Year: 1868

unfortunate Individual guilty Of no crime who had
ned 10 tLat sanctuary as his last refuge and laid s
nands upon the horns OF the altar, was dragged
away and handed back again to the ''slave power''
o. Ets oppressors, to be imprisoned, scourged or
kr.ied II they should think proper. Thus they pre-
Vented the judicial exposure OF one outrage by COM
mitting another still more atrocious.


If the majority in Congress has habitualy legs-
lated in wu and corrupt disregard of their consti
tutional obligations what ought to be popular udg-
ment upon them9 What should be the verdict upon
2 candidate for the Vice Presidency who has been
should be your decision upon candidate for the
Presidency who, having mo policy'' OF his 0wn
consents to become mere instrument In their


All political philosophers and all men Of common
sense concur IN the belief that public virtue is the
only secure foundation upon which q government
like can rest. How long can public virtue sur
vive among men who do not recognize the duty Of
obedience to that fundamental law which is the only
protection we have for the rights OF life, liberty or
Congress must be sadly demoralized already. OF
they vote on money bills as they vote on consttu-
tonal questions according to their interests and not
according to their public duty But i were proved
own breeches pockets with far greater fidelity than
they defend the rights Of the taxpayers 1t would not
excite your surprise or lower them much in our es-
timation. they cannot commit any higher crime
than that Of betraying the liberties for which our
forefathers suffered and died. II they have done that
yOu may say to them what Othello said to the man
who had sandered his wife,


horrors horrors accumulate:


For nothing canst thou to damnation add


Deeper than that


But look little further and see the horrible erect
OF their example. Congress has taken control Of
the Executive branch. The Senate usurps the
power OF removal from Office and fOrbids its eXer
else by the President-they are masters Of the Ad
miIistraton and command the army Of office
holders or course, the subOrdinates are ready 10
adopt the code Of morality which their masters act
and Representatives, "You are bound to protect u.s.
we are not faithful to the public but we are true
you are to the party and Ourselves you swore to
support the constitution, and We swOre to perform
our duties with fidelity; our oath Is not stronger
than yours If you swndle the nation out OF her
liberties what shall hinder us from cheating the
Treasury? Aye, the lesson you have taught us we
will learn and it shall go hard but we will better the
instructions"


government on the face Of the earth. cannot speak
with perfect accuracy. but believe am within
reasonable bounds when tell you that thousand
millions would not cover the frauds committed since
the close Of the war. We have the heaviest debt
that the industry of any people ever struggled under
without being totally crushed, and 1t is Increasing
instead OF being diminished. We are taxed enough
to keep the government running and to pay or the
whole debt in ten years II the money were honestly
applied. But one-haf the internal revenue imposed
by the federal government and collected from the
people stolen before it reaches the Treasury and
the other half Is squandered by Congress in schemes
of the most extravagant corruption. Before the war
our current expenses were less than seventy five
millions Of dollars now they are nearly four hundred
millions besides the interest on the national debt
and without counting what s stolen in hdnsatu.
The financial difference between democratic rule
and radical misrule is certainly worth your serious
attention.


This is the necessary RESULT Of the radical system.
1t cannot be otherwise long as they remain in
power. No evil tree can bring forth good fruit. II
you cease to be governed by law and allow your
selves 10 be held down by brute force you must
pay for II. Tyranny is always expensive. The price
OF your own enslavement will be prOpOrtioned to
the cruelty Of the vassalage Congress keeps up an
army, a navy Freedmens Bureau and other ma
Chinery Of despOtism, and makes us pay hundreds
of millions for them in order to MAINTAIN in the
South a Iawless domination of negroes, scalawags
and carpet-baggers BY this means they hope not
only to control the South, but to do what they please
in the Northto rule us for their pleasure and plun
der for their profit.


The most hdeous shape that tyranny ever puts on
ia that OF corrupt oligarchy where the forms Of
free government are coupled with substantial despOt
ism, where the rights of the people are acknOw
edged in theory while they are practically trOdden
under foot; where there s written constitution
which the rulers swear to preserve without keeping
their 0aths. Rather than General Grant elected
President, with the understanding that he is to ad-
minister the government on the Congressional plan
Of disregarding all constitutional obligations, 1t
would be far better to let him or somebody else be
proclaimed absolute dictator and abolish the cOnst-
tuition at once. For myself, II must choose be-
tween the two most irghtu evils that scOurged
the human race, will without hesitation take an
unlimited monarchy in preference to rotten re-
public.