Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-02-16

frsm the Louisville Courierl
The fatal objection to all the schemes
of reconstruction proposed or submitted
TO the southern states for their accept
ance, is that they furnish DO guarantee
that they are to be regarded as q finality.
The southern states are asked to accept
them and 50 incorporate them into
their legislation as 10 constitute them
binding obligations upon themselves,
without the slightest assurance that
there will be any equivalent therefor.
It Is not wen promised that the adop-
ton of any OF these schemes will re-
store the southern states 70 their cOnsti-
tutiODal places in the union. They are
PROSTATE and helpless, but they still en-
JOY sufficient liberty Of thought and ac-
ton to reject all such one-sided PROPOSE
tons.
The constitutional amendment, If it
had been adopted, would have disfran-
chised a large portion Of the southern
people, and either deprived them OF one
third OF their representative yOWerin the
nation or established negro suffrage.
Besides this, It would have totally ab0l-
ished everything like state rights and
given to congress the power Of unlim-
tied legislation for the states.
Suppose for q moment that the south,
in the apprehension of more humiliating
terms, had promptly ratified the amend
ment, what would have been that eondi-
tion? The Ubiquitous provisions Of that
amendment would be a part Of the con-
stitutiOn, q those states would not
have been advanced one step toward the
exercise of their constitutional rights in
the union. They would have been as
fully exposed to JacObin malignity and
to the consequences Of JacObin thirst
for power as they now are, and they
would, in addition, have been compelled
to endure b modification Of knowing
that they had sacrificed both honor aud
interest to appease the wrath and ag-
gressiye spirit of their foes, and that
they were after all their humiliating
concessions as much exposed 10 further
demands as ever.
But the southern states having re-
jeeted with scOTn and contempt the in
sulting propositions Of their enemies, are
in a condition to congratulate themselves
upon their wisdom for they can now
see that the amendment was only in
tended IS a trap to swindle them into a
voluntary surrender Of their rights, and
to win from them an acknowledgements
that il was right and proper that con-
gTess should make demands upon them.
and that they should make CONCESSIONS.
The entering wedge thus fixed, Tie chief
difficulty would have been removed from
the path Of the Jacobins, and they could
have gone on until their malice and
avarice were exhausted, ~inyenting n
quirements and conditions to which they
would have compelled those states 70
subscribe.
The southern states, however, adopted
the part Of wisdom and TOOK the high
ground, unasssilable by any argument
recognizing the republican theory, that
they were still states in the union, and
entitled to all Of the privileges TO which
all other states are entitled under the
constitution and the laws. And being
sovereign states they cannot permit any
d~ictatiOn on the part OF congress in re-
gard TO their local concerns. SO long as
they maintain this ground they will be
secure. The position constitutes a bar-
Fier which the congress cannot surmOuut
without doing ~palpable violence to
the constitution. It is the stumbling
block in their path uOw. They well
know that those states cannot be
kept out OF the union permanently that
they must finally be admitted TO full
participation in its privileges and beHe-
hts. u TIA their own constituents will
before long demand q final settlement of
all the questions which have grown out
of the war, that the nation may once
more start forward in the march of
prosperity and glory. The hope of the
JacObins, therefore, IS that they can de-
u the southern people into an admis-
sion that they are felOns aud deserving
Of punishment, and that they have no
rights in the union except such as their
cOnqueTors are disposed to yield them as
a matter Of grace and mercy. II they
can get this admission they feel that
they will be justified ia proceeding to
any extreme their maligEity may die
tate.
1t is therefore a matter Of the first i'm
p~Ortance that the southern states shall
maintain a digniged reserve consent !
ing to nothing which infriuges upon
their rights, suggesting nothing that can
be construed into a disposition TO make
concessions, and all the time protesting
against the OutTages peTpetTated upon
them in refusing to admit them to the
exercise of equal rights in the union, and
demanding on all occasions that equality
which is now denied. Let them hold
up the constitution as their shield Of de-
tense, and let il be their most eloquent
appeal never losing sight Of the fact
when they exchange il for n other
weapon they are lost beyond all hope.
And this one prominent fact should be
borne in mind. The JacObins are not
now aiming at guarantees against future
rebellion; they are not working 10 secure
protection for the negroes, nor seeking 20
punish what they call treason. These
are all transparent pretexLs, which any
one a see through. Their purpose is
to perpetuate their power and to retain
tine control of the government for an
other presidential term. This is the gov
eFHing principle Of their policy, and the
southern people may be assured that
until they eau make up their minds to
make such concessions rs viii secuTe the
JacObius on this point, they I've not
the slightest chance to effect q oS,uprO-
mise which viii secure them repT5& uta-
ton in congress, or exemption from far
Their persecution. It is therefore worse
than useless, it IS r~uinOus, for them to be
giving encouragement to their foes by
maniiestiug even g halfway disposition
to yield assent to their nefarious meas
ures, which are invented but to delude,
and which can result in nothing but bit
ter and notifying disappointment.
Let the Jaeo6iusg 60 on until they reach
the end of their rope. They are weary
ing public patience and win soon exhaust
It. Already the business Of the country,
in almost every department, is disas-
trOusly effected by the radicalisIa of
congress. i deadly languor is stealing
upon all those departments of industry
upon which the prosperity of the nation
depends, and total and ruinous paralysis
is threatened. ~SelEinterest will sOOn
take the place of resentment in the
minds of the northern masses, and then
the south will be secure. Let her then
stand firm TesOlute to have her rights,
and determined to concede nothing for
only thus can she be vindicated and re-