Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-07-12

The National InteRigeacer says;

The National IateHigeaesr says;
Marat, the great French patriot, born
OF the evils Of Bourbenism-a scr0fulous
eruption upon the body politic-de-
manded the blood OF two hundred and
seventy thousand citizens, and be cast
into stalls four hundred thousand, from
which to draw his victims. That was
the French republican process Of reform-
ing and regenerating the state. In truth,
/ 1t was nothing new. Marat did just
| what his great ancestors, the family
I Bourbon, has done for centuries Now,
/ the American republican process Of re-
/ form proposes to throw into prison eight
millions Of people, and to turn them
/ over to five majOr-geneFals--dve major
/ generals, something less than half Of
( Cromwers staff Of governors, who
" had power as Hume says, to inn
/ prison any person Who should be ex-
| posed to their jealousy or suspicion"
I The same historian adds "Under color
4 of these powers, which were sufficiently
exorbitant, the msj sjor-generals exercised
authority still more arbitrary, and acted
as II absolute masters Of The property
! and person Of erery subject"
We adopt the comments Of the same
I author on this state Of things in Eng
D y
/ applicable to our Bourbon rule in the
south !" All reasonable men now con-
I cluded that t5Ie very mask Of liberty was
/ thrown aside, and that the nation was
forever subjected to military and des-
potic government, exercised not in the
] legal manner Of European nations, but
according to the maxims Of eastern
I tyranny" r#r..
We have only to hazard a single re-
mark upon this condition Of our affairs.
I 1t is called reconstruction, probably IN
derision in contempt Of the union, in
contempt Of humanity, and ia contempt
OF jastice, most assuredly. 10 is power,
welded by men who believe that power
! h a great refOTmef, as it was unques-
tionably regarded in barbaric times, IS it
was in the Judgment Of Macbesh when
he killed Duncan, and Richard when he
killed his brother and his two young
nephews.
To the foregoing may very fiHy be ap-
pended the following true and just re-
marks from the same journal. 1t states
in the most fereibIe manner the great
fact that the despotie government estab-
Hshed by Congress over the Southern
States, is from beginning to end a legal
nullity. It is government OF force es-
tablished without rightful power to de so,
an immense gsurpation and great
crime:
Let it be borne constantly in mind
that, under the government OF the con-
stitution, there eau be no legal military
gDvernOrs Of the people in this country.
He is s rebel or usurper who undertakes
to enforce military law on citizens
within the limits OF the United States,
no matter on what preteXt or by whose
command. Congress can no more confer
despotic power upon individuals than in
dividuals can confer it upon congress
What is not done in sub0rdinatiOn to our
free system Of laws is void, and Of no
legal force whatever. That system is
marked by the exclusion Of all power
which is not consistent with itself; nor
would it be less so without any constitu-
tion at all. 1t is a great pFiBGiple-it
looks 10 the freedom Of the people, and
it is, in the nature Of things, a solemn
declaration that they shall be governed,
and, If governed, protected by laws and
it follows that il is a national pledge of
faith one to another, that 10 despotism,
no setting aside of the laws in favor Of
the will and command Of one man,
here or there, shall be permitted in this
country. National LatelligeHcer.
Not mortal man, or his imperious
viii, but, JUSTICE, is the only true Sow
eign and Supreme Majesty upon earth"