The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1877-08-18
Decline of Democracy.

id decline of Republican Govern G.
mont in America. Each succeed c
ing event blings us nearer lhe J
final overthrow Of those lnstltu-
tions it was once pride and hon. G
or to refer to as the heritage OF c
patriots and frecmcn. t
Glttering forms and mock pa
ccantry have usurped the real y
sentiment in America, and we pay
more homage to empty shrnes
than we do to the living Goddess
of Liberty.
AS Junius said very polntedlH,
Hthrre is a set of men in tins
country, whose understandings
measure the violation of law by
the magnitude of the instance,
not by the important consequent
eos which flow directly from the
principle"
TO show what a wide departure
there has been from the essence OF
our Constitution, we have but to
scan daily papers published even
in the South, which we had hoped
would be the lasting refuge Of pop
ular government in America.
A murder Tor murlcrs) is com
mitted in the State of Mississippi,
and straightway the Press and Pull
pit appeal to the Gorcrnor to op-
prehend end punish the murderers."
What are we to deduce from
such demand as that? This,
and nothingmore; that the Amer
lean mind, demoralized by the
war of it's sections, and degraded
by it's unnatural teachings as we'll
as debased by conflict and close
communion with vice and unlicens-
ed power, has forgotten the con-
stitution, traditions and princi-
pies of the government of Jur
forefathers, and looks for succor
from riot, tllmult or violations OF
law to the hand of force, instead
of the Courts of the land.
Is this not palpable evidence
that Democratic government is
dying in America!
Violations of the constitution
which have never yet taken place
but upon the plea Of "expediency,'
or 'perilous surroundings" hav'
been so repeated that we note no
now the most fragrant. Not
month since the Governors 9
States in this Union, and mem
bers Of both political parties, haV
been furnished with troops by tn
general government in open, pa
pable violation ofthe constitution
No man dare say that there e:
listed in any of those States whe1
the "strikes" lately occurred, an
thing in the shape of "domest
violence" which approached II
level of "inyasion )" and the d
nestle violence contemplated
the constitution for the suppre
sion of which the President VI
empowered to employ the arm
and navy Of the general COVER
ment, provided the State "
powerless to suppress it herse
must be equal in effect, polpa
and applied to an "inrosion with
view to the destruction OF t
State government"
Does any sane man dare S
that these late outbreaks h
such import! No; the dema
for, and the furnishing of
army were both violations of
constitution, and as they m
hut feeble condemnation, we
gard with shame and sorrow t
our people have yielded up, til
liberties to the "pratorian bant
But, says a timid gentlem
suppose these riots, these
breaks, these ''occurrances Of
nestle violence" are successes
the part of their originators
participants, although they do
overturn State governments, "
then ?
When a body of citizens hay
grievances, which all admit
strikers had, and the law does
right them, it is the fundame
principle that underlies our {
structure to which they must
mol pEVOI IrrIONi M one