Year: 1868




The members OF Congress cannot escape their re.
sponsibty to the people and their allegiance to the
constitution by any such subterfuge. The people
win ask them why they denied all representation
the Southern people In Congress- when, in their un.
their own members, they had the power to exclude
ell members elect who had taken part In the rebel
lion or were disoyal to the government. They will
ask why they suspended the wait OF habeas corpus
In ten peaceful States subecting the people thereof
to q military despOtsm when the constitution ex.
pressly forbids the suspension OF that writ except
Din cases Of rebellion or invasion," and then only
when "the public safety may require it.n They VIII
ask why, when there was no resistance to the civil
courts the citizens OF ten States have been subjected
to military tribunals In violation OF positive law
and the most sacred principles OF free government
They will ask why so many little States have been
carved out OF the Western wilderness; why the
President has been impeached and the Supreme
Court threatened and palalyzed; why Congress has
why in the exercise Of this usurped power every
male negro In the South twenty-one years OF
age has been made voter and muittudes OF white
men dslranchised why, by &c post JtctO laws they
imposed new disabilities upon men who had been
pardoned by the President; why they have removed
them from many OF the most notorious rebels and
enforced them upon the less guilty and, finally
why they now propose to deprive even the negroes
well the whites in the South OF the right to vote
for Presidential eectors9 TO all these questions
many mOre the radical leaders can In truth give
but one answer, and that ls:-"We intend TO keep
possession OF the government We feared the peo-
pie Of the Southern States would vote against lls If
they were suffered to remain In the UniOn and FOR
tnat reason alone we practically thrust them out
We knew they would still vote against us II allowed
to come in the basis OF the constitution, and for
that had TO legsate outside OF the consti-
tuition assume the power to regulate suffrage, en-
franchise the negroes, disfraDchise the whites and
impose upon them constitutions virtually OF our own
making Fearing there might be some resistance to
plan for securing to our party the votes Of the
South by disiranchsing the whites and subiecting
them to the government OF their late slaves
we thought 1t necessary to suspend the writ OF
habeas corpus and put them all under martial law
The President was In our way, and we stripped him
Of his legitimate powers far as we could by legs
latIOn, and not satisfied with that, we would have
removed him from Office but for treason in our own
ranks. IL was rurnored that the Supreme Court
would set aside ali legislation outside OF the
sttution and prevent that restricted its jurls
diction aud denounced Its members. Sad TO relate,
our new nedged voters Of the south most ungrace-
fully showed signs unnistakable OF o disposition to
60 to the enemy 30, 10 make sure OF the votes
OF the reconstructed States for our candidates next
fall we have advised their Legislatures, composed
chiefly OF our minions, TO take the appointment OF
electors into their hands; and as Virginia, II re-
constructed would immediately follow the example
OF the adjoining States-Maryland and Kentucky
and go for the democratic ticket by an overwhelming
majority determined TO prevent that ca las
and have decreed by act OF Congress- though outside
OF the constitution It may be, that she, as well as
Mississippi and Texas shall have no vote at all. We
remove the disabilities OF every 'red-handed rebep
who will vote our ticket. and enforce them upon
every man who seems inclined to vote AGAINST us
In short the political power OF the nation we are
e,ermlned to retain by any and ali necessary means,
whether inside or outside oil the constitutional





ers. And II you ask them how they expect to induce
the people OF the North TO sustain them in these open
outrages upon the constitution and every principle
OF republican Liberty they virtually answer, ave
have popOular Union soldier our candidate for
the Presidency, and We expect the people to lose
sight OF the principles involved Ill their admiration
OF the man. In addition to this, we have powerful
arguments In ringing the Changes, through our
gans ana orators, lpon the words rebel, copperhead
traitor 10 the party &c &C" What
but these the employed to the ascen-
ancy OF the radical party in the fall eiectonsS And
now, having subjected the white OF the South by
military coercion TO the domination OF their recently
slaves, less fitted to exercise the right
ii suffrage than the women and half grown children
u the NOrth, and led on by advenurers who seek to
ise them instruments to secure Oiiices and Riches
he radical leaders MI the country with the cry, Let
IL have peace.n Yes, with their feet upon the necks
md their bayonets ut the breasts OF the white people
IF the South, they cry, "Let us have peace" Let
nave tame submission to oil the measures OF our
party to secure Their own a5cendancy, however un-
unjust and oppressive. And f any OF
yheir victims evince disposition to resist their
uaurpauouS ana expressions and seek relief by
peaceful means they denounce them as unrepenlant
rebels seeking renewal OF the civil war;


Has any man, worthy to be trusted In public life
read little OF history, studied human nature SO
unproitabiy as to believe that the white people OF
South are TO be pacled by being thrust out the pale
OF the constitution and subjected TO the absolute power
OF their lately emancipated savesS Has ages Of Op-
preston made ireland love Engandf Has oppres-
sion and massacre reconced the Poles 10 the doml-
nation Of Russla2 Human nature Is the same every
where. Reduced to despair by oppression the Op-
pressed will resort to desperate remedies. Nay,





death itself than live degraded and dshonored lives.
IL there be any people in the world who Will not sub


t " n0peess oppressiGn y ~ tnose VINO nave been
States Let each voter OF the North ask himself how
he would feel, and what le would DO If an usurping
Congress were to deprive min OF the rights Of iree-
man and subject HIM In life liberty and property to
the absolute control OF ignorant and penniess ne
groes. As he would answer that question: so let
him act. Let him not wonder that notes such as he
himself might utter under like circumstances
reach his ears occasionally from the South; and
let him ask himself whether he Is prepared by his
vote to reproduce on this continent the conduct OF
England towards ireland and of Russia towards PO-
land. No man Of sense and Intelligence expect
peace In the South so long S large portion or the
wnite population are excluded from all partcipa-
ton In their own government, aud exposed to be
pundered and oppressed by their late slaves, led
by adventurers from the North. They laid down


their In good faith; they gave up their slaves;
they surrendered the principle for which they had
fought; they accepted the poverty to which they
were reduced. and they sought only 10 be allow ed
the privilege OF free and loyal citizens under the Old
nag. THIS President Lincoln, and President johnson,
following in his footsteps. desired 10 concede to
them. The former fell by the hands Of rebel assas-
sin; the latter has been erOcousy hunted by another
class Of assassins The policy OF the two Presidents
was identical and yet our radicals, with singular
Inconsistency defy the dead Lincoln and crucuy the
living Johnson. Why Is this Lincoln In out Of
their way, ana they would prOnt by his virtues;
Johnson ID lion in their path, and they would de-
stroy him for his fidelity In attempting to protect the


What sort Of peace is to he expected in the South
10 long as white people are prescribed and negroes
allowed TO govern, may be safely inferred from the
condition OF those recOnstructed States--LouIsiana
and Tennessee. Their Governors and Legislatures
are calling for military and avowing their ncapacity
to maintain and enforce the laws by the civil
authorities II this be So 1t IL conclusive proof that
Congressional reconstruction as q means OF tran
quiizing tue SOUTH IL failure. The road to peace
Is In another direction. Let Congress retire within
the limitations Of the constitution. Let them abolish
their test oaths aud remove all their disabilities.
Let them restore to the President his legitimate func
tons, aud allow his pardons 10 have their consttu
tional erect Let them strengthen instead VI weaken
the Judiciary and sustain " IN It's full exercise Of It's
powers for the protection Of both the white and the
black


Wipe ont as with sponge all your eI post ydcto
legislation, and restore all the States their constl-
tutionai rIgnts. DO this aud you will have peace.
The men whom you now hold disiranchlsed and
have pushed TO The verge OF despair, will become
your sureues Tor the preservation OF peace and the
restoration OF order.


Reverse the picture, and what are the prospects or
this country Attempt 10 sustain these negro gov
eruments by force, and YOU reduce the prescribed
white men TO despair. Your army, instead OF being
reduced, must be doubled. Tue taxes, instead of
being diminished, must he increased. III Congress
npfp innr