Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-02-07
THr CONIEe srORM-CLOUD.

F-,- The National InteIigeneerI
Mr. Glenni W. Scofield, a member o
congress from Pennsylvania, and chair
msn ef the last caucus OF the destructive'
of the house Of representatives., in hi:
recent undignifed hsrsugue in the ma
tional debating society upon the state Of
the union. elected the laughter Of hi;
colleagues aud the Communication Of bis
lately discomftted leader, by q vulgar
assault upon the secretary Of state.
There never was q political faction 50
completely and irr~etrievably at fault as
this cabal Of destrUctiyes at the present
moment. They have disregarded the
voice of the constitution and the fathers.
They have rushed with heSdioEg reck-
Iessness toward the attainment Of al IN
holy, unpatriOtie ambition. They have
entirely lost sight Of all the landmarks
~ which their course should have been
directed; and they are now found cir
cling around in painful uncertainty as to
which way to 60. To recede or to sd-
vance IS to them equally dangerous.
They cannot retire from their position
without seIEcoDdemnatiOn. They can
not 90 forward without self-destruction.
They are truly in q most pitiable
dilemma. II they abandon the
cbanles thew have set on foot
thew will incur the hOOtiBgs and
exee-atioas of the masses they have
been misleading. II they endeavor to
proceed in their efforts they will nave %
face the financial ruin OF tbe country and
the relentless fury OF a Cseeiyed, De-
trayed, and m~uch-sbused constituency.
Their scheme for the erection Of q ecu
gressiOnsl despOtisn upon the ruins Of a
constitutional government was a grand
one, but the constitution itself, guarded
bv the executive and judiciary depart
ments, stands as sn impossible barrier
20 their progress
Emboldenedby the passive aeguiescence
Of the people in the extraordinary ssur-
pstiOns Of the government, to preserve
the life Of the nation during the most
terrible war recorded in history. these
d~estruetives have madly supposed that
the war cries OF the battlefield could be
made applicable TO a time Of peace.
They have believed that the masses,
hardened with almost intolerable taxa
ton, with commerce and industry stag
mated, could still be induced, in the
name OF party, to submit 10 the abroga-
ton OF sIi constitutional guarantees OF
life, liberty and property, and to consent
% the institution Of social and political
anarchy and financial ruin, as the means
of attaining q congressional despotism.
The very wrongs already inflicted, and
those plainly in contemplation, are be-
ginning to educate their avengers. They
are arousing public apprehension Of the
terrible consequences OF this headlOng
race TO ruin. The shadowsof the coming
cloud are beginning TO darken the great
commercial centers. The holders Of pub
lie securities at home and abroad are
trembling st the result Of the proposed
reckless course Of the majority in N
gress. The tradesmen and mauufac-
turers begin TO perceive that it is the con
duet Of congress which is bringing upon
them ruinoUs stagnation in business and
the necessity to suspend operations. The
iaboring classes cannot fail soOn TO catch
this infection, and then must come a
revolution in public opinion so terrible
resistless as has never before been
experienced.
These are no idle predictions. The
D~ortentous fringes Of the coming storm
cloud sre even nov plainly visible upon
the horizon. When It breaks, with all
the fury Of the tempest, terrible viii be
the fate Of those who have invoked its
terrOrs and are impOtent to control its
ravages.
The course of the majority in on-
zress, in endeayoring to discover the
Union, fer whose preservation millions
Of treasure and hundreds Of thousands
Of lives were freely given ia seeking TO
and uproot the executive and
branches of the government,
and TO make the constitution itself the
plsything Of a political faction,
Is rapidly tending to the destruc-
not only Of the Govern
nent, but Of the whole people. Il is
creating q financial crisis, which
srflI involve the rich and the poor alike
one common catastrophe. Il will not
only destroy the public credit, break the
banks and the treasury, stop the mills,
the f-ges, suspend all commerce
aud ~paralyze the hands Of industry, but
70 viii bring gaant stark, relentless want
the doors Of all, the highest and lowest
u the land.
This Is the picture that the unerring
Offate are painting IN i~nefaceable
.olors uDon our whole horizon. II can
much longer be shut out from the
unwilling vision Of the d~estTuctives in
songress. It is the nameless terror they
themselves recklessly invoking. Let
hem pause in their career and cOntem-
,iate It's awful revelations.