Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-16

aAlct lev " lL14 y 0lss al % nun va W g
kind enough 70 express TO me freely YOU
views as Il the present and future pole
Of the Government in the vital work o
restoring peace, prosperity, and perma
uencv q the Federal Union. \ ca spok
Trou Southern standpoint, and / We
exceedingly gratited at the lbera! an
patriotic feelings you announced IA refer
ence 10 the grsat questions now pTesente-
10 the country. Allow me % request 20
10 erubOiy your views, Hs expressed il
substance 10 ule, that they may he fulil
placed before the country. Your enlIneu
career a. an American statesman, 81,
vour position before the nation as u,
leader II the Southern Union men o
eighteen hundred and sixty, VIII entll.
Them 10 earnest consideration Throughout
the country, and largely contribute 70 AZ
enlightened view Of cur national affair
&C present
With feelings ofgrsat respect your ODE
GieR servant, ----
Hon John Bell
Letter Number l.
NASHVILLE, Dec q. 1875
Dear Ssr. Ny health was not 80 fully
restored as I asttered myself, when 1 saw
you in November, and promised 20 reply
10 vour letter, requesting me 10 state the
substance Of my conversation with you
8n TIE subject Of public affairs ana The
condition Of the relations between the
Southern States snd the North. / soon
found that ] hsd undertaken task be-
- youd my strength; stleast, L cannot con-
plv with your wish, within the time
promised. 1t was only AT interva is that
I could attempt 10 concentrate my
thoughts, 30 irritable had my nervous
system become-e0melme short, and
uften requiring tie repose OF a wnoie day
before could resume the labors OF COM
position.
You NAV remember, that the relue-
-auce OF rardiness which the people Of
The S0s-h had manifested in compi wing
with the wishes or reqUisiti0ns Of the
President, on certain pOuts, deeLled py
him NECESSARY preLlHILsCles 70 the sue
cess OF his policy ia restoring the states,
lately q revolt. - their proper C0ustlu-
u0raI relations with the Union, was q
matter Of equal surprise 70 Us both, and
q : II reason or remostrats with them
upon thai subject, II 1 could be supposed
70 have anv might CT influence with
them. that I undertake 70 comply with
your wishes. Bur IL So happened, that,
before Lad finished the carefully con-
siderett views. which I had ilrelGeC t.
address 70 them, with the hope of being
able 70 hasten theiF movements, the
states, which had n first shown some
reIuctaucs, at last aceeded % tie most
material parts o. the Presidents equis,-
ton
Buttla- f. not the only mishar that
has befal en- ne. and retarded Ely ans ,fer.
BY the time 7 became advised of the il-
dieI0Bsc scoulElIance Ofthe Southern states
with the most 70 steriai Of the REQ uisi lions
OF the Pres.seut--sueh developments
new and unexpected 70 me, were made OF
the policy sHd designs OF the opposition
10 tie Presidents : plan Of restJra tiQ1- as
gave quite q neE' phase 70 the approach
ing conflict between them, snd mdts u
necessary 10 recasr whauever Of argument
I had iucorpJra-ed in my letters iH 2raler
70 meet tbg new aspect Of the questions
presented 10 the pubilc; and now, y agree
Gole 70 you, ] propose 10 comply WIN
vour request, and my promise, iu taU or
ihrea lerters instead Of one, including
such explanation uf my own career a. /
nav think Necessary u preserve the re-
specr Of nav old friends lou may know
that for q long cims have not been al
ali ganguine OF the duration Of cur system
of Constitutional liberty. Since the de-
ruorsIizarion Of the country by the lare
uuprecedented war I au1, OF course, less
hOueful The bitter feeling the maiig-
uant and revengef1I policy unIo-de1
azsinst the south in the letters q Henry
Winter Davis, printed ia the Nation q
short time before the meeting Of Con
r--ess. CORRIDORS ted hy the spirit ami tenor
0f he speeches Of sumner and Stevens,
Of PENNSYLVANIA, previously made, eYlnce
10 me a preaed ilased purpose OF eitecting
such q radical change in the features OF
our Government as VIII amount 70 feNo-
luton. These leaders certainly are The
worst enemies ofthe Union indeed, they
are. 81 thist time. most decided lisuniOu-
isr-. Il uol revolud0uists. II President
johnson lad not resumed the re-pcnsi-
lie DUTY uf organizing governments Ia
some form in the Southern States ah2
u L but too man fest nov that the pres
ent COngIes- VII not invite Jnela 70 40
suvtbiug Of the kind could the south
.-yisf tyr-6 wears longer in such confusion
without anarchy . or cen lae majority q
rle Northern people trained and FASH
Toned o. they were dlring the var 70 lne
habit Of submitting aindly 20 the COM
lnsuds Of sbs0lIte lower, fail 10 he re-
s-JreIIed in o dangeulus degree 10 q per
Hnarent despotic GolernmoHt.
Vut the Southern St8tes have not fully
acceded 20 the Presi isntis wishes. The
state Of Mississippi, which had, st tirstl
moved Oh promptly and with gfaoelai
dignity iH accepting the condition I'M
posed up0n the people by the result %
war. halted a. the proposed an1e1dment
% the Constitution uf The UHlteG states.
st.olishing slavery, on the ground Of tle
~. or the abuse, y hich, it was feared,
Wguld be made Of tbs second olaqse Of
the amendment
il appears 70 me that the power con,
fsrred on Congress Ia Tie lr7t clause o.
lbe amendment iDc. uled al The p3Wel
granted in the second, iBasmuch 81 Con-
gre=s has the power 70 pass al laws nee
szsarv 10 carry into effect any provisions
ofthe Constitution. Should be mlsta-
ken iu this view Of theQuestion, the con
slrucii0n put upon tho second clause 10y
Secretary Seward should have Qlspel-eo
The fesrs u the pe0pls Of 4lssisslppi OF
that score, luasmuch as the c9nSittse llo-
he places upon il showed that no abuse
that clause would probably take place
al least during the present ADMINISTERS
-lgl. But i the Radical kPpuoLcaus
sugGld succeed in defeating Jns Poliag o.
President johnson, az the abuses t1a'
could arse, under that clause Of tkf
amendment, ia their hands, would i.dC
1nt0sha1oTs il comparison 70 the gvossel
expressions they would practice, IN the
qualification o. their thirst for the furihei
penishmeut Of tie South, under 0thei
grants OF without any grant Of power in
tie Constitution.
The Present Relation OF she south 90 ths
Government
L ls needful that the DeoDle OF tia
south should recognize and Understand
tne true nature Of the Government uude1
which they nov I've before they car
iudge correctly OF tbs expedlencv. ol
sound policv. ofmany Things that auDeaI
10 them, az this time, 10 be- uucsIed for
or carry with them degree Of humuis
zion they ought not 10 submit 10. The
-1av not be disposed 70 think OF talk s.
indepeudenly SITTER they shall have con
sldeTsd well the further question, N ha
doubt Is there, al this moment i
change has uSkeu piaee Nitliil q ish cay
u soEle Of tne states insi bits 49,
South a-s subject % Military rue cI, r !
0-Se- words. live under a despole Coy
eminent. aud that whatever ciNn az
rs,0rtfv is et a1v time exercised, y is Q
tho courtesy o. permission q the lii-i i'''l
satnOritl6sf
Asa justification for this state Ofthlne
il IL alleged that the war is not enoeC
For the same reason, the SUSPENSION
roe writ Of h0bsas corpus Is stiil COZ
tsIued ovsE tne south. Let ne liie'
frate farther the trqe character Of 10
Government under which we live IN ID
South. For any 0ffense c0mmitis
against TIE niied states, or IOr an.
.h!ug done which the military auth0rl
lies nay regard as an ofieDse, the eitize
rss- bs arrested, imprisoned, trie
sd punished " s ailitaTy con
n1isslon, organized uldet the direC
Ton Of the commander Of 70
military division or department IN Vhic
The supposed oalPrlt resides, without an
apDeai or redress by any civI suthOrit
ee-tsyg- fhe President, g. Commandment
cblsf of tbe srmy. The people Of q
south. ii is true. may be said to have
ekoioe OF evils; for the present t5ley ma
select one or many fer pheir rulers; the
inay take The President or the radic'
majority 10 Congress for their desPou
but u ts certain That until toe issue TIA