Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-05-29
MR.. SEWARD, THEN AND now.

The speech of Mr. SEWARD, delivered
recently at Auburn, is the most effective
attack on the Radical Congress that has
vet been made. His facts are irresls-
tible, and his logic overwhelming de
shows, if logic has any power and fact
any force, that the present Congress is
not only factious, but revolutionary. he
shows that it may as well refuse to admit
the representatives from the North as the
South, on the ground Of disloyalty. The
Presidents policy is the only path to
restoration of the government, and the
report of the Reconstruction Committee
is essentially measure Of disunlon IL
makes restoration conditional on the
ratification of the amendment by each
one of the Southern States. If Tennes-
see ratifes it and Mississippi does not,
Tennessee shall be excluded If all the
Southern States, except Florida shall
ratify it, they shall not come in until
that State follows the example The
Southern States are grouped together as
the South, and punished together as the
South Individuality of States is not
recognized The North, as tie
North. is the Government The
South, as the South, is ths de-
pendent The irrepressible conflict,
which Mr.. SEWARD himself invoked, will
not down at his bidding" 1t has
passed beyond freedom and slavery 1t
has involved the question Of races, and
RACES to-day with bitterness ten fold
greater than when Mr. SEWARD first
launched it upon the lswless current OF
events
The agitation invoked by his, eele-
brated Syracuse speech, has passed be-
yond mortal control 1t is in vain now
tina, he hurls himself against it. The
ripple he made upon the surface of agi-
tation. when he cast into it the pebble of
abolition. has dashed itself into the pro
portions and gathered the strength OF u
mountain billow, and rolls from shore 10
shore. sweeping before il the destinies of
government and the happiness OF the
human family. II is probable THAI he
never comprehended the issues he in
yoked-never took the trouble to look
beyond the abolition Of slavery. DE
knew little of the party he led il he
supposed that it would be content with
the banquet to which he invited
il He knew little of human nature if
he supposed that the passions of peo-
pie, when they take the form of fanati-
cism. will halt at the conclusions oflogic.
We accord to him ell proper credit for
his efforts to rebuild the temple destroyed
by the train his own hands laid. But we
cannot wonder if the elements he raised
refuse to obey his voice when he cries,
peace, be still.
The temper now displayed by the Rad
ical party eonvinees Unreasonable minds
that if the rebellion had not come in 1861,
II would have come at last Is it not
reasonably certain that the temper that
controls the Congress now, would have
controlled it whenever the abolition party
acquired the power? Would it not have
abolished Southern slavery by an amend
ment Of the Constitution whenever it
acquired force? And would not the
Southern States then have appealed TO
arms? We suppose that no sane man
doubts upon this subject Nothing but
war could have settled the sla-
very quarrel War resided in the
issue, and would have come at
last. Acquieseence by the South in the
election of LINCOLN, would only have
deferred the arbitrament Of arms. Abo-
ltion meant war, and war it produced
The virus of STEVENS and his followers
is not the product of be rebellion. 1t
was CredleQ WIFI OAHhiScN NShSNAScN
the Constitution as league with hell,
and covenant with death. The spirit
that holds the South to-day as conquered
provinces, and not as States, was born
before, not in the war There was never
anything more true than LIScoLSs dec
laration that the Union could not exist
half free and half slave The Union OF
Northern freedom and Southern negro
slavery, was. according to this prophecy,
violently rent asunder Audit needs no
LINCOLN to repeat the prophecy now,
that the Union cannot exist half con
ouered and half free But we are glad
TO see Mr.. SEWARD, and many who have
for years acted with him, now turning
their thoughts on peace. If be aud they
cannot control the elements, they MAY
at least save something from the wrecl
of republican liberty.
WEATHER AND CROPS.
-. Al. sIrr ~ CLAIR and emil