Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-10-06


ing bitter remarks upon the wsRtof dig.
nifty and self-respect Of our public meu
We are a nation Of " thirty mil
lions Of people, with wealth, energy and
rare native intelligence; but our states
men-Our statesmen? No! U dema-
Eogues-disRrace Us. They do not rep
resent Us. IN congress they descend
but they cannot descend; for they &C.
Cupy the lowest level now as pOlIticalue
haters, and, having resched that level,
there is but one direction IN which they
can moye-Upwsrds. As with congress
so with the executive. Even worse; for
the executive being but q single person,
and that, too, AT the head Of the nation,
be is looked 70 by all eyes a the expo
nent Of what should be manly, gentle
manly and courteous. Instead of even
approaching the idesl, be allows the
petty feelings Of political passion 10 en-
Ter into all his dealings with those EGo
msy oppose his career as s statesman,
aud on every occasion displays the little
mind that dIsgrsces us as Il people.
It is true that the President has coca
sienally forgotten the dignity Of his
office, and permitted anger and passion,
as on his celebrated Western journey, to
get tbs upper hand Of his reason.
HoUnded by his enemies in Congress
with an indecent vinGictiveuess, and
openly accused of II infamous crime in
both Houses by shameless dogs OF faction,
to whose barkings each House listened
with indulgeut attention, and the pre-
siding officer Of each was shameIessiy
and shsmefuIly f5rgetful OF his duty IN
permitting the icentious HbeIIers 10 pro-
coed 10 the end,-his just powers and
! constitutional prer0gatives stripped from
him and divided between the House and
Seuate,-goa5ed, exasperated, his mes
ssges treated with indecent contempt,
ANDREW JOHNSON would be more or
less than man if he did not sometimes
forget the President and play the glsdi.
stor.
Il is uuquestionsbly true that few
things more significantly mark the de-
cadence Of the Republic than the gradual
lowering OF the standard Of dignity in
those who hold the now most hon
ourless offices of the country, until 1t is
no longer necessary that those who hold
the highest should observe the ordinary
Jeceucies Of discussion or even remember
that high rank demands a little breeding,
and that those invested with it should be
something like gentlemen, IL only inita-
tons in shOddy.
The Vice PresidentO OF the United States
traverses q State, pouring out coarse in
v~eetives and brutal blasphemies, better
suited to the prizs-riBg than Tor the ears
Of 3 decent audience. lie rails ike
THERsTTEs, and jests like a buffooB.
LIT him ply his vocation " alone.
The President ought to play his part
with great dignity, that his enemies may
hate but not contemn him. It is true
that 10 reluctantly executing the uncon-
stituIlOnal legislation Of Congress- and So
becoming its unwilling instrument, he is
doing thst which cannot elevate him in
his vi esteem, or greatly satisfy him
with himself; but be may at least re-
fTain from Objurgation, andlet q diguifed
silence protest against the indignities Of
insOlence.
The Herald, speaking OF the Presidents
remarks on the battlefield Of Antistam,
and the alteration 70 which they gave
rise, says:
The ignorance which has forced its
representative to the surface must give
place % the only element which viii
give Us political salvati0n-that element /
is the Intelligence Of the country. We
must have a change. Sgch eaenaz A
An-ietsm has given as are the best proof
that nothing but change sill save rs
Our march TO corruption and al tine yjTs- I
ness Of representation that clfngs around
il, has been in keeping with the pace We
have travelled in all that Of which we
boast. The career is 3 mad one and
threatens ruin, Let il not be forgotten
that the Roman empire was born when
the Roman republic lost ali respect FOR
the intelligence and virtue Of its rulers
There is still enough intelligence iefr in
the country TO Overturn the men who
degrade US. From the president down
we want change. Finding that they
have not the capacity 90 protect and
carry to q successful issue great measures
OF Craftsmanship, they descend TO a
war for the tp1is; they m,Dgle per
sonsl and revolutionary animOsjties iu
every act they even in a national grave
yard quarrel over the corpses of the men
who fed in defense Of the country. Let
the people rise to an appreciation Of this
terrible condition OF affairs. Let them
Overturn a man who always forgets bis
position, and let them bury 10 the SEINE
grave the demsgogues who are worse
even than the president. As Antietam
the hour from which tho nation
dated its certainty Of oyerturning the
rebellion, 80 let it be the momen from
which we date our determination to /
have IS rulers mel who are gentlemen
and statesmen.
No republic, that has fallen from its
first estate by selecting the vulgar and
incompetent to be legislators, ever re-
turns TO that estate. "The days that
are no more are 10 more forever.