, 1879-06-29

political and social fabric which the
American people have erected for their
own good and enjoyment, for the preserva-
ton Of their personal. and national liberty ?
In point of fact, have American people de-
generated into mere slaves, and lett liberty
and freedom no hionds or defenders save the
followers of the red heg7.
Of what liberties are DR.. SoHMDT and the
Communists deprived? The utmost free
dom cannot be said to be abridged when q
gang. of aliens, bearing an alien flag, can
parade the streets and proclaim the over
throw of the law and the. Government
Certainly these men cannot complain thas
they do not enjoy the utmost freedom ct
speech.
The State Of Illinois has enacted consti-
tutional law establishing "a wel1-regu1sted
nailitia,"- the militia composed Of citizens Of
the State. It has by this same law provided
that: there shall be no other militia and no
other armed military organizations permitted
in this State, except the militia Of Illinois,
or the troops of the United States, without
the license of the Governor. Every able
bodied man in Illinois is at liberty to join the
militia. OF the State. No physically fit man
is prohibited. The military organization Of
the State is free to all citizens. This is a
nation where the law is supreme, where the
Government is creation Of Law, and where
the military power Is of necessity subordinate
to the law and al auxiliary Of the law. No
State or Government on earth has ever or
will ever tolerate q military organization not
subordinate to the law thereof, and not un-
der the command and control of the officers
Of the law. To tolerate any military force
which owes no allegiance to the law, which
repud,ates the law and its authorized officers,
would be to invite rebellion, insurrection,
and civil war, and would be a constant
menace to the public peace.
When these Communists declare that they
are threatened with slavery" because
they, are not authorized to organize an
alien red-dag army in this State, hostile
to the. Government, and with the ayowed
purpose Of destroying the Government
and overthrowing our social institu-
tions, they reverse the truth of the situation.
Equality before the law is the right of the
citizen: These Socialists are given the same
rights under the law that all other persons
are given, and they are entitled TO no more.
No one proposes to deprive any man Of tho
right to bear arms. These Socialists can
keep. their arms, IS all other persons can,
but they cannot organize and parade as mill
tary force unless they are licensed by the
legal authority Of the State. If that be an
enslavement. then it is slavery shared by
the whole American people, aud in force in
every State Of the Union ''The military
power Of the State" is that created and
sanctioned by law, and under the command |
and control If the officers appointed by the |
Constitution and laws.
Against whom are these Socialists armed? |
Against whom do they demand protection? |
In what does the law or society oppress |
them? Have they not every right which |
any nther citizen can claim Or possess? Are |
not the polls and the courts as open and as
free to them as to all others? Are they not
as free to crate, and resolve, and eat and
drink, as all other people Why is it that
Their rights demand special troops, a special
flag, special bayonets, and special bu]lets?.
Let these men know, once for all, that
there are no persons in this country who can
lawfully claim the rights and privileges of
citizens unless they are Amer
can citizens and conform to the laws.
They are all on an equality before the low.
# these men are Americans they should be
subordinate to: the law. If they are not
Americans, then they are aliens, and have no
awful voice in either appointing or over.
;urning the law, or making or overturn-
ng the Government. If they are not part
If the militia Of the State, subject to its
egal command, then they can claim no tol-
'ration as military body.
Before these Communists employ their |
rms, and raise their red flag, the symbol of
'lood, let them state what it is they want;
What it is they mem by their harangues, and
THAT special liberty they demand for them
elves which is not possessed and enjoyed
y the whole American people. -
We repent that the preservation Of the
ublic and personal liberty of the citizen is. 7
I this country, in the hands of the people. I
, be by them exercised as they think proper | I
trough the agency Of the law and the con
tituted authorities. These people have not
elegated their authority to the mob, nor to
4 association whose symbol is the bloody +
ag, under which assassination, pillage, s
collation., and savage brutality are called | !
berty and freedom. The American people r
IN do their own fighting, and regulate and r
'ntrol their own affairs, without leaving it t
} be done BY an organization whose foot G
cps are anarchy, and whose history is writ t
n in the blood Of the weak and defenseless. d
COUNTY CONTRACTS. r
The County Commissioners have been -
ruggling for week or mora OYER tba nat