Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-10-20

lie, with the loyal Hayes as President
and established their national capital
at Chicago-whose magnificent pub
lie buildings, just completed, furnish
ed ample accommodations for, the
executive branches of government.
The war was prosecuted with
great vigor during the years from
1881 to 1886. The Unionists led in
the field by such brave officers as
Grant and Sheridan and Sherman,
had succeeded in holding possession
Of most of the Western and North
western states, while in the Eastern
and Middle states they had been
driven back, foot by foot, until the
territory included in the states of
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Con.
necticut, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Delaware was
wholly under control of the Confed-
crates. The Ohio River, on the
south, formed a natural boundary,
where they were able to hold their.
enemies in cheek for a time; and the
vast stretches of territory in the
Northwest furnished haven Of com
parative safety for the helpless, and
of retreat, if hard pressed, for those
actively engaged at the seat OF war.
THE EMPIRE FOUNDED, WITH DAVIS
AS DICTATOR.
In the meantime, Jefferson Davis,
emboldened by the success of his
arms, and reassured by the zeal OF his
adherents, guided, also, by the coun-
sells of his confidential adv isers, had
proposed the adjustment of the Re
publican form of government and
the founding of an empire. The
proposition found a fertile soil among
his infatuated adherents. To decide
between a Republic and an Empire,
he caused, through Congress, "pop-
ular electlon' to be held throughout
that portion of the land then under
his control. The result of the "elec-
ton" was the discontinuance of the
Republic and the selection of Davis
as Supreme Dictator of the new en-
pire-a title under which he was
granted extraordinary powers. The
old Congress was abrogated and an
Assembly instituted upon a basis of
representation which lett the masses
of the people little voicein the affairs
Of government; and the adherents of
Davis soon discovered that they had
sold their liberties very cheaply.
A MATTER OF WONDER.
1t was matter of wonder to ma
ny that the Southern people and their
allies, Graded in a republic and per-
meated by republican ideas, should
have consented SO easily to the crea,
ton of an empire on the ruins of the
dead republic But they were infat.
uated with their leader, intoxicated
with success, and blinded by specious
promises, until they signed away al
most the last vestige Of their ancient
liberties, persuaded that it was the
true source of safety, and the only
method by which their government
could be thoroughly cemented and
made perpetual.
SLAVERY RESTORED.
Having now almost unlimited pow
er, Davis issued a proclamation re-
storing the accursed institution OF
slavery, and making it lawful for ev.
cry stakeholder to reclaim his former
slaves wherever found, and subject
them again to bondage. The negroes,
accustomed to slavery from earliest
infancy, and never having learned
fully to value freedom and compre-
hend- Alright its significance, were
subjected again to servitude with
comparative ease by their former
masters, though offering resistance
in some instances, and being swept
down in blood as consequence.
CHURCH AND STATE.
Soon after the beginning of the
reign of Davis as Dictator, an ele-
mcnt became prominent in politics,
which had long been at work beneath
the surface, only awaiting an oppor-
tunity to assume Importance. That
now all-potent religious sect, the
Catholic Church. though then num-
bering many thousands of adherents,
had no voice, collectively, in any of
the political affairs of the country
But the leaders of that sect, ever
crafty and on the alert to advance
their sectarian interests, saw in the
political aspect golden opportunity
"a magnificent prize. A grand Sc
cret conclave was held at Washing
ington between Davis, with his i'm
mediate associates, and the leading
spirits of the Romish Church, the re-
suit of which was an alliance which
dealt an overwhelming blow to the
cause of liberty. A proclamation
was soon issued establishing the
Catholic creed as the national relig-
ION, and making it the duty of every
citizen to yield allegiance to that faith
all other beliefs whatsoever being
branded as heretlcal and reasonable.
The priesthood was extensively in
vested with civil powers, and abso-
lutte control of all educational inter-
ests was relegated to the established
church-the public school system
becoming irrevocsbly thing OF the
past.
Thus our land became the paradise
Of Catholicism, and representatives
of that faith flocked hither by thou
sands, to reclaim in the New World
that temporal power which an en-
lightened progress had taken from
them in the Old. Many Northern
Catholics,persuaded and commanded
by the priesthood, abandoned their
homes and joined fortunes with the
supporters Of their religious faith
About this time also the earthly hab
itation of the Pope was removed to
this country, and the "thunders of
the Vatican" thereafter issued from
Washington instead Of Rome.
ADDED POWER FOR EVIL.
The great acquisitions of wealth
and power which this alliance brought
to the Davis government gave it new
energy. It had become enervated by
the terrible convulsions through