Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-11-13
The Appeal.

When the Rebel Congress adjourned
last June, after fruitless effort to
"wipe out the legislation caused by the
war" and force the President to sign
bills which he believed repugnant to
the best interests of the Nation-under
threats of destroying the Government
if he refused, those disappointed and
humiliated Confederate Brigadiers
made a virtue of necessity and boast
ingly said they would swallow for a
time their demands and menaces and
appeal to the people of the United
States for their vindication. The ap-
peal has been made, and the answer
given. Never since the repeal of the
Missouri Compromise have the loyal
people of the North so quickly shown
their disapproval and disgust at the ac-
ton of Congress as in the present in
stance. Maine, California, Colorado,
Ohio, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York,
New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, Wis
consin, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and
Michigan have spoken, and spoken so
loudly and clearly that nobody can mis-
take their meaning. The people OF the
North have voted to sustain the Presl-
dent in the brave and patriotic course
he assumed in his dealings with Con-
gress. They have said he was right,
and that all his acts in Vetoing Vi
cious and partisan legislation meet
their cordial and hearty approval;
These great States have declared
in favor of Republican rule, and
against Democratic supremacy. They
do not approve of a Solid South
nor the shotgun policy by which it. IS
secured. They are opposed to the hu-
Klux and Sons Of Liberty organizations
They are opposed to- destroying the
freedom of elections and the rights OF
the citizens. They approve the whole
some laws for the appointment OF Su-
pervisors and the maintenance OF peace
at the polls by the whole military force
Of the Government. They believe that
the Constitution and the laws passed IN
pursuance thereof should be the su-
preme authority in the land. They be-
iieve that the United States compose
one great and powerful Nation, and
that the doctrine of State Sovereignty
was settled finally at the cost OF a
bloody war. They believe that patriots
and loyal men should rule, and not
rebels and traitors; that certain princi-
pies were settled by the war, and that
all attempts on the part of those for
merlv in rebellion to secure in peace
what they failed to gain by force OF
arms are not to be tolerated or counte-
nanced. And in the plainest language
they say that the Democratic party is
the foe of the country, ought not to be
trusted with its control, and the sooner
it is buried out of sight the better for
the advancement of every moral, busi-
ness, and loyal interest in the land.
The rebel Congress came into exist
ence flushed with victory and intoxl-
Gated with power. The attempt to 81
lence the entire Republican vote of the
South had proved success. Liberty
of action, freedom at the polls, the
plainest right of an American citizen
had all been trampled under foot. The
ballot-box sacred in the eyes of every
lover of his country, was made mere
machine to register the wishes and ana
bitions of men lately in open rebellion.
Opposition to the dictates of the mi
n0ritv was met with violence, cruelty,
tortures, and murder. There was no
secrecy about all their business. Those
who refused to submit, and claimed the
freedom guaranteed by the laws, were
handled without mercy and brought to
reason by the shotgun and the lash. A
few examples like those of Judge CHS
holm and his defenseless family, Dixon,
and others were all-suhicient, and the
unarmed and unprotected Republicans
quietly gave up the contest and sub
mitted to a power that knew neither
decency nor humanity. Once IN