Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-09-25

ccnce OF the government, rewarded it's
ciemency by resisting ut every step the
work of reconstruction, the amend
memts to the Constitution and the leg
lslation necessary to give them effect
Who are these who demand to be
.nade the sole custodians of the Nat
lonal Faith! \ party which on its de
mise from power in 1861, left the cred
it OF the government dishonored /;
which, during tho war, flooded the
South with its Confederate promises,
until they became as plenty as the
drifting leaves Of autumn, and as
worthless al the wasted parchment
signed at Montgomery; which, sin e
the war, has been engaged in the
South i'll che open work of scaling
down and repudiating its State aud
municipal Obligations by the wholesale;
which has waged unceasing war upon
the obligations of the Nation which,
IN National Convention and Congress,
has resisted to the last the great meas
ure OF resumption-the crowning
achievement of the Republican party,
and the first instance in the world 8
history in which a nation has redeem
ed lis forced loans on demand, without
discount and in the money Of the
world, and under the inhaeace of
which every PROSTATE industry in the
land is throboing with new life anu
the whole country entering upon a
career Of unprecedented prosperity.
This solid South, to whom our obliga-
tlonS are tie irritating token of their
subiugution to the National authority,
now demands that it shall be invested
with the sole power OF regulating, col
Letting and disbursing the revenues OF
the country, upon which its faith
rests, through which we saved the
government, and which, perverted or
abused, would cripple and destroy its
ability to maintain resumption or even
It's own existence. Who are these,
who. to intiame the partisan ignorant,
conJure up the use Of the army as an
instrument TO overawe State authority,
and shout themselvs hoarse over the
phantom? Is it the party Of Jefferson
Davis, under whose orders as Secreta-
Try OF War in 1856 United States dra-
goons rode down and dispersed the
Free State Legislature of Kansas
" no are these who pirate of the free
dom OF elections and the sanctity of
the ballot ? 1t is the party which. by
the denial Of free discussion, by Law
Ies3ness, Vi rlence, assassination, ballot
box stutfing and the invasion Of meet
ings and polling-p!aces by bands OF
armed ruffians, has Knocked the sancti-
ty of the ballot aud has made, in the
South, the Republican form of govern
ment guaranteed by the Constitutions a
by,word and Il farce
TO these demands the Republicans
of New York make this answer We
love honorable peace and hate conten-
ton, But we put the supremacy of
the Constitution and the law, justice,
and our own equality in the govern
ment, before cowardly peace and crav-
en- submission. We acknowledge the
sovereignty of the people within the
rule of the Constitution The war of
the rebellion was fought in vain if it
failed to establish the doctrine that the
will OF the majority, fairly expressed.
shall be the supreme law Of the land.
The majority have successfully assert
ed their fidelity to the Union upon
countless battle fields, and at every
fair trial by al honest ballot, and des-
pitG the Vaccinations aud revolution
AIRY aggrcssiona Of the Democratic par
ty will again maintain their right to
govern, under the Constitution, their
own Union rescued by war from the
tolls OF treason, in their own way. As
Winter Davis said at the close of the
war. 1--WE who have laid down our
half million of men under the soil have
right to say what shall triumph
above it,.
The question is no longer the equal
ity OF the freedmen in the government,
but OF our own equality. We will no
longer be deluIel by fluent promises
and Punic professions.
We, too, make our demands, and
will exhaust all Constitutional and le-
gal methods to enforce them. We
Will have the equality in the govern
ment to which We are entitled under
the Constitution, aud will not submit
to the excessive power usurped by the
South IN the SubvcrSion of law and
citizenship. We assert the right Of
the Government to cont oil National
elections 50 that every mau entitled to
suffrage may cast, III peace and secur-
itv, one tree vote, and no more
We demand one law justly enacted
equally bin1ing upon every citizen
of the land Ito be respected and obey
ed alike by. all, and, when all other
means tail. to be enforced by the
strong arm that subdued the rebellion.
We make no secret Of our partiality
for the regulated bayonet in the hands
of men wearing the blue of the Gov
eminent. as against the shot gun in
the hands Of the red shirted n obocra-
cy of the South.
We demand that this land,
she that lifts up the manhood of tho poor.
Sac % open soul ami open door,
With room about her hearth Tor all mankind"
shall be made the land of supreme
Constitutional liberty. as interchangeable
as the stars symbolized upon her ban
ner
We demand that the fifth of this