Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-03-20
EIRKl.IA.

Previous 10 the adjournment Of the
Georgia Legislature, on the 18th, the
Hon. William Gibson made the follow
ing remarks:
Your chief magistrate, Andrew John
son, has done, aud is doing all he can, to
restore our once happy Union. If his ef-
forts should fail, all that is left of repub-
licauism on this continent must perish /;
and a conflict must inevitably eBsue, in
which the supremacy of the Caucasian
race will be established, beyond doubt
Every Christian heart must dcplore and
lament such a conflict. Yet, 10 establish
the great principle of self-government,
We must nerve ourselves for the issue.
To contemplate this Scence, even in the
distance, Is truly appalling; but who can
close his eyes Ia the inevitable tenden-
cies of rampant, irresponsible Tadicalisme
We rely upon the enlightened and pa
triotic devotion OF our conservative
brethren OF the North TO the spirit Of the
Union and the Constitution, hoping and
trusting that its establishment may be
permanent and perpetual
We cannot close our eyes to the fact that
there still remains a radical fanaticism in
the North, that would Subvert the great
checked. conquered and controlled. We
must, however, take for orr watchword,
"The Union and the Constitution of our
fathers the & Union being the para
mount goal, and the - Constitution y our
guide-and if rampant fanaticism should
seek To subvert the former, or mutilate
the latter, let bus, in common with our
conservative brethren of the North, East
and West, rally 10 the support of the
one and the defense Of the other, assured
that the indissOluble Union Of these
States, and free government, under the
Constitution rs il is, viii reward our ei-
forts. / mean not to threaten or defy,
but il / understand the spirit OF our peO-
pie, North and South, ! feel justified in
assuming that the Union of our fathers
Is the design and purpose Of all patriotic
hearts, and that any purpose to transfer
the powers of this Government or its
control by Constitutional amendments,
or otherwise 10 the African or negro
race, VIII involve Js IN a conflict,
which, in comparison with the
late struggle, will be but a child's
play. Humanity shudders at the
cruelty and harharity suggested by the
bare mention OF suuh conflict, This h
Our land-theSe are our homes. Beneath
the soil on which we tread are buried our
ancestors, and the graves Of our children
are not yet sodded DER withgrgss, aud by
their sides tain would We have our OWN
mortal remains entOmbed. And woe TO
the men OF party who would disinherit rs
of our better right and submit it TO the
uses and benefit Of a foreign and baTta-
rous race. We must control aud renew
il under and IN obedienceto the COnstitu-
lion and laws made hereunder" 10
the exclusion Of all barbarian races, bat
let u not forget that the African race
among Us must be protected iu their
persons and property; our laws must
be wise, Just aud equal, and our
and spirit. Further we cannot 90.
and if those who assume to legizlatp f0r
US ON this question, will insist upon turn
iHg over our Government to the African
race, We predict revolution more binpdy
than any i'm the history Gl tie past.
fraught with ipualfulahie Ills to both
races, tAg lazL grand struggle for liberty
on ,h1 American continent. Nav God
in His Mercy avert such calamity /
trust our people yet have nerve
enough 10 meet the emergency.
have not thought il improper far me
to say this much up0u a subject, Ia
me, dyed in gloomy iurebodiugs and aI,-
for the assassination of our
Chief Magistrate on any sUcrtsSful effort.
unconstitutionally, 10 change our Gov
ernment, one or both Of which seems 70
be the purpose Of a powerful party at the
North, would, beyond doubt, produce
such . result II such contest be forced
upon Us, let Us he prepaFed "to quit us
like men, making no war upon the
Union aud the Constitution, but upon
reckless ianaticism, which would enulf
both in a common rDin.