, 1866-08-28
TIE mBmPM1s RATIFICATION.


Monday We published report OF the pro-
cecdings OF johnson meeting at that place
to ratify the action Of the Phlladelphia Con-
vention. General Forrest, the hero Of the Fort
Pillow massacre, very appropriately pre-
sided. Charley Cameron formerly of Chicago,
was as appropriately one Of the chieforntoTs.
Recorder Creighton, who was denounced by
General Stoneman as one Of the active Insti-
gators and actors IN the Memphis murders,
wus Vice President, and General Stoneman
in person was on the platform. by hfs pres
ence and his speech encouraging
and endorsing tho rebel participants.
At this meeting General Forrest declared
that the four years Of war had been a failure;
that fighting Ind settled no principles, and
that he was opposed to any more OF It that
htnceforth he was for lighting ut the ballot
box lie considered that the "lnst cause"
had been taken up by tic Philadelphia Con-
ycntion. md now the Southern people, who
lad failed In the appeal to arms, would have
tie aid and support Of theIr allies at the
North, headed by Andrew johnson. General
stonez1.an sat through the delivery OF this
nnd similar speeches, md when called upon
to speak, instead Of dcnouncing the eontu-
mactous aud rebellIous spirit so openly
displayed, he silently approved Of
all that had been said By declaring
thnt the men WHIP had been en-
gagged on both sides during the war had
become rcconcilcd and wcra now fast friends,
aud they would hereafter rule the
country It'll heen but. d few months since
General Stoncu,.n Ind severe controversy
with the Memphis authorities Us to the ca.
raclty Of the Inter 10 preserve tho peace of
the city day without the presence Of Uni.
iian horde Of civil officers insisted that tho
military was an unnecessary rcrroach to
iruc and liglenlintled people, who needed no
s,lc1 reminder OF tlrlr duty us cltlzcns.
General lstonc1nnn Insisted that Memphis was
in lhct under the domination Of Il mob, and
that the withdrawal Of tho military for q
week would ste that uob i'll full possession
OF the city. GENERAL Stoncu,an, ac-
corling to The report Of the
committee that investigated the Mem-
phts riots which took place soon ailcr,
avaise,! ll".self of that opportunity Of prw.
Ing by incontestHblc and bloudy evidence tl.o
tr,,tl, Of his estimate uf The character uf the
l.ruplc and government of Mcmrhir. Ac.
cording 10 that rcinrt he could l,avc stp.
pressed that riot md prevented that mob,
and aycrtca tic horrible massacre aud house-
burning that followed, by integpeslag the
military force. All that lie Ind 10 do was to
show himself, Achilles like, and the Mcmpt1-
ians, like the Trojans Of old, would llnyc
scattered In disnlay. But lie would not do
this. lie preferred to let the fact be demon.
stratcl that tile city Of Memphis was ruled
by Il mob, md that The nominal city govern
.nent, ,if not itsclfa part Of the mob, was pow
crless 10 control 1t. lie, therefore, let the
blood and carriage 20 on he let the drunken
Mayor and the blackgunsd Recoracr
hAyc full swing, and when one Of these had
become too far gone in liquor tv know what
wns occurring, and the sapac'ty Of the Others
had been satisfied, tlcn, he marched a
file Of soldiers to the scene Of the riot, aud
the mob dispersed Instantly. Stoneman's
estimate Of the character Of the people oi
Memphis, md Of Its government, had beer
established as true beyond all question, but
! the proof Of 1t was in the nshcs Of burning
ttnc,nents, In the ghastly corses Of the mur
dercd men aud worse than murdered women
and III the terrible voc and desolation he hat
permitted to fall upon I'M already feeble, i'm
puvcrishcd and prosecuted raee.
General Stoncman's presence at this meeting
isa Confederate triumph, equa1led only by lii
capture ut Macon. They have cntrnppet
him in Confederate tolls as they did then, bu
this tine they lavc 60 handled him that III
has enlisted in the Confederate service. IL
is now the friend md companion Of Forrest
lie is now appealing to the people to do tim
for Forrest and his cause nj the ballot box
which Forrest failed to accomplish at Pillow
General Stoneman has taken place on For
rests stall, and in behalf Of tho purity Of pa
tsiotissn, inGcxiblc Integrity, aud admisabl
alaptnbility Of the people Of Memphis to GOT
crn that city, to Govern Tennessee, md t
govern the Union, he as chici Of Forests sta
proposes that the Radicals, who carried o
tho war and maintained the Union durin
four years, shall now be cxtirpatfd throag
the ballot hog, and the doors Of the UnioI
the custody OF its liberties and the prcscrv,
!, tiou Of its foundations be restored once MOI
] to the Forests and Taylors Of the South an
, TO their CoppcrlieaL allies Of the North.
, There was IN irresponsible and fugitlt
, tclcgram got over the wires ono day Ia
week, how md by whose agency is yet to I
, explained, which stated tllat it was conteE
plated by the Executive to place Gencr
Stonclnan in command at New Otlcan
This despatch Of course reached Mcmphi
and the curiuus individual who always wan
to know The cause Of every effect, may in til
little fact perhaps be able to trace how I'LL
with a loaf OF bread hastencd to hare it bu
3. tered, regardless Of lis past brilliant reco
i and tue inevitable shame that must folk