Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-12-21
nArIoNAL SUICIDE.

We derive one trust from experience,
one hope from history, one lesson from
the recognised creed of morals. These
are, that the violent, prosecuting meas
ures connected by the Congress of the
North for the punishment of the South
may rebound upon that section. We do
not at all doubt that their measures, when
carried into effect, will hurt themselves
in a greater degree than the people and
States who are to be punished. We saw
an infuriated man once cast his fine gold
watch upon the ground and stamp it to
fragments under his feet After his pas
sion had, subsidized, he looked like fool.
He had injured himself to the extent OF
two hundred dollars. We once saw
another man so angry because the wind
blew his hat off his head and carried it
some distance, that he crushed 1t
under his feet and then walked through
the town uncovered amid the derisive
laughter of crowd of men and boys.
We once knew man who became so
angry with the only horse he possessed,
that he ran for his gun and shot him
dead The poor simpleton lost his little
crop by the deed. We know party in
the North whom nothing would crafty
so much as the ruin and desolation of
the fairest and most fertile part of Gods
earth-the sunny South. They are too
mad to perceive that desoation of the
South would drag down Northern pros
perity.
There are many aspects in which this
subject may be viewed, every one of
which suggests the fatal mistake our enc
mics are about to make. The territorial
izing act will bring after it consequences
the Jacobins have scarcely dreamed OF.
We cannot refer to this subject in terms
more ineligible than those employed
by New York paper of the Republican
school. The Radical plan, it observes,
now seems to be, and with some prospect
of temporary success, to take away even
from the old thirteen States, such as
Virginia, North and South Carolina and
Georgia parties to the revolution of
l776 and the constitutional compact OF
l7s7), their State charters, constit Ations,
governments, rights of all kinds, and to
reduce them TO territories, such as Arr
IONA, Idaho or Montana, to be governed
not by governors appointed by the Presi-
dent, but by governors and satraps Gre
ated by Congress, or some agent Of Con-
gress.
There are some things to be consid-
cred, even if Rump Congress could
override the veto, and "enact all this.
l. 1t is a judicial question, to be de
terunined, not by Congress, nor by the
President, but by the Supreme Court OF
the United States. Five judges there
can stop any such Radical revolutionary
proceeding.
2. II becomes the Northern holders of
the bonds of Virginia, North Carolina,
Alabama, Louisiana, and others of the
ten territorialized States, to consider, If,
as State corporations, these ten States
are extinguished, as contemplated by the
Radicals, whether there exists any cor
poration, or any body to pay their State
bonds and State obligations.
The ten Southern States may, per-
haps, be thus freed from their debts by |
the Radicals, very large amounts OF
which are now in Northern hands, and
so, perhaps, what is intended as curse
for them, may turn out to be blessing
in disguise.
All we have to say TO the South, just
now. is stand firm, stand still under all
this Radical thunder and lightning in
Washington. 1t will kill more Northern
than Southern men in the end. Endu'
rance is now The great virtue needed in
the South.
The precedent Of this territorializing
act is. if possible, worse than the prinei-
ple. Establish it, and it is established
that a majority of States may expel
minority of States, and then reduce
them to territories TO be governed by
Congress. Thus Massachusetts, and
Pennsylvania may, some day. bring back
upon them the rod they administer to
others. Indeed, if in WAsHISGroS's
administration, the rebellion of SHAYs
in Massachusetts,, and of the whiskey
people in Pennsylvania, had been pun
ished, as it was now proposed to punish
the rebels of the South-both Massachu-
setts and Pennsylvania might now be
mere territories in lieu Of States.
NOW AND THEN.
A Southern contemporary calls atten-
.;on IN an ipnor.ant niece of history,