Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-11-06
,vnD g


The phrase was singulsrly Illustrative
~ the diabolical malice Of the venom
ous old man who employed it. There
vssfni It q concentrated mslignity that
no vituperative or bitter words could
have expressed.
The New Orleans Times sptly enough
sup'fes the phrase to the new deviltry Of
empowering negro proletaires to load
cities with debts and Cypress the owners
Of property with taxes, by their votes. It
vould be difficult to find Language severe
enough fly to characterize this most in
gepious refinement Of villsinOus, unprin-
einled and detestable injustice.
The Times gives the following account
offs case in Louisiana, in which, even
bv white men, 8 city was burdeDed with
heavy debt, by the vote Of those who
held no property to be taxed, and who
had. in right and reason and common
sense. no interest in the matter, or title
70 be heard in regard to 1t. It says:
The tax payers Of this city are every
vesr reminded, in q disagreeaOle man
1sr. OF o Of the most outrageous pub
lie swsndles which was ever perpetrsted
unon a people. This reminder consists
III q certain fractional tax on their real
srd personal estate for the special pur-
pose Of paying the interest and priuclPal
On the bonds issued by the city 10 the
po-ntcbartrsiu Railroad. The history Of
10 au8scious plot by which the corpora
10, was entrapped into this heavy obi
getion in addition TO the other heavy
b1rdans OF u people, lie familiar to the
oIdar residents. Suffice il to say, for the
benefit o. those who have become citi-
yaDs since the events referred TO, that
tbe Indebtedness in question wss created
Nv a corrupt and selfish scheme Of eer-
tain ~sueculators who, under the preteXt
and hedge Of applying the money TO he
extension OF the POntchsrtrain Railroad
70 Mobile. obtained the bonds Of the city
~ a large amount, and instead Of
snnlviug them TO the pretended OBJ
iact divided the same among them
selves. What was not thus applied
rs used in an election by which
tha PROPOSITION TO tax the property
holders Of the city to the extent Of
nonu. ratification. The tax, we need
srsrcalv say, was carried by q large ma
foritv: but the tax payers-thOse who
have had TO pay and are DOW paying for
these bonds voted in 3 body against this
proposition. but their opposition was Of
no svail, for the free and independent
guF-avans who paid no taxes, went
almost unanimously for il. Thus II WAS
that the tax payers have been compelled
for the last ten years, and viii be COM
DaT-sE f5r ten or twenty years 70 come,
HI lHnzFnFehaA Hnnnw~aa a
sun, large enough to dsfrsy the expenses
OF the public schools OF the city, snd FOR
which there hos not only been no return,
bnt not the slightest attempt or effort was
ever made, 10 perform the obligation
upon which these bonds were obtained.
This Eas an impressive lesson to our
DAonle OF the folly, injustice and outrage
~ this modern system Of " mild confis-
c.tIonU by which the non-taX paying
Dortlou OF the community, through the
agency OF universal suffrage, are enabled
10 vote away the property OF the minor
itv without their consent and withou
lust or equitable compensation.
No man can eve guess at the mis-
rhievous and fatal consequences thst
must result to our cities, and perhaps in
As great measure to our counties, from Civ
ing negro paupsrs the right to vote 10
regpset to municipal affairs. It is in this
that negro suffrage becomes s~uperlatively
infamous. To vote upon 8 proposition
to charge 8 city with a debt is not in any
true sense an exercise Of the right OF
suffrage. It is, on the contrary, the
consent Of individuals 10 the assumption
or creation Of 8 debt, or q protest against
Il, as to which none have any right 10 a
voice on whom the burthen Of the charge
Is not to rest.
It is quite evident that il negro votes
csn 80 create debts and burthsns, cities,
counties and States will 500 be bank
upt. It will soOn become almost insan.
ity to property in q city, il negro
votes can impose upon It unlimited bur
theus; and one may certainly be excused
for feeling q Just and righteous indigns-
ton, when such a power is conferred on
ignorant, thriftless, penniless proletaires,
By the rescript OF a military sstrap, whose
will is tue law for his subjects.
Who dreamed, seven yesrs ago, that
such outrsges and crimes against
private right would, ia his day.
be perpetrated and ~applauded on
this Continent? When We hear OF them
we regret that the Furies Of the An
clients, 'vfndioes Jaeinoram atg4e scels-
Tis.I the avengers Of viHainies and
crimes, we're only imaginary. But we
are 90 used to outrsges now, that nethln1
startles ne. We wonder and are amazed
at nothing. It hardly stirs an emotion
20 see the brutal hOrdes Of s-emi-sava0es
swArmiBg TO the polls in = city, TO vote
TO tax the property-holders for the paw.
ing Of the streets or a subscription 10 =
distant railroad. II our CAssAKs are not
cruel as DOATIAE and ucentious a.
BoRGIA, we are content, or benumbed
and apathetlc, like men supplied with
opium. We hardly dare even to hope
for the coming Of better days. We seem
20 ourselves TO live and walk IN an ugly
dream. and Constitutional liberty Is q
dim and indistinct phantom that we
hardly descry In the distance.
HMIDTOS's fallen angels were realities,
how the rafJers OF he'll would shake with
their eontemptuous laughter at the folly
and madness Of the men who have given
the powers Of government 10 ten States
into the hands OF black bsrbarians. and
made the whole a caricsture and q bur
to end, In all likelihood, In q
gigantic tragedy