The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-09-27

some other or any other reason or cause
the protection of the exercise If the righf
must be foun,l in the laws of the State
. aud not in those of the UHited States. Il
viii be observed that the prohibition to
abridge or deny is addressed TO ''the
States and the United States, and yet II
any State should, for reasons Of its own,
seek to impose new and general qualif-
cation upon the right to vote, such as
! property or education, or rs penalty for
the smallest or most venial offence, and
difficulties arise at the polls and riots,
Judge Taft and his colleague, Cameron,
and their master, Grant, would have Just
as much right TO secure their new-fsngled
''peace of the United States as they
now claim, aud could cali in their troops
or swArms of Deputy Marshals in New
York, or Boston, or Chicago, or ST
Louis. and their all embracing posse
eOmitatus, to take care "alike of the
registration lists, the act of voting and the
personal freedom and security of the voter,
as vel against violence on account of any
vote he may intend TO give as against
conspiracy, because Of any that be may
have already given
r. This order then, Senator, being thus
in dehance Of the decisions of the Supreme
Court and without warrant in law or the
Constitution, what effect can il have In
binding good citizens
Sen. B.-Upon me it would have none.
Between the decisions of the Supreme
Court enlightening my sense of duty as a
citizen under government Of laws, and
the unwarranted and partisan order of
an executive official, / could not hesitate
foF lfiofnen (which way nv dexy Law. / |
am as sure as am OF my exIsrSIrxzr,s ti1rr
if Judge Taft order can be carried out
in letter and in spirit, il willy totally
subvert our form of government and /
leave local selfgovernmenf, which / be-
lleve to be the very soul of our institu- /
tions, the shadow of name. In nv
judgement it will behoove all citizens |
who desire to perpetuate our system of 1
government 10 raise their voices in instant
and severe condemnation of this attempt |
unlawfnay and dangerously to enlarge
Federal authority.
Ali officials intrusted with State power
should examine this document of the
Attorney-General, and prepare to hold
him and every subordinate who shall act
under his instructions liable to the laws
of the State which they shall invade in
Its execution. While l cannot believe
that he will venture practically to en-
force these monstrous assumptions of pow
er,, yet it will be best that he and those
who propose to act under his authority |
should be confronted with the results. /
view the action of President Grant, with
his Secretaries of War, the Navy and
The Interior, and his Attorney-General, |
acting, as they are represented to
have done the consultation and con-
cert with Sherman, the General of the |
army, Chamberlain, the Governor Of
one of.the States; and Patterson, So
called Senator from South Carolina, in |
no better light than as a conspiracy to
invade the plainly reserved rights of the |
States to hold free elections under their |
own authority. If such attempts escape
public reprobation, or If the psople of all |
the States remain blind to their danger
and permit themselves csrelessIy or will |
fully to be led by their votes into main
tanning into power any party so led and
50 sustained, my hope of constitution al
liberty on this continent will have fed.