Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-12-29

entered the arena Of the conflict almost
a paradise of loveliness and plenty, was
no more. There stood in It's place
charred and desolate land-a land riVeii
by the bolts of war, drenched IN blood,
and filed with dead mems bones. Myf-
lads of its pOblest sons had gone down 10
the red burial Of the brave on the battle-
fields of the strife, or perisned py t'ie
varied casualties OF war w leoWhoou
and orphanage filled its hanllatiohs- IN
every household there was gloom, IN
very heart a grief. a fatal blight had
faIIe1 unou all its material interests and
Pursuits. Its fields were desOlate, its
villages waste, its pr0udest cities in chains.
An hut the fragments of its wealth, the
virtues OF its women, and the heroic
resolve of its men 10 lear and TO conquer
an adverse fate, had persisted. To this
sorrowing and stricken land there came
from a henignant Government voices OF
announcement and words of cheer. It's
people were invited TO a political resiis-
citation under a new order of things, and
To seats in the family circle of the nation.
Accepting the summons, they have
beaten their sword into ploughshares and
the spears into pruning hooks. To
every requisitiOn of the Government they
have Welded a full and unreserved obe-
The war as final and conclusive upon
them both in honor and in fact they
have ratified the steTnest issues of the
struggle by pulling down their social and
industrial fabric, and laying its corner
stone on the foundation of a new and, To
Them, an untried pOlity. They have
modified their organic laws and helped
to modify the organic law of the nation,
adapting them TO thenew order of things.
They know no other purpose, they cher
ish no other resolve than to be true to
their plighted word with the nation, and
henceforth loyal 10 its flag and obedient
TO its laws. That their former rela-
tiOns with the Union of their fathers
might he restored they have, in eompli-
ance with express invitation from the
national authorities, reoTganized their
State governments and chosen represent
atiyes are now in this city. More of
them were present in the Capitol halls
on the day the Congress opened its ses-
sion They stood and knocked at the.
door of the family mansion of the Re
public, demanding, as their family birth
right, admission to its fireSide and par
ticipation in the hospitalities Of Its board.
The door has been shut in their faces.
With a grief too deep for tears
many of them have already gone,
and soon all Of them will 90
back to their wrOnged and trampled
people to tell them the tale of the
scornful rejection of the proffered hand Of
family reunion. Upon the heart of that
people, brave aud noble rs they are, will
descend a sorrow too deep for utterance-
sorrow for their desolate homes, sorrow
for their wasted land, given over again,
and for how long they are unable 10
know, 10 the ravages Of peace that is /
war IN all but the name. But
their grief viii be accompanied by
no unmanly repinings, From it there |
will spring no revolt in their out
ward allegiance, no appeal to the sword
as the avenger of their wrong. Their Z
purpose in that regard is " nominated IN I
the bOnd' of their honor, and that bond 4
they win keep inviOlate forever. But |
from the agents whe merely hold the
keys and occupy by permission the family /
mansion of the nation, they viii appeal /
to the principals Of these agents, to the /
real owners Of the mansion-the people, /
the whole people of the United States of 4
America. The decision which they will 4
render in the case may be collected even .
now from their antecedents ana chars 4
acter. 1t comes in the prophetic utter. .
ances of the popular wish, which reach .
LillS CltN IIOul lslL anu Near lllIDQEu lliG
land. II is syllabled i'm voices from the
pulpit and the hgstings. 1t is heralded
by that portion of the press that is con-
servative in character and national IN
spirit Its solemn tones echo even now
along the capitol halls of the nation,
laundering in the ears Of the representa-
tiYes of the people, if they would but hear
them, tlie mandatory words that the
children OF the national household, er-
ring even though they may have been,
but now reconciled and forgiven, must
not be shut out from the fireside and the
hOspitalities Of the common family man
sion.
II, in obedience 10 this yet unpro-
nOunced, but sure-eOming decision Of the
American people, or upon the Justice and
the right of the case itself, the doors of
that mansion shall yet be oJened 10 the
representatives and the people of the
South, it requires no vision Of the prophet
to foresee that a new era of progress and
good feeling will soon begin to run its
golden cycles in these occidental climes.
From the summit of the national
Ararat, on which the ark OF the Consti-
tuition, freighted with the precious in
terests Of the country, rested ON the
subsidence of the bloody deluge of war,
a recOnciled and mighty people VIII come
down and fill all the borders of the land
with the hum of industry and the activ-
tiles of busy and prosperous national
life. Arts and sciences will flourish un-
der the patronage Of extended apprecia-
ton and abundant rewards. a thriving
commerce will Whiten every sea with its
canvass and visit every port with its ex-
changeable values. Revived mauufac-
turers and resuscitated agriculture viii
pour "A ceaceless tide Of wealth into the
lap OF the nation. The men Of the North
and the men of the South, standing be-
meath the folds of the same starry flag,
will Yindicate its honor and MAIN
tain its supremacy on every land and
every sea of the habitable globe. A na-
ton, mightier and more prosperous than
any the sun looks down on in its circuit
through the heavens viii fiji the earth
with the renown of its arts and its arms, 1
and prove 10y the stability of order, the
supremacy Of law and the permaneuce
of free Institutions, that man is indeed
competent 10 the great work of govern
ing himself,
Who, Messrs. Editors. would not anx-
iously cOvet the opportunity of aiding in
the accomplishment of results so grand
and so auspiciOus as these That Oppor-
tunity is presented 10 the members Of The
present Congress. Should they embrace
it, and thus aid in harmOnizing the dis
cords and restoring the unity of a great
people, they will have accomplished
enough OF fame for themselvesand of good
for their country. In DAYS tOcOme, when
the great Republic of the West, blessed
and, it may he, preserved 10y their min
istry of reconciliation, shall have be-
come, even more than It is now, the
wonder of the world, they viii be able
to point to il with pride, and claim that
they had themselves contributed much
70 its preservation and no little to the
sum Of its glory and renown. That viii
be reward above all Greek, above all
Roman fame.