Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-22
Gen. Shields on the. situation.

Gen. Shields on the. Situation.
Gen Shields, once Senator in Con-
gress from Illinois, General in the
Mexican war, and Federal I General in
the late war, has written letter in which
he discusses the situation of our political
affairs. We deem the subjoined extract
from it we'll worth the space'it occupies
in our columns. Remember that this is
not the language Of "a rebel, but the
utterance Of one who has served
his country in the highest capaci-
ties, and whose loyalty no man
can question without rendering
himself contemplate. His picture of
what the Radicals intend to make OF the
South is not overdrawn. 1t is startling,
but true. Well may we shYdder as We
read of the intentions OF men VAC, under
the pretense of liberty and equality,
would erect over a brave, but unfortu-
nate people, despotism OF Internal
blackness. But the worst reflection at
this time is that We have among us set
Of men who endorsethe policy of party
SO dreaded by Gen. SHIELDS We quote;
The leaders of the present Congress are
giving the most convincing proof that a
single despot, however cruel, can be more
magnanimous and merciful than the In
famed fanatical representatives OF Tree
people. They are not content with trying
to humiliate, degrade, and dishonor the
whole Southern people en- mdsse, loyal
and rebel, but they are determined to
perpetuate that degradation, and fasten
it upon their innocent posterlty, by d.
yesting them of all power, and investing
their slaves of yesterday with full politi-
cal power to dominate over them. lhey
imagine, and perhaps rightly, that no
human punishment could degrade the
Southern whites like that of investing
their recent slaves with power 10 decide
upon their destiny. There is coldly cal
eulated, refined vindictiveness In this
that would do credit to the denizens OF
darker region than their Ethiopian pc
iey can ever make the South. And be-
sides the qualification OF impous revenge.
his policy promises them peculiar polit-
zeal advantages, for it is one of the char
acteristics Of this cold blooded faction,
that in even gratifying heirrevenge they
never lose sight Of their own Immediate
interest
The whole political power of the South,
when once Africanized, can be made
available BY suitable agents, under their
civil rights bill and such sther kindred
measures as they may be able to pass
over the Presidents veto The swarm OF
agents with which they intend to mum
date the South under this bill, would be
an intolerable affection under any cir
cumstances; but when it is remembered
that this brood of mean, petty, hungry
officials are to be sent there TO take
charge of the negroes and sustain them
against the whites, and to enforce negro
equality, we may form some slight idea
of the pretty little Radical pandemonium
they mean to establish in that devoted
region. To even discuss the uncOn.
stitutionaliiy of this bill would be
treating it with too much respect
No man who understands our sys
TEN of government will dare to
suggest that Congress has the power to
enter the States, select out portion OF
their citizens, change their civil status
place them under special protection, send
special agents to sustain them against
the rest Of the citizens, and remove them
when necessary from under State laws
and State tribunals, and place them UNI
der the sole guardianship and protection
of the General Government 1t would
wrong their intelligence TO suppose that
any of the men who voted for that bill
believed it constitutional. President
johnson could not act with such r6en
No man who has white conscience can
The conscience has to be blackened in
America or erinsoned in Europe, to
make Republican sufficiently red to do
the work of a thoroughly Radicalized ia
matte. jiI lilJIL1 Blbtl
If this country is to be saved from
going the way Of all the other Republics
on this continent, we will owe 1t under
God to Andrew johnson. Ii we are ever
again to have anything worthy Of being
called union, we will owe it to his 10y
atty and .intrepidity. But a union kept
together by bayonets, or what is worse,
by a swarm OF official vermin, appointed
under civil rights bills, to interfere with
the laws, tribunals and rights Of the
States, and the hereditary constitutional
liberty Of the people, is not worth an
hours preservation. No, let ushaye
real union--s union of hearts, laws,
rights and privileges, or no Union, with
New England for its head and Texas
for its tail We will have no union with
eleven States out or Africanized.
The war; il is true, has made US pa
tent people, and taught us to submit to
any kind Of government, but this must
not be mistaken for blind, ignorant or
slavish submission We will start up
wide awake some fine morning and con-
clude that a rump Congress and rump
Union at the same time are not qnite the
thing for the country; and so sure rs We
open our eyes to this fact we will do
what Col. Pride did with the rump Par
iament-send the rump Congress to seek
the devil-everywhere else except IN
Washington, aud bring back a whole
Union, in all its beauty and majesty, the
greatest aud noblest political structure
in the world.
Thu Assassiuation Witnesses