Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-26


full quarter of a century-hoOd this
country with all sorts of reports Of repub-
hcan successes, and are ehementin their
assertion Of the duty Of this country
TO vindicate its honor by driving out the
Austrian. 'usurper, at the expense, ifneed
be, Of a war with his patron, the Empe-
ror of the French. In their patriotic
ardor to realize on these Mexican Bonds,
they 90 even further, and urge that, if
necessary to the accomplishment Of this
obiect-to wit the overthrow of the EN-
pire in Mexico, or in other words, the
making good Of the Juarez loan-the
United States should not hesitate to
measure swords not only with France,
hut with all Europe. These valorous and
patriotic STOCKHOLDERS think such a war
a small matter in comparison with the
glory that would accrue to the Great Re
public. in general, and to their WI spec
ulations in particular. These bellieose
guardians of the national honor belong
in great part, if nOt entirely, 70 that class
who believed and felt that the Great
Rebellion Jas it is sometimes called by
simpletOns or demagogues who are not
exact in the terms they employ-was
q" crushed out entirely too soon to APP
pease their thirst for blood, or satiste
their appetites for fat contracts and spec
ulations upon the national disorders.
They are of The genus" shOddy."
As, however, very IgnobletnIngs some
times prelude and point the way to the
nobIer things which are to follow, it may
be well to consider and inquire what
there is in this Mexican question, beyond
and deeper than the selfish schemes for
nlunder Of the souIless spectators and
hucksters in human blood, who are now
bending all their ingenuity and energies
10 the end Of embroiling this country in
a war with Mexico. These last compose
very numerous class-embracing all
whose schemes Of enriching themselves
during The late Civil War, were nipped
in the bud by the untimely peace-all
favorites who had ''Tradei' permits to
barter so-caIled plantation supplies
with "rebels'' for c~ontraband cotton-all
officials IN positions where self-seeking
was the order Of the day, but had not
"feathered their nest'' when the wal
ended-Oesides a vast number Of hang
ers-on and soldiers Of fortune whose
genius is not adspUedtO success in any Of
the peaceful pursuits Of life But over
and above these-repOsing separate ana
apar from this scum Of all civil COM
mouons-is the great body of the honest
and genuinely patriotic masses Of the
AMERICAN PEOPLE, who are not acuua-
ted by any such ignOble and sordid mo-
tives and 10 such, as far as humble
voice may reach We submit the consid-
erati0ns which follow:
The great, the paramount materiala1d
moral interest of this country, now, is
PEACE-peace at home and abroad. Des-
olated farms are TO be re-inclosed and
put under Observation-Disclosures and
burned homes to be rebuilt-habits of
quiet industry and patient toll substi-
tuted for the march and vigil, the bivouac
and the headlOng charge of the soldier
four millions Of uncultivated and de-
pendent people taught self-reliance, hon
esty, self-prompted industry, and that
m~anliness Of self-respect, which viii lift
them above vagrancy and mendicacy.
There are crushed hopes 10 be revived,
des0late hearts TO besOothed and cheered,
alienated feelings 10 be reinvigorated
with the spirit Of fraternity, love Of coun-
Try 10 be restored broad and enduring
Patriotism to be engendered out Of the
ashes Of devotion to a Lost Cause. This
in the South:-In the North, the safe de-
scent from q giddy hight Of fallacious
prosperity, based on an inflated and hc-
titious currency, which has unsettled all
the standard relations Of Labor and Cap
ital, and the provision, in time, for that
strain upon the endurance of the country
which will surely come, when,
no longer ballooned by specu-
eculation and credit, its burtheus viii
have TO be borne upon the sturdy
shoulders of Industrial production-the |
infusion of a spirit Of anity in all the
States towards their maynard sisters
the revival Of the stern old puritan NOR
ality in the place Of the modern puritan
profigacy-the restoration Of the gentle
spirit Of piety in the place Of the rank
ling spirit Of persecution-the uDfIriing
of the banner Of the CONSTITUTION in
the stead Of devices unknown to that
sacred instrument-the renewal of that
spirit which viii make it possible for Us
to be, from the Aroostook to the Golden
Gate, and from the frozen Lakes Of the
North to Cape Sable, n people in heart
and mind as in destiny.
Surely here is work enough for all, in
the regeneration Of our own country,
without hunting up a mission to re-
suscitate a fallen cause in a foreign
land. Surely, to be instrumental
in accomplishing this work, 50 that
throughout all our mighty empire Of ter
ritory there shall be but one heart, one
mind, one aspiration for the perpetuity
of this Republic, viii be glory enough for
the most pure ambition.
But apart from al this, why should we
embroil ourselves with France or Europe.
on accounu0f the Mexican people? They
have had one Of the finest countries on
the globe, most favorable, in all aspects,
for the acknowledgment Of the latent en-
ergies Of its inhabitants. They have had
every variety Of soil and climate, from
the fertile benches Of the mountain-land
above which glittens perpetual snow, to
the sea-wasbed herrncal3eHte, where
blush in fecund -voluptuousness all the
productions Of tropical climes. They
had too, for ~progenitors, a race Of. men
who, in hardness and proves, have
had no superiOrs in the worlds
history-the grand old hidalgoes and
cavaliers who marched with De Soto and
conquered with Pizarro.
and vet, with all these advantages Of
blood, climate, soil, natural resources,
he Mexican people have not been sue
sesgsuI in following our example Of Re
1ublicanism in Government. Almost
from the very first hour Of their emanci-
from the rule Of the parent coun-
they have exhibited but q rapid Tran
from the domination Of selfish
% the domination Of q faction
s6D more selfish and unpatrintie. For a
quarter of a century at least the Mexican
has presented a standing reprOach
% republican government-its whole ter
iiory ensaRguined by ~contending fac :
Irsgoyernmepthas beena chronic, !
md apparenly an peuFable domination :
L RevolutiOnlsm, alike niseFsble in it,
fleets upon the inhabitants, and fruitless
the functions Of q nation, Indeed, so 5
.baotic was the state Of sAsirs in that :
that Mexico had become a {
nuisance in the family Of independent y
I
In that providence Of Sod which is
marked by great and unlocked for events /
lexico has been converted from a law :
sss agglomeration Of bandits and ad- !
,entursTs, into a compact and uniform
empire, under the rule Of an Austrian I
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