Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-09-03
!. ouANez FOR THE BETTER.

Tho Memphis Bulletin notices inc
eoo, that many of the country papers oil
Alabama. Arkansas aud Mississippi ex,
nress Themselves as tired OF continued
nolitical contention, saying thar ~ ieaus
~ no nraotical results, causes Ill ieennR
and contention, often leads to acts oil
violence, and sometimes to outbreaks
Such policy spoken OF is TO De ue'
nlorcd. not only for its Immediately
pnhanpy consequences, but as a MN
6rance 10 the immigration OF new
sattlers. and to the investment OF
canitaL These papers regard material
Improvement as the great and Absolute
necessity; they desire to see every por-
tion of the South able to support It's own
nonulation, without requiring aid from
others. They argue that people respecs
themselves, and command the respect o.
others, just in proportion as they are m
dependent and prosperous. IL is DOUBT
less true. that where any district attends
N nublie affairs to the neglect OF its own,
and INDUCES in lawless acts to the extent
of weakening the feeling OF personal Sc
cnrity. its best interests must suffer, and
its advancement be impeded.
We copy the above from the Repuoh
can (Nsshville) Banner. We hare not
seen the indications and arguments re-
ferred to in our exchanges from those
States. If such position has been
taken, and such arguments have been
used by "many of the country papers
named, we canno, account for the TACT
that it should have escaped the attention
of every one in this Office, where we are
certainly not behind our Second street
neiChbor in vigilance, II in anything else
we may be so. 1t Is also something re-
markable that the Nashville paper should
net have itself made the same observa-
lions, If the facts existed, which we have
not seen, and which that paper has first
discovered through the Bulletin goggles
It often mnkes a great difference what
medium one looks through. Do the Re-
publican and Bulletin both desire that
all defense of Constitutional principles
and remonstrance against outrage
should cease? What else have we now
Will either of these papers tell us, with
the names of such country papers as
concur with them, if any there are'
Have we single anti.radical paper in
the States named, or in Tennessee which
advocates any rebellion, any breach of
the laws, anything but peace and good
order, and honest government? If not,
Why the charge that any of the papers
countenancss attention to public at
fairs to the neglect Of private affairs, or
indulgence in lawless acts to the extent
of weakening the feeling of personal Sc
curityf" Does good citizenship consist
in tame aud silent submission to wrong
in public affairs2 Is it the right and
duty of the press to make proclamation
of arguments and facts against the
always insidious advances on the citadel
ofliberty2 0ris it the duty and right OF the
Bulletin and other papers to cry peace,
peace, when there is no peace, and can
be no peace except in the calm of des'
potism2 For our own part, we are and
ever shall be truly conservative. We
never will agitate to the public detri'
ment, when it is possible to throw oil on
the waters for the public good. But we
shall ever speak. as honest sentl'
nels on the watchtower, and
when there is wrong existing and
danger approaching to public and
private interests, we shall feel that we
have the right to expose it without CEN
sure and we shall certainly do ii, even
when by crying peace, aud playing into
the Radical hands, we may gain patron
age from few timid and soft.sheled
Conservatives. In the manly defense OF
truth and the right consists the only
Conservatism which is worthy ofrespect.
-0----
RN~ We are all but forced to the con-
clusion that lying land we use the word
in its strongest sense) has become one
of our national traits The amount of it