The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-23
The Men who Built the Bulwarks.


serious business. They have taken these
stops at the present session Of Congress,
and very long ones they arc. State rights,
FREQ elections, and trial by jury, are GER
tainly the buwarks OF American freedom.
Break them down and the whole system
tumbles into ruin.
At the outset Of the contest In which they
have lately been languidly engaged and
which they seem now about to give over
entirely, they told us that their defeat or
their surrender meant tho overthrow Of our
institutions-the first movement OF tho
avalanche the first inlet OF the ocean food
that would ultimately pour through the
dykes. Their note Of warning came, like
the shepherds whistle, which, sounding
through the listening stiffness OF the
night, gives warning that the wolf
Is upon his walk again" They had
seen the verdict of the polls set aside and
the will Of great and clear majority of the
people trampled down at the last Presiden-
tial election by tho use OF the army, and
they knew that tho deadly grasp with
which tho Administration chung 10 the
power in question had no purpose but the
immediate repetition of the great fraud to
successful experiment In the same direction
and the habit OF reversing the popular will
by force would be fixed And when the
President should become the mere creature
Of the army, guided by conspirators In the
executive departments, how long would IL
be before the same system Of selection
would extend to the choice Of representa-
tlves, and 10 Governors and other officials
of the States q?
This was the Democratic view-and we
have stated 1t mildly-as solemnly enun-
ciated by their representatives In Congress-
and Numbered through tho land by the
acknowledgement party press. But when
they had shown that submission was death
they straightway prepared TO submit. When
they had carefully pointed out that every
ingredient OF the cup was fatal poison,
they humbly offered to drink. When they
had, some Of them with power and elo-
quence unsurpassed in the best days Of tho
republic, demonstrated that the great iron
heel which was thus lifted up before their
eyes would certainly crush out the very
life blood Of republican government, they
cast themselves before 1t and tenderly
guided 1t 10 their necks.
What will be the place Of these men here
after II postority be not robbed OF it's
heritage by our trcachery, our children will
probably cherish the great principles here
at stake at least as devotedly as our fore
fathers did. Time, usage, and tradition
ought to make them more dear TO every
succeeding generation. Indeed, but for the
example before us we would naturally sup
pose that the American people Of to-day
would value them as brthright, even more
than they We're valued by our ancestors,
who won them by their spirit and their blood.
Massachusetts, is solid in Congress for a
standing army, 10 be used at will by a
Fraudulent Administration in the control of
general elections. DAWES and HoARl
Shades Of WEBSTER and ANDREW How
small these dastardly politicians seem, who
would sink their country to gain its Offices
There never was an hour from the planting
Of the colony TO the death Of the jealous
ANDREW, when Massachusetts would have
received this sword in her own bowels with
out desperate struggle. Look back over
the tall heads Of her Revolutionary heroes
| Pass OTIS, AMEs, the ADAMsEs, and all the
| illustrious array, who withstood the mill.
tary power Of the crown at every step In
that great day Of dellverance. Return &c
the small beginnings of this great Common
wealth, and hear in the declarations OF a
buried generation the political truths
which, being rellglously upheld, have made
her what she is. We pick this instance out
Of many which shine from the bright page
before us, and commend 1t TO the digestion
Of her degenerate sons in Congress.
On the 9lst day Of May. 1769-the day o
general election-the Massachusetts Hous'
thus addressed the Governor:
THE experience OF ages sufficient to convince tina
the military power Is dangerous and subversve o
| free constitutions
| THE history Of our own nation Affords instances o
| Parliaments which have been led into and dc
strucuve compiances, even to the surrenderng thief
| share In tho supreme legislative. through the awe
| standing armies"
On juno is the House answered Cover
nor's message:
| THE use Of the military power to enforce the execu
ton OF the laws IS IN the opinion Of this House ncon
sstent with the spirit free constitution and the yer,
nature Of government Nor there be any necessity
for IT, for the body OF the people the oophhs will
always AID the magistrate in the execution Of such law
as ought to be executed The very suppositon Of
willingness In the people In general that law should be
executed carries with it the strongest presumption tina
1t is an unjust law; at least that II is unsautary /
cannot be their law; Tor by the nature Of free const
tuition the people must consent to laws before they
be obliged, In conscience, to obey them"
On June 81 the House passed the following
| resolution:
"R'slred As the opinion of this House that the British
Constitution admits Of no military within the realm
but for Ne TOfa Of offensive and defensive war, aud
therefore, that the sending and continuing military
force within this colony, Tor the express purpose Of an
and he Government iutrncttou IN,
natural and constitutional rights Of the people, brcacl
OF the privilege " tho General Assembly, ineon-isen
with that freedom with which this House rs brancf
OF the same hath right and ought to debate consult
aud determine and mauifesy tends TO the subverson
thathapTy form Of government which have hilbert,
| enjoyed
Here is a record which the representatives
OF to-day may read with crimson checks.
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Looking Into the Hull Case.
The Coroner and his jury, engaged in the