes was upon brother who
bad been made armless and helpless
by an assassin; not enough that this
educated. refined woman, against
whom no accusation was ever brought
in her last delirium still supposed
that murderers were lowering near;
not enough that she is dead; bua a
citizen Of Indianapolis must 90 and
tear open her grave and outrage her
memory by laughing ct her funeral
as if it bad been the funeral OF
horse.
She was stranger to me, but |
should be as eowardly as he who as
saults the dead if | did not, forget
ting my own share Of the insult, in
her name resent this outrage 20 her
memory. And | hatter myself that
live ia q community 10 which the
man who wrote that insult stands
alone in his unuttersble meanness. /
want the world to know that this
man does not speak for indianapolis,
nor for any respectable citizen Of In
dianapoiis, when be employs this
simile.
But we are all too apathetic. We
have no just sense OF the en0rmity
Of these offenses. Taunts make US
cowardly, aud preiudiees make as in
different. 1t is easy for US to sit in
our safe and quiet home and forget
the woes Of the world.
IL does not become me here to sug-
gest low men shall vote. merely
state the case and leave the logic Of
1t to carry you whittier it viii But
| will say that voting now, in view
Of all this, is no triHing affair. Every
ballot has in il veal or woe for the
imperiled people Of the South Be
fore this question every other subject
in our national politics dwindles into
insigniicanee.
Shall this dominion Of riot and
blood be given loose rein until ter
rOrism bursts upon the South in q
universal tempest, or shall the gov
ernment be encouraged and empow-
cred to crush il with a strong handy
The question before US now is not
one Of finance, but Of the rights Of
man Let US pray for guidance, and
vote knowing that we shall give ae-
r.