Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-08-10
PUBLIC LEDGER.
LARGEST CITY CIRCULATION.
NJ H M II III i y:
Friday Evening. August 10, 1866
THE REBELS OF THE SOUTH.

It picooco ci"'NASi
whenever they allude to the South, or
any act performed by a Southern man,
employ the term rebel" Every public
meeting in the South, every court, every
movement, is described as rebel. "
Except the loyal Yankee element and
the negroes, every one else is rebel. If a
Southern man prays or breaches, it is a
rebel prayer or sermon, If the women
dance, or sing, or laugh, or eat, or drink,
it is rebel proceeding Whatever is, in
the South, with the exceptions named, is
"rebel." 1t may not occur to most per-
sons that this practice is prescribed for
substantial purposes. The Radical party
do not intend, if they can help
themselves, to recognize the war
as quite closed. They announce
through orators and papers that it did
not continue long enough for their pur-
poses Enough rebels were not killed
off to suit the Radical thirst for blood.
The South was not reduced to a point
in population so low as to render
Radical and negro ascendency an at
tainable thing in the States " lately in
rebellion" Had the war continued two
years more, they think that the destruc-
ton of life and property would have left
the country an easy prey to the WELLs's
and BRowNLows, and meh of that stamp
in every Southern State. But as they
must take things as they are, and make
the most of them, they now demand the
civil death of population which could
not be exterminated by the bayonet.
They do not appear to reflect that their
course is an assault upon the Union SOL
der. By representing the South as still
in rebellion, they say in effect to the
armies of GRANT or SHERMAN You did
not do your duty. You did not conquer
the rebels nor put down the rebellion,
and therefore you are not entitled to the
ovations and honors you have received.
The war is failure, and the Union SOL
diers have died in vain. The surrender
Of LEE and JOHNSTON was a sham, be-
cause their armies though scattered, yet
walk, and think, and breathe, in the world.
They do not love the North nor the Gov
eminent. They do mot worship THAD.
STEVENS nor his Congress. If their
logic means anything else, we confess
we cannot see it. If the South is still in
rebellion, is she not entitled TO belliger-
ent rights2 Is she not entitled to the
right of resistance, to the right of raising
armies and navies? If the Southern.
people are still rebels-if their good
faith is to he discarded, can they be sup
posed to rely upon the good faith of the
North No, the.dihiculty rests with those
who have renowned their solemn obi
gations-with those who bounded on the
war with false purpose in their hearts,
and a deceptive phrase upon their lips.
They shouted for the Union-they meant
tina, there should be no Union. They
recognize dissolution of it, and the
sections as still at war And this is the
Issue the people of the North will have
to settle in the next elections Kentucky
has spoken. Her voice proclaims re-
stored Union. She says the people of
the South are not rebels, hut loyal citi-
gems of a common government, and shall
possess the rights Of citizens. 1t re-
mains for the other States to record their
verdict. If they go with the Radicals,
then-we shall see what we shall see.