Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-06-28


ruRFp smith on EECONsFRUCFEoN-
mat Veteran A5olitionist, GERRIP
SMITH, thus concludes a letter on the
subject of his being bail for President
DAVIS. and on the policy of the country
generally:
Imade but two requirements OF
snurh. make but TWO OF the uorIh.
In the first place, she must relieve the
disfrauchised class Of the southern
whites of their political disabilities. No
nossible rood can come from -his disiran-
easement, and its effects on both blacks
and whites are bad, very bad. Instead
of diminishing the political influence Of
lis subjects. il does, by meal of the
svmpathv which It begets for them, IN
crease it. 1t is true that the intent of
tbe disfranchisement was not to set the
blacks above the whites, but the loyal
above the disloyal. Nevertheless, it
does set the blacks above the whites
and, by thus irritating the one and
Initiating the other, II works evil TO
both. In the next place, the north must
hasten to pot an end TO these threats of
conhscation. Congress ought 10 say
without one dissenting voice, and at the
earliest day, that there should be no con-
EslafLtOH. HE QlhAL dlE4ASEAlEAL J. AhNe
lust referred TO is CALLING, and as the
masses believe, insulting to its subjects.
But these threats, paraliZing the indus
try of the south. and making even her
bread uncertain, are infinitely less bear
able. They are fatally 10 the way OF her
material prosperity. With the cloud
they bring upon her titles sAecan neither
sell her landsOr borrow upon them. What
could be a more trying disability to an az
ricultural people who are destitute of
money? That strong and patriotic man,
Thaddeus Stevens, would have certain
losses Of loyal men repaired. l would
myself be glad to see a liberal percentage
paid upon them. He would provide the
means out Of co~nfiscation and at
the expense of the south; l ont
of the national treasury, and at
the expense of the nation. There are
three things which, in urging confsca-
ton, Mr.. Stevens seems to forget. First,
that the north, as well as the south,
was guilty of the war; second, that
while the north is still very rich, the
south, exhausted by that war for which
the north in common with herself was
responsible, is exceedingly pOer; third,
that c~ondscation, once entered upon, il
viii be difficnlt If not impossible to see
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power. The spirit Of laWless greed en-
gendered by cOnhscatiOn will no more
stop at state or other lines than will the
flames of q prairie fire at the word Of
command. Let there be confscation in
the south for the benefit Of these, Mr.. |
Stevens loyal losers, and also for the
benefit Of the poor blacks, as he also
proposes, ana very soon, under its de-
bauching influence, immense Humbers at
the north will be ciamOTing, in the name
of "Agrarianism, p {" Equalization, +" and
other taking names, for their neighbors'
possessions. And these rich possessions,
1t must be remembered, will kindle the
spirit Of robbery, as can none Of the poor
possessions Of the desoiated south. These
four requirements responded to, these
conditions of " reconstruction - ex-
and no others eXscted, peace be-
tween the north and south will be sure
to follow. But to make this peace more
speedy and more cOrdial-in other words,
to effect with the least delay an enduring
heart union between the north and south,
there must bs one thing more. Our gov
srnment is getting In the way Of buying
lerritory. There is 3 purchase Il can
make which would be UNNECESSARILY
more important and profitable than the
purchase Of any territory. Let it buy
lac southern heart, worth more to US
han a Thousand Alaskas, nay, than all
Russia. There IS way, aud only one
way, by which il can De bought and
hat is By proving to The south thai the ]