Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-08
DECAY OF RADIcALIsM,

The dearest measure of the simon-purt
Radicals was general confscation o
Southern property, and its division be
tween the negroes and the Government
Its purpose was to reverse the order o.
Southern society, by making the negroes
the property-holding, and, therefore, the
governing class The whole machinery
of the State governments would have
passed into the hands OF the negroes.
They would have had the Governor, the
Legislature, the State courts and the
members of Congress The first places
if not occupied by black negroes would
have passed into the hands Of white ones
Whatever is done now by white people,
and whatever is not done by black peo-
Die would have been performed BY the
latter. and not performed by the former.
The measure would have presented 10
the world the singular anomaly OF gov
ernment passing from the hands oil the
great and cultivated white majority INTO
those Of the small, ignorant black mr.
nority. Stimulated by the Radicals, the
black government would either have re-
duced the white majority to slavery, or
provoked war Of races that would not
have left a breathing negro from the
Potomac to the Rio Grands y 81 II
Thanks to the frmness of ANDREW
JOHNSON, and the good sense of the
great majority of the Northern people,
aRthGtis past. The battle SCARED Union
soldier would never have consented to
an outrage so shocking TO civilization.
He fought for the restoration ct the Un-
ion as it was-not rs the mad politicians
and The infnriated blood hounds of Zion
wonId mako il. He cannot deem the
man who me, him on the immortal bat
tie fields OF the South and contested
with him the palm of manhood proper
subject to become the slave Of John
BRowSs pet lambs ~ hen the war
was over. the soldiers ofthe North and the
South shook hands and become friends.
Not >, with the politicians who never
smelt gun-powder, and knew nothing
OF battle except such impressions as we're
derived from the roll of distant artillery
Far from danger. they had leisure to plot
mischief They saw through the rents
and ravages of war the roadtp power and
fortune. They gave up at an early pc
r;od the idea of a restored Union, and
placed their veto upon every measure
likely to result in national pacification.
The original detestation in which they
held the South, goaded them on to take
advantage of the circumstance OF sec
iional hostility, to propose the pro-
rtamne which will forever disgrace them,
Upon the ruins of great people, who
fell in cause they believed to be just,
they propose to build black, colossal
despotism.
Inch by inch they advanced, under the
false plea of liberty and Union" TO the
eb6n god they had erected for the future
homage Of mankind In their shame,
inch by inch, by the reviying light of rea-
son. and the inevitable decree Of justice
they are retreating. From the main for
tress they have been driven. There are
others they defend with the tenaciiy Of
heroes, but The time is at hand wher
they must abandon all---everything
They have been driven, not only from
general confscation, but they have beer
compelled to give up compulsory ne
gro suffrage They have fallen bacl
upon Constitutional amendment
as the terms Of reconstruction
that DISTINGUISHES those who were con
cerned in the rebellion, bat with . pro
viso that Congress may, afits discretion
restore to them the franchise. Mos
weak and impotent conclusion ; Their
is 10 be no general confscation, no negr
acknowledgement Why2 Because tn
people Of the North will not allow sue
outrages. Rebuked at home, the wretche
face of Radicalism can turn IN no d
ree,ion in which it will not confront ih
scorn and detestation of mankind.