Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-09-22
FOR WITCH TIE REPUBLICAN
PlRTY ARE CULPABLE.

these among others are somSof+he
things with which the Republican
party are chargeable in their con>
duet towards the South:
They disregarded, violated and
set at naught the solemn sripula'
tions for surrender made by the
General commanding their army
in the field.
While one department Of the
Government in their charge has
uniformly held that there never
was a moment when any Southern
State was out Of the Union, and
constantly owed allegiance to the
Constitntlon,th the other departments
have held the reverse, and put in
force their system of reconstruc-
ton, wrong, outrage and plumber
ever devised by the wit of man.
They have ignored the ConStitu-
tional rights of the States, apoint-
ed over them Military Governors,
backed and sustained with the bay
onets of the army.
While asserting that the States
owed allegiance to the Constitution
which draws to it protection, they
have denied to them all constltus
tional guarantees.
They have flooded the States
with armies of off 'e holders and
otfice>seekers. and with the ordure
of a retiring army, sent their VIII
est men to rule over the people.
These men, for their own base
purposes, have been the busy work
ers up of strife, by inStijling into
the minds of the recently liberated
negroes the most deadly hatred and
Iust for revenge against their for
mer owners, who we're and desired
to be their true friends.
TO secure this power, they, by
the aid of the bayonet, forced up,
on the people organic laws, by
which a large portion of the intel
ligence of the State were disfran-
chised and the negro placed their
superior at the ballot-box and in
the affairs of the State,
They have thereby thrust men
into place and power who, under
the false pretense of enforcing law
and preserving order have commit
ted the most horrld crimes-mur>
der, rape, arson, robbery and theft.
They have forced their minions
into Office by placing the polls un,
der the surveillance Of the sold~
iers of the nation.
They have, by amendments to
the Constitulion-some illegally
proclaimed, even if the vote had
been fair-disfranchised many Of
the best men of the South, and
Inundated her people by elevating
their former slaves above them in
political standing; and for the eff
fectuatlng Of this they have indulg-
ed in class legislation of the gross.
est and most unjust character. A
They have CHARTERED soldior%
our midst not only to ''eat oYour
substance" but as a torrorfo our
people and to carry out their de-
Of cruelty and oppression.
They have levied upon the prod
ucts of the soil unequal, onerous,
illegal and unjust taxation.
They have impoverished our PEG
pie, broken down our commerce,
and turned our fair land into de-
serted fields and waste places.
They have loaded the states with
illegal and fraudulent debts.
They have disposed of the obi,
cations of the States so illegally
made for their individual purposes
in fraud, corruption and theft.
They have ~corruptly increased
taxation to an extent that the
country cannot bear, resulting in
almost universal bankruptcy of the
States, counties and cities.
They have paralyzed every
branch of business and trade.
They have murdered our men ;
they have ravishcd our women.
They have burned our houses
and stolen our property.
Tley have, with studiedand most
hellish purpose, sought and prOdu-