Year: 1868




Rule and Ruin


f'Rule or ruin" is phrase that has been
commonly used and applied to those who
were determined to hold on to political pow
er, and falling in that, then to ruin what
they could not control. But our Rump
Congress has gone step beyond this in
its spirit of progress. 1t has learned how
to rule and ruin at the same time. That
body is bent upon maintaining political
power, and its purpose is to rule the people
whose servant it rightfully is, and destroy
the government which it has sworn and is
in duty bound, to preserve and protect with
all the means at its command. This Con-
gress stops at nothing in its onward, mad
career of crime and destruction. Every"
thing must succumb and be made subservi>
ent to its despotic will. 1t heeds not the
voice of the people expressed againsts its agT
oressive and unconstitutional course, in un>
mistakable terms through the ballot box.
If there seemed to be a check or lull in its
headlong march of infamy for period after
the fall elections, it was merely the calm
that foreshadowed an impending storm. The
calm, such as it was, has ceased, and the
Congressional storm has burst with such vi
olence and fury that it threatens to dash
to pieces and d1lusc in common ruin the
Constitution, the Union ard the liberties of
the people.


These are not words idly spoken. Look
= at It, it is plain-so plain that he who runs
may read The Constitution is not the
guide of either the radical Congress or its
leaders Some members of that body frankly
avow that they are acting outside and indie
pendent of that instrument, while the bal,
auce directly, by their votes, subscribe to
the doctrine What next? All power, or
nearly all, is taken from the Executive and
lodged in the Legislative Department of the
Government What next? The Supreme
Court--the Judicial branch of the Govern
ment-is to be rendered powerless and uses
less for all the purposes of government, by
an act of Congress, requiring a unanimous
decision of the judges in passing upon the
constitutionality of general laws. This
would virtually destroy the Supreme Court.
The bill had not passed the Senat9 at latest
adyices, but that it will poss that body and
become law, or assume the functions of
law, is almost fjregone conclusion. The
lower House has passed it, and this is sufi.
cient to show the revolutionary spirit of
the Representatives of the radical disunion
party.
gaze of American citizens! All power CEN
tered in the hands of few fanatics-usurp-
ers calling themselves Congress-who pass
laws for the destruction of the government,
aid the degradation of American froemen
With false and lying professions of love for
the Union, for freedom and Justice, they
plot dissolution, destroy liberty and enact
injustice in all its forms AID what will
this Rump faction of traitors do next?
There is no better way to judge of its future
course than by its actions in the past Step
by step it has gone from one usurpation to
another, making innovations upon the es.
tablished institutions and rights of the peo-
pie until there seems to be no halting place
to its wicked designs short of utterly wipiug
the republic out of existence and engulph
ing all worshippers at the shrine of liberty
and union in one common doom Of despo-
tlsm. The next step may bc-an6 it is be-
ing urged by members of Congress-to force
negro suffrage upon the Northern States,
at it has already forced it upon the South.
ern States and some of the Territories. Per,
haps it will abolish State lines altogether.
on some pretext or other, in order that it
may play the devil generally best game
to better advantage. Prior to the next
Presidential election, it will be a radical ne~
cessity to get up rumors of revolt in the
loyal States, so that Congress can have an
excuse to meet in extra session, suspend the
writ of habeas corPns, suppress 'disoyal pa
pers, post military forces in democratic
States, and States Of doubtful loyalty stuff
ballot boxes, and finally elect the Rump's
choice for President This, or some such
plan will be attempted, unless the people
shall stand shoulder to shoulder, firm in the
purpose to preserve their liberties, at what
ever cost and at whatever sacrifice.


1t was urged by the statesmen, tie great
and good men who framed our once glorious
republic, that the absorbing of all powers
of the government in one departm cnt, would
be the essence Of tyranny, the destruction of
liberty, aud eOunseled the people to beware
of the encroachments of unauthorized power,