Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-03-09
MEMPHIS APPEAL
M Z M p HIS.
GOV. HRowNLow,s PROCLAMATION

Gov. BROwNLOWrs PROCLAMATION.
We give this extraordinary document
a place in to-day's AFPEAL, from which
il viii be seen that an election is to be
held in this county for members Of the
Legislature on the 8lst inst, to fill In,
vacancies occasioned by the resignation
Of Messrs. WALKER and PosToN.
Ii viii be seen that the Governor vitu.
perates these and the other gentlemer
who felt it their duty to also resign Their
seats in order TO leave the House of Rep
rescntatives without a quorum, as "dis-
organizers and their conduct as "revo-
l~utionary." His Excellency has mis-
taken the character OF the transaction.
It is not a Conspiracy but
simply an appeal to the people,
made in q legal and constitutional man
ner, and through legal and constitutional
means. II IL were otherwise-if IL were
a movement such a. Gov. BRowNLow
describes 1.-THE is most derelict in his
duty 10 take it SO mildly. Indeed, il
might be questioned whether he is not
DarticeDs c7iBai7is, from his having viz
tusIly recognized the legality Of their
proceedings. 10y ordering an election 10
Ill the vacancies the acceptance of their
designations has Occasioned. II these
members Be the consPirators and "reb-
els Gov. BROwNLow represents them,
ought be not, rather, TO have accepted
The guard" offered by the Com
mandant Of the Post" had them ar
rested, sent 10 the Penitentiary
or the guard house, and in due course
Of time had them tried and punished for
the grave crime of importing the exist
ence Of civil government in Tennessee,
by d" breaking up the Legislature and
paralizing the State Government"
Surely, if these resigning members have
been guilty Of the grave offenses with
which they are charged in this PrOcla-
nation, Gov. BROwNLow is most IN
faithful to his oath Of Office, in letting
them come home to raise another re-
belliOn.
But the truth is, that all this vitupera-
ton is mere partisan humbug, and Gov.
BRowSIow knows it is so, as well as we
do. Il is Of the 4" hyferfutin" order Of
radical party clap-trap, and our old friend
ought to beashamed oft. Wehave very
little doubt he is ashamed Of it, at the
bottom Of his heart; but it is a hard ne
cessiy of his false and unnatural posi-
ton, and we pity rather than denounce
him for il. Why, oh 5Uhy could not
WILLIAM G.. BR0wNLOw rise, with the
occasion, TO the great and patriotic
grandeur OF soul and mind Of ANDREW
JOHNSON? But let that pass. Ephraim
has Joined himself 10 his idols-let him
alone.
In the meantime, il behooves the Peo-
pie, the honest, manly, patriotic, fair
minded people, to sustain the champions
Of their rights, and TO teach these ex-
IRENE men thatthough Gov. BRowNLow,
ARNELL and their brother fanatics, may
have gone crazy with their undeserved
elevation to power, they have not-that
they have intelligence enough to under
stand their rights, and patriotism enough
to maintain them. Ii is a question that
comes home to al the ~people-not
only those who elected these con-
sentative members, but those who
voted against them; for, Of a verify,
let this precedent Of the arbitrary eXer-
else Of power by an accidental majority
pass Unrebuked, the day is not far dis
tant when still further Entertainments
viii be attempted, swallowing up all pre-
tense Of popular government. Gov.
BRowSLow, and the majority in the
Legislature may not know it, but he and
they are travelling, OF attempting to
travel, in the beaten road that has con-
Quoted every people to the loss of their
nberties-a road paved with false profess
sions Of loyalty TO the cause Of Liberty
itself.
We cannot doubt that not only Messrs.
WALKER and PosToN, but every other
member who resigned at the same time
and for the same cause, who is a candi-
date for reelection, viii be triumphantly
returned; and that thus the cause Of
free, popular Government in Tennessee
VIII be maintained.