National Republican., 1878-10-16

lowing Is the posse comitdtuslaw, upon which
the Democrats rely for defeating the powers
of the Government to sustain itself agninst
the gradual approaches Of rebellion, as it Is
insdiously stealing upon the citadel Of our
freedom:
From and after the passage Of this act 1t |
shall not be lawful to employ any part Of the
army Of the United States as y posse eomitdtus, |
or otherwise, for the purpose Of executing the
laws, ercep IN such cases and under such eircun.
stances as such employment Of said force may be
expressly aisLorsed by e Consultation or BY act Of
Congress; and no money appropriated by this
act shall be used to pay any Of the expenses
incurred In the employment Of any troops In
violation Of this section and any person will
fully violating the provisions Of this section
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemcanor. aud
on conviction thereof, shall be punished by fine
not exceeding $4,000 or imprisonment not ex-
ceeding two years, or by both such fine and i'm
prisonmcnt.
This is the law by which the ex-rebcls in
thizers, believed that they had handicapped
the Government, and in view of which they
have turned loose the rinc-clubs and armed
militia of the South 10 in1ict violence upon
the rights of Republican citizens, thinking
that they could depredate upon the dearest
rights of an American citizen with impun-
ity. Now let us refer TO another statute
which stands upon the page of law in full
force, and see If the neiarious purposes Of
traitors, rebels, aud Bourbons have been
fully achieved:
SIC. sos. Whenever, by reason Of unlawful
distractions, combinations or assemblages OF
persons, or rebellion against the authority of
the Government Of the United States, II shall
bScome impracticable in the judgment Of the
President, to enforce by the ordinaryc curse of
judicial proceedings the laws of the United
States within any State or Territory, II shall be
Lawful. for the President to call forth the mi.
| litia of any or all the States, and TO employ
such parts Of the land and naval forces OF the
United States as he may deem necessary to en-
| force the faithful execution Of the laws Of the
| United States, or to suppress such rebellion
| in whatever State or Territory thereof tho
laws of the United States may be forcibly op-
| posed or the execution thereof forcibly OBJ
strucsed.
This statute, il will be seen at glance, IL
in full force, and overridcs the provisions of
the posse comitatus act, leaving it is power
less and ineffective rs the paper upon which
ii is printed The President Is clothed with
full power to call upon the militia of the
several States aud the land and naval
forces of the United States to crush out all
combinations for rebellious purposes, and TO
remove all distractions to the enforcement
of the laws of the United States in any
State in the Union. The judiciary is de-
fed in South Carolina aud Alabama, and
undoubtedly elsewhere in the South, and is
rendered powerlcss The State of South
Carolina is to-day in open rebellion against
the authority of the United States aud that
too under the cOuntcnlnce and aid OF
WADE HAMPTON, who has assumed the
Executive chair by arrant usurpatiOn.
Peaceful meetings of citizens, who come to-
gcther to discuss the duties of citizenship
and the political questions Of the day, ara
set upon and dispersed by the armed
sinatcd in open day in some in
stances, and in others are driven from
their homes and become exiles; and fol
what offensc? Simply for the reason that
they are Republicans and insist upon the
right to express their opinions at the hust
ings and in the ballot-box. This is thei
crime for they arc openly offered the alter
native of acting with the Democratic party
and they will be allowed to remain in peace
This is the situation, and this the peril
; The Federal power alone eau conserve tn,
rights of an oppressed and prosecuted clas
of American citizens. 1t has full powe
, and means TO accomplish tho work, and th'
l responsibility is one that cannot be assumeI
5 too soon or exercised with too strong II hand
5 This cloud of rebellion in the South viii
4 grow daily under liberation. 1t is aime,
c ultimately at the iorciblc overthrow Of tn
i President, and the sooner he places himsel
c in the breach the sooner the ark of saiet
: for the Union, the Constitution, aud the Oh
c Flag will be reached. The hag of our Unio
= Is our "bloody shirt" Let it be raised higl
J. where every veteran of the other war t
crush rebellion can see it. There will be Ii
want of Gallant defenders.