National Republican., 1878-10-02
THE DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT.

lOud that he cut II short and stopped.
THE DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
The Government was instituted by our
fathers to give protection to the people Of
the United States through the agency of
constitution and statutory cnactmcnts, and
has been handed down from administration
to administration for more than n century
for faithful maintenance. 1t has withstood
one rebellion. 1t has not only successfully
resisted the most violent assaults for its
overthrow, but it has heightened tho cords
and strengthened the stakes of the Consti-
tuition and the laws for the purpose Of Sc
curing to every citizen ofthe United States,
be hc.high or low, rich or poor, black or
white, native or foreign born, all the rights,
privileges, and benefits which the spirit and
letter of these safeguards vOuChsafe to him.
The framework OF our Government Is in
tended to secure the full measure OF equal
ity and right to every citizen, irrespective
Of birth, color. or condition, and whenever
and wherever it fails it is for the reason that
the guarantees of the Constitution are not
respected and the laws are not faithfully
administered and enforced.
The present Administration of the Gov
crnm mt occurs at o very trying period in
our history 1t has stubborn difficulties to
contend with that lhnve not attended
former Administrations since the close OF
the war. When the contest in arms was
concluded the people OF the South, who had
yielded to the terms of peace and relnpsed
into the quiet Of citizenship, ostensibly ac-
quiesced in the results OF the struggle for
mastery. The Constitution was amended
and made to cover new and important
questions relating to the rights OF the
american citizen, so that these rights
should be regarded and defended in e2ery
man equally before the law. The e'people,
under these fresh guarantees, wero to share
alike all the benefits and blessings in that
line which were recognized and provided
for by the Constitution aud the statutes.
To all this the late insurgents ostcnsibly
asscntcd, and under that regime, down to
l-T2, comparative peace, good order, and
respect for the law rcigned in most, if not
all, of the southern States. Then the citi-
zen could vote without mOlestation or in
| tcriercnce. The right of opinion and its
| free exercise In speech or action was re-
spccted to a degree that gave free and
comparatively fair elections in most. if not
all, the southern States. The organization
OF the Ku-Klux in North Carolina was
the first symptom of defiance and resist
ance Of the law. This was promptly met
by its enforcement, and the renewed spirit
Of rebellion was soon silenced by punish
mcnt OF the offenders. This showed the
power Of the law when rigidly enforced by
the Government. II left no doubt that the
| National Administration hal all the power
Necessary to overcome Outlawry and disor-
der in any State in the Union who're in
fractions Of the Constitution and statutes of
the United States were attempted. If the
Government is not sufficiently strong with
its civil arm, the Constitution places the
military arm qullly within its iurisdic-
t!ol or the exercise and preservation Of its
lie itimate powers. There is no preroga-
tive for the IN lintGnance of the Govern
ment and the enforcement Of the laws that
does not centre in itself by virtue of the
Constitution. If this is not so, ten the
structure Of government is defective and
contains within itself the seeds of its iueyi-
| table overthrow.
| If the Government possesses the power to
secure the guarantees OF the Constitution
and the enforcement of the laws relating to
the rights OF American citizenship, and it
fails to any important extent to do 50, then
it-fals in faithful discharge of its duty
and imparts fresh courage to those who aim
to subyert, ii they cannot entirely over
throw the present structure of the Govern
mental machine. That the Government is
full OF encmies-that the Constitution in
many Of its requirements is despised-that
the laws are openly deiied and trampled
under foot, the present Administration
must be aware. The evidence that these
things exist is too strong to be concealed or
resisted. The President and his advisers
cannot remain ignorant of the fact that the
Republican citizens of several of the South
ern States, be they blrck or white, native OF
foreign born, are now daily subject to inter.
ference in their political rights to an
extent that involves violence and even
death. Republican gatherings for the pur
pose of discussing i'll peaceable and or
dery manner the political issues of the day
and the assertion of Republican principles
cannot be held in South Carolina, Missis
sippi, Alabama, Louisiana, or Arkansas, IN
any rural district even, and much less in tn
cities, without the interference of armeC
men, who demand their dispersal and resor
TO violence and even death to secure thei
purpose, il it cannot be reached otherwise
The page of faithful history is being dali
filled up with occurrences Of this character
which are more infamous in the extent q
the outrtges involved than we propose t
portray, lest we may be suspected Of cxag
geratiOn We Will not knowingly eXaggeI
ate statement tOuching the condition {
things in the southern States, for they nee
/, no coloring 10 challenge execratiOn. Bu
+ we do propose to press upon the attention q
= thr Government the facts that come to OF
- knowledgrund are well sustained as such, III
I Ill it can be aroused tOa proper sense Of dut.
t Then, if that duty is neglected and lcpul
D liClus are dcspOilud OF their rights and lO'