The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-02-20
THE TEST OATH FOR JURORS.

There seems to be some wavering
among the Democrats in Congress upon
the question of adding provision to the
Appropriation Bill abolishing the test
oath for United States Jurors and pre-
venting Federal interference with cleo
tions. The Democratic party of the
United States has shown decided lack
of pluck ever since the war, and the re-
suit is that the Republicans have held
the government by huge game of bluff.
There are Democrats who would run
from their shadow if they could see it,
and if their councils are to prevail the
party will surely meet another defeat.
The people of the United States are not
willing to trust this government in the
hands of party which has not tho moral
courage to do what is right, and unless
the Democracy takes more positive posi-
ton, it will always be crushed as it has
been in the past by the superior pluck
and pugnacity Of the Radicals, who will
make harder and bolder fight for what
they know to be wrong than their Demo-
cratic opponents will for what they know
to be right. The repeal of the test oath
is demanded alike by the interests of So
ciety and the honor of the nation. The
Radicals themselves repealed it a few
years ago, because it was considered as
an Infamous blot upon our statute books,
but it was fraudulently re-enacted in the
Revised Statutes. This gives the Demo
Gratis the greatest advantages in fighting
over this point, and they should not de-
cline to go into the battle. If our party
is too weak to maintain its rights, it is
not improbable that our victories in the
late elections will be snatched from us
and the chains of Radicalism forged
tightly around US for years to come. In
deed, the Washington Post warns the
party of the danger of letting this oppor-
tunity slip, and makes the following
startling announcement to sustain its po-
sition:
The Radical programme, fully resolved
upon and completely calculated, is this:
To carry all four of the California dis.
tricts by the aid of the corruption fund
and the election law; to buy or bribe
with chairmanships or executive patron.
age all the Independents, Nationals and
Greenbackers elected to the next House;
and, finally, indict, convict and inlDrison,
under the election law, seucn Democratic
members elect. The men selected for this
treatment are King, of Louisiana, and
Hull, of Florida, who are already under
Indictment; Elan, of Louisiana; Shelly,
of Alabama; Conner, of South Carolina;
Chalmers, of Mississippi, and one other,
to be chosen out of three or four names
now under consideration by the chief
prefect of National police, under our
present imperial form of government,
Devens!
There should be no further dallying
with Radicalism. 1t has already stolen
the Presidency, and if it is allowed to so
on unrebuked it will repeat the larceny.
The proposed section should be added to
the Appropriation Bill, and if the Radi-
Gals chose to necessitate IN extra session,
they should be allowed to have it, and
held responsible for it before the coun-
try. Then the Democratic party would,
in the extra session, have both the House
and the Senate, and could pass the bills
as desired to meet the demands of society
and of justice. A firm and decided fight
by the Democrats from this until the
next election will carry the country. A
cringing fear of the Radicals and sub
mission to their plans will continue them
in the control of the government.