Year: 1878

sent him reeling to the ground. Then
this leader Of the Democrats and another
of his friends seized and choked him, and
at once followed an excitement which
battles description. The Democrats, who
came all well armed with pistols, com
menced brandishing them in threatening
attitudes.


"a single movement on the part of the
handful of Republicans to rescue theil
leader would have precipitated them into
a bloody coniIct-such a conflict as would
have reminded the country that the
spirit which two years ago perpetrated
the Hamburg and Ellentown massacres is
still active in South Carolina to- day. Col
Earle now executed his threat. He and
others, having seized Judge Lee, forcibly
threw him into his buggy and hurried
him off amid over a hundred horsemen
utterly disregarding his remonstrance
and his intention to go to Camden on
business Along the road he and Mr.
Walker were treated with every species
of indignity. They were at times threat
ened to be whipped or shot if they spoke
At other times they were forced to an
swer every question that was put to them
They were repeatedly told; if they ever
go out in The country again to speak to
the colored people they should be killed.


at was the announced purpose of the
Democrats to carry Mr.. Lee to the court
house steps On his refusal to 60 so far,
he was seized by several OF them-Mr.
| Dargan among others-who dragged him
some distance through the streets, till
the police came to his rescue, who alleg-
ed that it was necessary that he should
go there in order to satisfy the anger OF
the mob He was carried to the court
house steps, where Messrs. Dargan and
Earle publicly announced that Lee had
been brought back alive this time; but il
he ever dared to call or attend another
Republican meeting in this county he
would be killed"


Judge Lee-the former speaker of the
House, we believe-sought for justice;
but could get none The case was heard
on agreement of the Justices court with
his enemies, on ten minutes notice only
to himself, given to jury of their
| friends, and they were, of course, dis
charged. No judge would have dared to
have done otherwise had he wished.


And this act, and others like it, which
are occurring all the time, and would oc-
cur universally did these Union men de
mand the ballot, no political convention
takes note of; or only that OF Iowa speaks
out loud and clear. Long may it speak,
and loud and louder, until it wakes it's
own political dead


The South to day would be Union and
Republican, ten out of its eleven States,
if the ballot were protected. These are
some extracts from his late speech in
! Iowa:


! The Government of the United States
the National Government. possesses am
! pie power to provide for the protection
of its citizens in the enjoyment of all
rights guaranteed by the Constitution,
| to protect its citizens in Mississippi or
Alabama, as well as in China. Congress
is expressly authorized to provide by ap-
propriate legislation for the enforcement
of the three great amendments to the
Constitution, and is by necessary impli.
cation empowered to provide for carry
ing into execution all the provisions of
that instrument


"lf, however, any state fails or refuses
to afford such protection, is the National
Government powerless and the citizen
defenseless? l say: No! Whatever is a
crime against the United States or vio-
lation of the National Constitution,
may be provided against by National
law"


He also adds, pertinent to this ques-
ton:


"The right of Congress to provide for a
fair election of Federal officers and for
the due enforcement Of those provisions
of the Constitution which guarantee the
right of suffrage and civil rights to the
freed people is beyond dispute"


His only error is in supposing that the
Southern people will allow of this right.
Only Congress and the Government of
the United States can enforce it


Hon. Emory Storrs, in the Illinois Con
vention, makes like just declaration.
Charles Sumner left as his last and great
est word the sentence describing this
constitutional power-"the sleeping gi
ant of the Constitution" Alas! not only
that giant sleeps but the giant that has
for twenty years handled all other forces
for constitutional and human liberty is
in like and more fatal slumber For
that mailed giant some party will yet
evoke May it be that which has exer.
cised so many powers unto righteousness.
What follows? Surcease of interest in
and identity with all other reforms. This
party at its birth had the courage to call
Polygamy and Slavery twin abomina.
tions Polygamy fourishes as never be-
fore. John Taylor is compelling his peo-
pie into it far more than did Brigham
Young, of late years. Emigrants are
thronging thither from the Old World
A hundred and fifty thousand of these
miscreants occupy one of the most cen
trail and fairest portions of our land. No
Christian settler can put his family there,
and Congress and the Republican party
are silent and helpless before the great
and growing wrong Ex-Vice-President
Colfax (would he were Presdent) cries
aloud at State fair, and papers rebuke
him for the righteousness of his theme.


Prohibition was an earnest cry of many
a Republican convention. Now it is un-
heard. A believer in the Talbot that
once was tried to get resolution into
the Worcester Convention endorsing his
former views on Prohibition as party
issue. A vote was taken, decided, and
doubted On a count being ordered, a
Mr.. Rice, probably the member of Con
gress from Worcester, moved to lay the
resolution on the table The President
rightly decided the motion out of order,
as they were in the midst of taking the
vote He appealed from the decision,
and was sustained. 1t was laid on the
table That is the end OF Prohibitionism
in the Massachusetts Republican organi-
zation - violently, illegally throttled.
What matters it that the nominee for
Governor and the President of the Con-
vention are earnest and honest Prohibi
tiOnistS? They can no more impress that
party with their views than James G.
Birney and the Grimkes, shareholders
though they were, could impress their
ideas as to abohtionism on their fellow
shareholders of the South. The rum
holders and Republicans are one


Henry Wilson wisely said of the party,
years ago: Its neglect to take reforms
under its patronage and guidance was
alternating from its ranks men whom it
could i'll afford to spare" That neglect
has grown, until at last it insolently
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