Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-10-13

ness Of his opinions, but only for the
nprightness Of them.n
None Of US ever attain that degree Of
perfection which we demand Of others,
or come up TO cur " standard Of worth
and excellence. Always, our theory is
better than our practice. We know and
acknowledge with humility u failures
and shortcomings, and are satisfied If
we can feel assured that we have IN
d~esyoured TO deserve well Of our coun-
try.
Certainly nothing is more honorable,
IS nothing is more useful TO the people,
than ~honourably to conduct an honest
and independent journal; and Il is the
best sign OF the times that we see 30
many sll around Us in the South, extort-
ing the respect and admiration OF even
those against whose purposes they man
fully struggle. The Press will always be
respected, when it respects itself, and it
will have influence, 10 times Of national
misfortune, and among an oppressed
people, only when it deserves it. u il
cannot then, to some exteRt, lead and
shape public opinion, it is but an empty
pretender, that pirates idly or scolds to no
purpose.
The people, also, must learn thst no
falsehoods or uDsound theories, or wrongs
done for present advantage, are barren
and that their certain fruit is calam-
ity and disasters. Falsehoods breed like
yermiu; theories are realized in factsand
the conduct Of affairs and events; and
| every wrong done curses, sooner or later,
the man OF party or country that does it.
In sl this, the poor and the labouring
man have adeeper interest than the rich;
for it is they, chiefly, on whom the con-
sequences fall.
For IN example Of the malevolent con-
sequences Of an unsound theory, we need
look no further than 10 that of the arch
assassin Of constitutional freedom, that
Congress is governing the South by the
right OF conques, =" outside Of the Con-
stitutlon." Its fruits are military des-
potismsi the paralyzing of the Courts,
the enactments Of Generals supplsnting
the laws, unlawful trials, and the many
infsmous practices familiar to the ancient
tyranuies. How immense the difference
in consequences, between the theory that
the Southern States did retire from the
Union by Secession, and the theory that
they always continued in the Union!
There never was an idle or unfruitful
theory 9 in matters Of government;
thosethat have most been regarded as
distractions have always produced the
most important practical results for good
~oreyiI; aud political, ike religious creeds
are among the most potent Of all the
causes Of dissensious and wars among
men.
To the fruits Of those falsehOods which
blscken the character Of great and good
public men and rob the country Of their
services, We need only allude. The Past
swsrmed with such fslsehOods and others
Of every kind, and the Present is cursed,
desol-ted and demoralized ty their natu-
raj consequences. How vast the conse-
quences may have been, to millions Of
men, dead, living, and yet unborn, Of
the false charge Of bargain and coTrup-
ton against HENRY CLAY, which placed
the Presidency beyond his reach, is
known only to Omniscience.
Nor is our Past as a Nation less fruitful
Of instances of wrongs done to answer
the immediate purposes Of party nor
the Present less afflicted with the tre-
mendous consequences which are GOD's
1unisbmsnts for those wrongs. /
The Government of the United States s
dishonesty, and inculcates It J
and faIsehood on the people. The Press !
If the South will md Il hard to counter &
these authoritative teachings. II :
3 TO teach dishonesty, TO encourage the {
nan who hiss borrowed gold and prom !
sei in writing to repay the loan in gold, i
% use the courts as sidsrs and fav0urers &
fraud, and by their DEGREES to compel
lis creditor 10 receive the nominal :
mount Of mis- debt in deprecated gov {
Tnment paper. II was to encourage dis ]
honesty, to force the Southern States to .
epudiate their honest debts, on a plea
preteuce as shameless as insufficient.
{ is dishonesty in the Govern ment, en-
.ouragiug dishonesty in the people, TO
efuse to receive its evidences of
Indebtedness in payment ofduties on i'm
and TO prosecute or prescribe men
or their opinions az tn the nature Of the
government sud the rights Of the States,
bride them by rewards 10 dissvOw
heir convictions, is to remunerste
nd encourage dishonesty and falsehood
t once nay, is to persuade or force men
, perjure themselves by helping to de- L
roy the Constitution which they have
worn to support sud defend. The Pres n
lent Of the United States himself is thus 4
lade to live in the daily commission Of u
by enforcing enactments which v
e knows to be IN fragrant and open VIC
.tion Of the Constitution.
The Press has its mission, to arrest
lese and kindred miscbiefs, and is be-
inning, thank God, to see and feel and
now #, and to act accordingly. The Z,
Of the South, az a unit, has its b
.issiOn also, for which it is being pre- G
.red by the chasteninCs Of adversely. q
D these must be added the counaelings =.
wisdom; and the Press and public
en- must wholly cease 20 delude and Ia
to fatter and corrupt the people,
all viii sink together into the neither
FL. Bot if these are true, slI will be K,
ell for it is already proven that, in 50
asonE Of calamity, the noblest i'm ieS
Uses and best motives, the honour and u
,nesty and patriotism, Of men, may be Je
,nsaIed IN with euoaazs as