National Republican., 1878-11-01
"PoLITICAL PETsECUTIONw


"POLITICAL PEI,sECUTIONw
The Charleston Neips and Courier in o
whining, sickly refrain-showing that 1t has
rollicked around in political recklessncss
until 1t has got hurt-pays the Republican
Party the highest possible compliment. 1t
cries political persecutionw and through
its tears of weakness 1t mournfully de-
clares:
That the United States Government is still
run in the interests Of the Radical party, re-
garlless Of all sense of justice or decency, is
plainly shown by the arrests Of Democrats, In
various counties Of this State, on all kinds OF
himsy pretexts, and the unblushing instruc-
tions of Attorney. General DEvENs TO his subor-
dinatGs that he wants no compromising. The
absurdity of the arrests in Sumter Is still fur
ther shown in our local columns this morning,
together with the fact that the United States
is paying all the expenses Of the proceedings
against the Democrats. The arrests in Will
liamsburg have also been fully ventilated.
The United States Government is run in
the interest of the Constitution and the
laws; and as 1t calls upon the Democrats Of
South Carolina to respect these, it simply
vindicates its own integrity. 1t has done
nothing more than this. 1t demands of the
people Of that State as it does of the people
of all the other States composing this
Union, that they shall observe the laws or
meet the penalty. If the Government is
run, rs the Neics mournfully complains, in
the interest Of the Radical party, ii is for
the reason that it is the party of the Con-
stitution, the laws, and the Union, and in
sists upon having government which will
vindicatc its own integrity by en-
| forcing the laws against all
violators thereof whether they inhabi,
South Carolina or Maine The laws of the
! United States relate to all the people of all
the states, and criminals against them can
not be exempted from the penalties they
have incurred any more in South Carolina
than they can in Oregon or Massachusetts.
1t seems TO be about time that all the pco-
pie who'll under this Government should
be taught that the laws are spread upon the
statute books to he observed, and not to be
broken with impunity. While the laws
were regarded as a dead letter, and the State
OF South Carolina was overrun with out
lawry under the eye Of the State authority,
and no voice or hand was raised
against the crimes that were be.
ing perpctrated in their VIC.
lntion, neither the NeIrs and Courier MOI
HAMPTON nor any of his bloody satraps
found cause of complaint against the laws
OF the Government. But when the Govern.
ment admonishes those who are in daily re,
bellion against them that they must desist,
and If they do not heed that admoniton
but insist upon holding the laws In disre
spect, even to open violation, must suffer
the consequences; and when the hand o
authority is raised to punish the crimes
thus committed, we find the law-breakers
and their abcttors in an attitude to cxem.
plify the old and trte maxim:
The good needs fear no law,
1t Is his safety, aud the bad mans awe.
The people of South Carolina know the
law, but they do not respect it, and when
they see its ayenging hand raised in jus
tiCc, the law-breakers talk Of "fimsJ
"pretexts aud unblushing instructions,
thus openly reviling and insulting the law
and the Government which attempts to en-
force them. This is South Carolina to-day
as it presents its own portraiture in history
1t has openly set the law at defiance II
tramples upon the rights of citizenship; il
ostracises n portion OF the people for opinion
sake IL toleratcs and encourages armet
banditti to overrun and break up Republi
can meetings it does all this with part 0
the machinery Of the State government, anC
with the knowledge and approval Of HAMP
TON, the usurping Governor Of the State
and when the Government cries q hal,
then II is assa!ed with bitterness tina
WAS born in the rebellion and has strength
ened with age, and which is us insultin,
now rs then, and will 80 continue until tn,
heel of loyalty and justice shall hav,
crushed the poisonous reptile into the eartl
from which there can be no resurrection
This election has accomplished one thing,
no other. 1t has stripped the cloak O
hypocrisy from South Carolina, and laid il
true character open to public gaze and in
te!ligent appreciation. HAMPTON may MOI
talk Of "deprecating all acts OF violence
and Of exerting proper authority in main
tanning the laws; but the country undel
stands now that this is hypocritical can
which will neither deceive nor delude til
Government nor the people in the future.