The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-03-01

The Reconstruction 4e4sufeSs
The reconstruction measures consti-
tuted bold attempt to destroy our po-
litical system, and murder the liberties
of the people. The essential guaran-
tees of freedom, extorted from the
crown after many centuries of struggle
and bloodshed ON the part of the people
in England, secured in Magma Charta,
and copied into our Constitutions,
wee here, at single blow cloven
down, and military despotism estab-
lished on their ruins. Alas! for the
recklessness of unhallowed ambition
and partisan cupidity. The partisans
who did it, knoscingly set aside the
Constitution they had sworn to sup
port, and soilltully and scanto'siy
trampled down its most sacred and es
sential provisions. This was solemn
warning to the people again the dam
gers attending even the most positive
guarantees Of their liberties in q writ
ten Constitution. when the Dantons.
>Robespierres and Marats have the Lead
in public affairs. If the impeachment
of President johnson had been success
full, and Ben Wade had been put into
his place, the myrmidons of power.
under the lead of Thad Stevens, would
have taken the control of affairs, and
this country would have had to pass
through the horrid scenes of the French
revolution. BY narrow escape the
country was saved such 'barbarous and
inexpressble calamities. :,
The attempt to run Grant for third
term was futile and remote expedient.
to accomplish the same result. When
HAYES became President through the
extraordinary device of the Electoral
Commission, she was weak enough )"
| Gas the Radicals termed it) Ito think
| that there was some vitality left in the
cid Constitution" and therefore with
drew the army from the Southern
States. And for this he was prescribed
and accommodated from his party,
and has never since had even a respect
full recognition from the Radical MAJOR
ity. That the Radical majority inteud-
ed to continue the military Government
over the Southern States as subjugated
| provinces for twenty years, as Thad
Stevens said, or until the relations of
| the Southern States as members of the
! Federal Union were utterly destroyed,
is manifest and undeniable. They
made mistake in Hayes. and public
| opinion has been. running against them.
That the radical Republican majority
intended a revolution in our political
system; that they designed to use the
results of the war TO, destroy and blot
out the States. centralize all power in
the Federal Government, is clear and
certain. For this purpose the solemn
pledge of the public faith and honor
under the Crittenden Resolution was
amelessly repudiated Tie destrnc-
ton of what Clay denominated 1.-THE
fairest fabric of human government that
ever rose to animate the hopes of civil.
lied man was not only attempted and
intended, but SO far accomplished as
actually to destroy for time ten States
as members of the Federal Union.
Had this political party at the close
of the war carried out the pledge of the
Union, ''with all the dignity, equality
and rights of the several States unim.
paired" and aimed to cultivate peace
amity and Fraternity with the people o.
the Southern States, which true states.
: manship required, it would have So
cured for itself the respect of the yorl(
and the confidence OF the country. But
alas! the Radical leaders never rose to ;
4 comprehension, of any such nagnanim
4 ity or elevation of thought Lust o
/ partisan power and public plnnder fillei
their minds. Revolution, the centrali
cation of all power in the Federal Gov
} eminent, and the -destructiQrr of tn
Southern States as States Of the Ameri
can Union they viewed as essential Il
: their partisan ascendency. For ithi
, they were willing to sacrifice not onl'
T the Constitution and the Union, but til
last great experiment of man for fire.
government. Liberty! how man,
crimes are committed in thy name!'
Truly has it been said:
"Man's inhumanity to man
} Makes countless thousands mourn.
Al A man who murders, or attempts u
. murder another man from base AM
selfish purposes. is an object Of abhor
renee to mankind in general. But
) man, or set of men. who murder or al
: tempt to murder the liberties of Who'll
people, valued far beyond the sanctit
r of human life, commits crime which
, in turpitude and atrocity, defes tn
, power of human language to define o
, express. Victor Hugo. with all his grea
t descriptive powers, has taken a Who'll
volume to portray in his " History OF
4 Crime" the magnitude and atrocity {
the crime of the usurper, Louis Napc
: leon, in robbing the people OF France 9
: their liberties and substituting mill
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