Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-30
WE SHOULD cELEBRTE.

The South, not yielding to what APP
pears TO be the destruction of the prln-
ciples of the Declaration of lndepend-
enee, should hold in aifectionate remem-
hrsnce the ideas inculcated by the OBJ
servance of the anniversary day of
American independence. If We are
taxed without representations we are
borne down by the weight Of the Stamp
Act, and other measures that drain our
pockets Of that which war OF CON
quest had left to us, il is not disioyal, we
trust, in us. to look forward 10 the pos
sible advent Of the day when We may
claim the benefit Of the declaration that
sill men are born free and equal, and
are endowed by the Creator with certain
inalienable rights We may he allowed
to aspire TO life, liberty, and the pur-
sut of happiness" We may be allowed
TO meet, as in the olden time, in the for
ests, beneath our own native blue sky,
and feast, and speak, and commemorate
the events that gave us our past liberty
and though We cannot now claim
to be free, we may lift up the
silent prayer to Heaven that the
night Of our sorrow may be succeeded by
day OF happiness restored. As We re-
member the features Of friend who is
no more, so may We remember the old
landmarks OF liberty we have lost. As
we decorate the graves of our heroes with
natural flowers, so may we, on the fourth
day Of July, decorate the tomb Of free
dom with flowers of oratory and poetry.
We believe that the South will yet be
great. God and Nature have placed at
her disposal every known element OF
happiness. If she cannot with her vast
resources emerge from her present pros
trate condition, the fault will be her own.
Money is po%er-knowledge is force.
She may command both. With these she
cannot remain a mere dependency Her
cotton is her right arm, and with that she
can control the commerce of the nation,
and beat back all competition. The bur
dens placed upon her industry, she will
shake of, one by one Every year will
increase her strength, because it will in
crease her productions She will, in the
course of half dozen years, WELD a
powerful influence in the government
AS her strength comes back to her, 50
viii her influence Those who now sail
town upon her as vultures do upon
defenseless carcass, will discover that she
e not dead. Even now, the indications
Of returning animation are preceptible
in commerce and one by one those who
worship money are attempting to lay
esressing hand upon her as BYRON laid
his upon the ocean.
A party is forming that will demand
the restoration Of the South to her an
c.ent place 10 the Union. Once fixed
there, no prophet is required to tell US
What her influence will be- In the past,
she was power Her sons took the lead
in the government Of the country If
her old statesmen are exiled from ser
vice, their sons will take their places
They are not unworthy to succeed their
fathers. The old liberty will come back,
because calm nation will demand it.
The identical principles We have honored
on the fourth day of Jdly from the days
Of WASHINGTON to those Of ANDREW
JoHysoS, will be celebrated anew. 1t is,
therefore, proper even now to celebrate
them. We may endure the stamp act
and taxation, if we can acquire repre-
sentation. With the hope of once more
enjoying the blessings Of constitutional
liberty, let us celebrate as heretofore our
old independence day.