The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-11-30
Free Government.

W. are now being burdened with q
great amount of useless trumpery in
sbe way of idle talk. 1t has ever
been that the mass of mankind was
timid in tho assertion of these rights
with which God has endowed them,
aud which are essential to their we'll
being As a free people. When those
rights are menaced by higher pow
or, society begets legions of quacks
with legions of remedies to assuaqe
the disease. There are, however, as
history teaches, but few doctors who
suggest cure. The issue in Ameri-
"a is certainly plain to the most I'M
pretending ind. It is one of popu-
lar libert .. ono side and a despotic
attempt TO subvert it upon the other
The c,y Of solid South is simply a
'ubterfuge, as slavery was. 1t is a
means whereby a large faction of
Americans can be controlled and
moved to the destruction of their
own Constitution.
Because this attempt comes in a
different form from what has been
populsrly taught was the regalia tyran.
ny endows itself with, but few take
alarm. Burke very properly said !:
"A great deal of the furniture of an.
Gent tyranny is worn to rags; the
rest is entirely out of fashion. Be
sides, there are few statesmen so very
slunsy and awkward in their bust
uess, % to fall into the identical snare
which has proved fatal to their pre-
dseessors. Every age has its own
u"nnsrs, and it's politics Dependents
upon them T.; and the same attempts
will not be made against a Constitu-
ton fully formed and matured that
were used to destroy it in the era
die, or TO resist its growth during in.
faucy."
10 any one ignorant enough to sup
pose that Radicalism, which repre-
sents supreme power other than the
people and struggles for its success,
would brand an attempt to subvert
the power Of tho people under our
Copstitution-"alieD and sedition
lAws9" Yet tue effort now being
made under the crafty forms Of
law 10 ~ fatal, if not summarily check
I'd 10 any method which might be
employed, even to force.
And yet, the resistance offered to
those who are struggling to subvert
Free Government in America is de-
miBishing at each effort of the enemy,
instead Of becoming more powerful
md aggressive. The rape of the
Presidency was treated with levity
By American Democratic newspapers,
vulgarly supposed to be the palladi.
an Of liberty, unbecoming the gravi-
~ Of tho issue. And to-day, the
threatened deluge of Marshals arm.
Cd with false warrants based on a
pronounced unconstitutional lao 10 re.
sa'dsd with Indifference Ly Constitu-
tionsl journals North, and met in this
State At least, in most abject man.
nor.
We hoped, and we are prone to
cling yet to the belief, that civil liber-
~ 10 America would find it's last rest
lace among the Southern people.
.videnSgs giving, in this State, no
Tb. i,ercs such a sacred heritage.
.svolsd BY our 4 Ct fanatica' wrath,
Ne ballot box, which'sn resistance at
pat month swept from xlshln the
Instead Of being met with Eerth'
resistance finds some of us readys
explain to . power which has no righI
b enquire, and apologise to a faction
that has no right to demand it.
Lot % cease this useless attempt to
Asssags the disease. The heroic treat.
asns 10 Oh that left wherewith to save
The patient. If Free Government is to
ssist 10 America it must be through
principles Of Democracy. Those
principles which assert the right o.
TIE States to conduct their local mat.
tsrs a bessems them; to punish VIC
laticos Of Police Regulations by thei1
eva laws, and through their OWE
Courts. We must take the firm staui
hat Congress is . body of delegated
powers, and those powers mus. bt
sxsrtsd upon States, not individuals
Enlightened public sentiment mus,
rsis. No standard for that sentimep,
ssa DO Get up outside the limits of it.
wsats, NOR can ito exercise be judged
By ssttaneous circumstances. = If OK.
esssss have boon committed in the
osslh, there hes been cause 4 for them
4 ~ isfamous governments of plum
1srstsp over a. by force. If these
sxeeseas ars condoned or unwbipped Of
jslsics i = because enlightened pub.
liz aondment, though posoiblv mot n