The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-10-04

HI II d II ;vays. ON fitting occasions the
hiSfs nreroRatiye privilege OF the American
ciazan ca asproacfl The President ofthe
ITnited States In person or by eommunfca-
tion through the public press on any SUD
iect which legitimately belongs to bis eX J.
acI,t;ve duties and administrative RESPONSE
h;lities. In. imperial governments proper
arch IA not the case, except at the FISK Of
the writer's head. We have not as yet
reached that stage OF human progress In
the advanced state OF political science which
generally eYentuates In a splendid govern.
mental magnifcence, to end In national
degradation, Individual pauperism, and the
utter humiliation Of the people. The time
NAV come, but not yet, when thought Will
be criminal il it. combats the policy OF the
g powers that be- I crave leave, as one OF
your (former) supporters, to avail myself OF
the interim to address you briefly, but Sc
riously. on matters OF the, highest import,
in which we are all intimately involved. ~
History, Mr.. President, teaches, when &c,
candidly perused, many important truths to
the people. To avoid danger 1t is always
wise to confront it at the threshold. The
human soul-and this without regard ITO
ssrace, COLOR or previous condition.,
dwarfs when the light OF liberty is shut
out. It will struggle in its Inst gasps 20
catch the last fading glimmerings OF It's
leaven-born light, though it may be emitted
by the lurid fash Of lightning 'as it plays In
derision around tile shattered dome OF ner
temple. or trembles athwart the gathering
storm. Liberty is the light OF the soul:
Death is preferable to its, extinction. bu.
the liberty which is craved byinaa1a Is not
vicious. 1t isa iewel-pure, genuine, Cosby.
1t is of the soul. It seeks to elevate all' 70
depress none. 1t knows no passions; II
INDUCES in no wanton cruelty; IL SEEKS "
shield all alike from the hand OF tyranny,
and to gather all under Its Droad anu
inyincibie shield. It lifts up the weak
and stays the hand OF violence. II
warns the tyrant, while it nerves the pa
triot. II rebukes the aspiring, and draws
around fine oppressed the shield Of law,
rirht. Justice. 1t guarantees freedom Oh
sneecb. guards free press, ana scorns
fraud: repudiates falsely-assumed' virtue I'D
its officers. 1t is quick to detect and swift
to punish any conspiracy against the 10Y
eminent: but it is slow to listen to inter.
ested eavesdroppers and despises spies. II
holds to the integrity Of constitution. Whlle
IT, seeks its own everywhere. 1t repudiates
martial la,o and abides by the civil law. IL
scorns force when peace, with its halloWed
winos has covered over the past troubles.
II is Generous, charitable, contiding. Item
velons it's authority with the moral power
of law. and abides with self-assured conn
denee in the fundamental laws OF the land.
Eet NOT rashness seek to violate its sanct1ty.
Tet NOT ambition seek to mar its vIsage. Let
not; nassion seek to pollute with fraud, or TO
cover with blood, its abiding place.
But, in lirnine, to,approach the CHIEF object
~ tbis communication, let us consider one,
and only one, of the many issTes when
YOU have rashly presented to the American
neoplc. It is paramount to all else, ana
VIII be met and decided by the people. AS
to ,fo,t. it presents at once fearful ques-
tion: as to the people, the majesty OF Inc
neopIe, it presents the issue of liberty OF
Observation-Disclosures of action-liberty OF
enthusiastically and poloer OF all that IS
dear. valuable, sacred: 1t involves the free
dom OF election, which embraces the source
and existence OF liberty itself.
We of the South are already in the power
Of the Government, and you are the Gov
eminent. ii the acknowledgements COM
mands, backed by General sherman
orders, are allowed to stand. The
people of the North and North
west must now choose between tyr.
rant and free government; between
,ohite slaveru, pirioned by the bayo7aet to the
car of poacer, and constitutional system
OF organized government: IN when tine
States, in constitutional subordlnatlon to
the Federal Government, shall keep ana eA'
ercise local State jurisdiction and authority
This, sir, is the issue which, l repeat, you
have rashlv raised, and called upon The
northern, people to stand with folded arms
quietly by and witness THE scene, moi
OF the humiliation Of the southern
States and people, but the cold-blooded,
long-premeditated, and heartless muir
der of the Constitution-the utter over,
throw OF every franchise-the actual
downfall Of every constitutional barrier
and along with them all the annihilation oil
each and every State, and as consequence
the overthrow. Of the majesty OF the people.
This, Mr.. President, is the single, isolated,
monstrous question at issue. ETpede Her.
Cullen.
We of the South, who advocated in 1872
your reelection, anticipated no such bitter
fruit from YOUR second term. But, sir, this
entire question is by us entrusted to the
manliness, the heroism, the firmness and pa
triotism OF the non-slayeholdinS States.
We are securely wrapt in the panoply OF
Justice; and, conquered as southern States,
we are yet men, endowed with one virtue
Fortitude-above all others: We shall as
men seek to do naught. We do not fear
your soldiers. If they come, which, for
uour sake, God forbid, they are american
citizens-true men and good. So are we.
They are under the star-spanglca ban
ner." SO are we. They are men under or
ders, with baycnets in their hands. We
in, n a
triotic duties of loyal citizens, and'will dis
charge our duties fearlessly,, prayerfully,
successfully, under the Constitution, fear
ing none but God.
The issue which you have SO unneces-
sarily and rashly forced upon us and the
American people will, in the end, rebound
with moral reaction too powerful to be re-
sisted. The colored people neither need or
desire the protection of soldiers. Its all a
mere make-shift to ver'the corruption OF
party aspirants. Sir, the robberies and
frauds Of these people-by the agents Of the
Freedman's Bank-will, lose fifty voters
where martial lao will secure one. You
will live to see the day when your better,
nobler, manly feelings are again yours, and
will regret the fatal hour you signed that
and many other orders. The eyes OF Chris
tendon are on you. ..-ssqs Id. ~: 4,
It is asked, "Did General Grant save the
Union that President Grant might play with
its destinies as a plaything, and at last erect
an Empire on its ruins causelessly, want
only, recklessly inflicted by himself" This
question, with its unutterable significance
and boundless import, Mr.: President, is
silently whispered by millions now; pos
terity for ages may sound and repeat it in
tones OF thunder even loud enough to dis
turb the dead. 1t will then be too late to
check OF counteract the effects Of your