National Republican., 1878-10-19

4
inspired the red-shirt bull-dozers TO more
efficient action in cutting down Republican
majorities with tho rifle and shotgun. No
more Republican meetings can be peaceably
held under the HAMPTON rule in South
Carolina. The work of intimidation has
been infused with fresh vigor, TO show the
Federal power that It is impotent in that
State when confronted with State Sow
ereignty, or home-rule, as II Is called. The
rights Of citizenship are utterly disregarded
or treated with disrespect and outrage. The
political opinions of Republican must be
concealed, or he pays the forfeit with his
life If he openly asserts, discusses, and de-
fends them. Whole communities Of
Republicans in precincts and parishes
where they are numerically three to one OF
the Democrats are entirely overawed, and
are forced 10 surrender freedom Of thought,
action, and vote, to save their lives. In
this way whole communities are disfran-
chiscd, and hundreds of thousands Of citi-
zens are deprived of the right Of suffrage,
while they numerically ioem the basis Of
representation in Congress. And this Is
what the Southern Bourbons call "fair
play"
If anything would justify the rebellion
of these oppressed people against the bloody
deeds of their oppressors and resort TO
violence and revenge, that justification
could be easily found in the iron and bloody
rule of the Bourbon Democrats in four OF
the late insurgent States. Does any one
suppose that an equal number of citizens
could be disfrauchised, ostracised, and MUIR
dered with impunity in any Northern
State? by no manner Of means. And yet
the same Federal Constitution and laws
that apply to the North and eilectually pro.
tect the people in their rights, extend ovel
the South, and should have equal force
there but they do not. The South has the
same laws, the same President, the same
Attorney General, and the same Con.
stitutioa that apply to the North
and yet they have no restraining
power in that section over political crime;
the most atrocous and audacious. This
condition Of things can be accounted for
only under one hypothesis. The late in
surgents of the South, who form the train
for the Constitution, the laws, the Executive,
or his officials who are appointed to see the
laws enforced, and hence are in deliberat,
and willlul rebellion, and defy the Federal
authority even unto bloOdsled.
The next question which deeply interests
| lao A., iii ;a. l.
there integrity, or power, or will in the
Government, under existing circumstances
equal 10 q vindicatiOn of the laws; to tn,
punishment of crime; TO the preservation
OF the public peace to the securing Of al
the people in their inalenablc rights, and
to the preservation of the Constitution in
the full scope Of its intent and meaning
If so, then Il speedy and decided stop should
he put TO the existing condition Of things
in the South, so that every citizen shall be
assured in all his rights in peace. On
the other hand, If there is neither power
nor disposition Oh the part Of the Govern
mcnt TO vindicate its own laws, protect its
own citizens in all their rights in every
State in this Union, aud to hold the Con
stituton high before the American peOpl,
as their ark of safety, then the days oil III,
American Republic are numbered. And
the calaudcr will not long be burdencd
with its history MS n living power. The
immediate responsibility is with the Exec
utive, who is daily and hourly denounced
all over the land by these recreants to law
and right as glaring fraud upon tn,
American people, and who, ii he fails to us,
every power oI the Government to viudi-
cate It's authority everywhere, under the
oath lie has taken, may furnish stronge,
proofs than yet have been found TO justify
the cry that has been raised against him by
The Bourbon cohorts. The charge of fraud
in his election can never lie sustained. o.
the contrary, 1t Is clearly shown that Ii
wits elected in spite ol the attempted ant
exposed frauds of his opponents; M,
while that allegation falls to the ground
let it not he lruthmlly said Of the rrcsi
dent that he has tailcd to sustain the pow
ers of the Government IN their fullest in
|