The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-11-17
saocKwAy& EIwElL, Editors.
BLOOMSBURY, PA.
TIE IMPENDING CRISIS.

Hcst uus hmciiOhn hoei'y peeH 81 seflOubiy
endangered as j. is to-day. Like all Re-
publics, our. foe is an intestine one. There
has been popular revolt against Grantisn,
Against military despotism unparalleled
among civilized nations, against the extra
yagsncc of an administration which pays
no attention to the sufrerings of the people,
against tho rottenness aud corruption ol
the men in pswer.
In order to reform abuses Democrats and
Republicans united to elect Samuel ]. Til
den President, and gave him over 800, 900
mgority--the largest ever given candidate,
except Grant when be was a candidate
against Greeley-s Republican.
This result for Peace, for Reform, was
not due 10 the votes Of "sold South"
"Loyal New York, Indiana, New Jersey,
and Connecticut wheeled into column, and,
outside of ring-ridden Philadelphia and
Pitsburg, even Pennsylvania threw off the
Cameron yoke. Fools may talk about
"soid South" but as matter of fact two
thirds of the Tilden votes were polled
North.
But scoundrels and thieves die hard, and
0O,Oe0 Office holders, added to an expectant
corps of 100000 more, will not yield to
the popular verdict. They insist that there
has been fraud and intimidation in Louisi.
ana. Florida and South Carolina, forgetti ng
that the same desire for change in those
States was ten times more intensified and
material than in the North. Those tax-rid-
den people had been cursed by carpet-bag
rule for dozen years, and even the negroes
Joined hands with the whites to prevent fur
ther swindles by pretended friends from the
North.
These eminent patriots, Zack Chandler
and Cameron, now propose to continue their
old scheme of 'counting out and in order
to succeed are trying to break the "Oolid
South" by bayonet rule, fraud, and general
rascality. The plan is simple. For instance
tn South Carolina the Returning Board con
sists of seven officials, four of whom are ne.
groes, and four of whom are candidates fol
reelection. These men assume the right te
alter the votes of the people at their pIeasur,
reject or add to the count as they please -
count fhe'pseires in-and the bayonets of tn,
Federal army are to enforce their edict
To succeed they must falsify the known re
turns OF three States, notwithstanding th,
fact that the rotten system of Returning
Boards has been denounced as frauduen
and unconstitutional by Republican Con
crosses since 1S72-by such men as Eyart
and Carpenter-and eren by Wheeler, Mei
candidate for Eice Pesidenti
Before suggesting to the people wha
should be done--and ~e mean all parties-wt
desire to make few suggestions. Babylon
existed as free nation 1900 years, aud fell
and is known no more among nations, be
cause corruption was popular, and the peopl
aequfesesd. The Roman Empire lived 5OC
years before its decline, and died whel
soldiers dictated laws Athens existed twely
centuries as q free country, yet yielded t,
corruption far less than ours, and to-day i
scarcely known except in history. England
from which we derive our institutions oh
tanned her grand charter of Liberty frer
King John ON the banks of the Runnymed
in 1915. The Tower and City of Londo
were given as security. From Edward lst t
Henry 4th 1t was ratified 32 times. Twic
year 1t was read to the people an
In the Cathedrals with solemn pomp. A
judgments contrary to it were void, and a
who counselled against it, or opposed
were excommunicated. The people lore
Liberty then. Only one hundred years ag,
our colonies were oppressed, and on the At
of July 1776 our fathers, among the caus,
for rebellion said
He has dissolved representative houses r,
pestedly, for opposing, with manly firmnes
his invasons on the rights of the people
He has refused, for long time after sue
dlssolutions, to cause Others to be elected
whereby the legislative powers, incapable
annihilation, have returned to the people
large for their exercise; the State remainiu
in the meantime. exposed To all the dang,
OF invasion from without, and convulsioI
within.
He has erected a multitude of new Office
and sent hither swarms Of officers to hara
our people, and eat out their substance
lie has kept among us, in times of peac
standing armies, without the consent of OF
legislature.
He has affected 10 render the military ind
pendent Of, and superior 10, the cieH potoer.
For qudrtering large bodies Of armed troo
among as.
For suspending our own legislatures, al
declaring themselves invested with power
legislate for us in ali cases whatsoever.
The outrages of that day were trivi
In comparison wi h what we are asked
undergo now. In The late reht lion ,
fought for Union,-for the integrity
our Republic. But neither soil nor terrific
make free people. Ireland has as good
soil as we, and is she free2 The basta
Republics of Mexico and South Ameri
have soil equal in fertility, but would o
people exchange with them And ,
Liberty is as broad there as it is here
We celebrate the Centennial of Repub
pinned together with bayonets" and frar
and are now the laughing stock of nations
Our Republic is on its trial. il unc
the forms of law, Hayes il honestly elect