Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-06
A CONQUERED COUNTRY.

assumption that the South IS eonquere
country, and that its people are inferior
and subject, absolutely, to the will o
the conquerer The States and people
Lately in rebellion" are forbidden t.
possess any rights which loyal man II
bound to respect Legislatures OF ioya
States make this assumption. Congress
makes it. Every Radical politician
whether in the Senate, on the stump, II
those places of Sabbath amusement the
churches, at the editorial table, makes 1t
The editor ofthe Tribune not more than
the bloodhound Of Zion" makes IT.
The correspondents Of the Radical press
as they swarm through the South, make
it The Radical merchant, not only lu
the North, but in the South, as he offers
to trade with the prescribed class, the
rebels, makes it. The Treasury
cotton agents, as they rob the rebels and
the Government, and grow rich, make it.
The eaves-droppers, the nose-pokers and
the CARKER. smilers, as they worm Their
J way to Southern hearth-stones, make 1t,
It is the general rule. 1t is triumphant
everywhere. 1t floats on the surface,
3 lies at the bottom, and like the air we
breathe, penstrates everything. 1t is
like ByRoN's darkness--it is "the uni
verse u,
There is no imaginable thing the con-
querer may not do to the conquered.
The leader of the Congress, the great
embodiment and representative Of NORTH
ern Radicalism, takes occasion, in his
place, in the presence of thirty millions
of people at home, and the whole read
ing world, to consign the Southern people
to the penitentiary Of hell '-t'that
penitentiary," he says, which
is guarded with bayonets down
below = He goes still further,
and declares that if they undertake to
come back, we will shoot them. Senti-
ments in unison with this, are ptomul.
gated through every conceivable agency.
Hatred of the Southern people is freely
announced as a rule of action Every
one who desires to do so, and is base
enough, can lash defenseless rebel to
his hearts content with perfect safety,
Loyal people can pelt the rebels with
the same immunity that boys pelt cattle
The Indian who has his victim bound to
tree. cannot torture him with more
freedom or with less risk than the Radi-
cal orators, preachers editors and
mountebanks can the Southern people
There is not left to them any imaginable
right that may not be taken from them
The military can drag the judges from
the bench and the ministers from the
pulpits Legislatures may be arrested
and Governors imprisoned Any act
that has not been performed, may be.
And after all-after everything, if the
South manilests the slightest dissatisfac-
ton, the circumstance is made pretext
for the declaration that the Southern
people are still rebellieus, and must not
be trusted If they groan in the mortal
agony through which they are passing,
it is evidence Of disloyalty, and is made
an excuse for the delay Of reconstruction.
If Southern paper expresses its senti-
ments frankly in regard to passing
events, il is denounced as rebellious
sheet As a conquered people, it is as
serted, both in word and deed that we
have no rights Resentments follow the
deprivation of rights As the Southern
people have no rights, it follows that
they are not entitled TO resentments
Manifestations Of them are treason. If a
loyal man trades with a rebel, it is for
given on the plea that loyal man wants
rebel money. If rebel prefers to trade
with his brother rebel, loyalty bursts with
indignation Rebel money is not for re-
bells 1t is for loyal people. If loyal
man DISTINGUISHES rebel, the latter
should trade with the former and enrich
him. Disfranehised fathers should send
their children to be taught by the dis
franehiser To sum all up-ihe oppressed
should love, honor and obey the OPP
pressOr.
This, we submit to all candid men, is
Radical logic The intention Of il is
palpable. Il is to exasperate the South
ern people, provoke them to improprie-
ties. and make them pretext to delay
restoration. The life of the Radical
party hangs upon the divided status Of
the States of the Union The moment
the country is united, they are ruined az
a party. The South intends to submit
Ii will not groan if it can helpit It viii
endure. with few murmurs, all the indig-
mites heaped upon IL 1t will not per
petuate the Radical party by an attempt
to resist its numerous wrongs There Is
a better day coming, and it awaits its
advent The revolution, peaceful and
noiseless. that shall redress the injuries
inflicted upon the Southern people IS
already gathering force, and will eulmi-
>. u -. .-....-t,r,, A -ivil lherfv