Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-11-12
IS TENNESSEE TUESDAY EVENING D. 1867 g.

cation also to restore to the Federal
Government the possession Of the i'm
mense landed estates Of the rebels, per-
fidiously surrendered by the traitor
Executive. Thus it may assume, as q
sequence Of the war; Jurisdiction OF
problems which otherwise will inevitably
continue for a long time to divide the
people Of the South, and to distract the
nation. We are near the Presidential
campaign, but with Johnson impeached
and suspended, and prompt, thorough,
Radical legislation, such as we have
indicated, the Bull Run of the Oc-
tober and November elections can be
more than made up. There may arise a
contingency in which it will be the duty
of the Congress already chosen not only
to depose President, bat to designate
one for the next succeeding term.
From the Boston Post.l
Above all, the astonishing reaction in
public feeling and opinion may be taken
for q fatal blow 10 Radicalism. The
oppressive rule it would establish over us
all, operating it with hypocritical pre-.
tensions with whose hollow character
people Of all parties arc fully acquainted,
has occasioned a popular revolt that
neither cant nor cunning could stay. IL
is the spirit Of fanaticism that stands re-
buked, more than any Of the measures
which it has originated. People looked
through these to the malignant temper
which inspired them. They saw in an
armed and drilled constabulary ma
chine, invented only by power which was
fast assuming the above responsibility
They recognized in rigid and often.
sive proh:bitory law an arrogant and
arbitrary disregard ofthe rights ofperson
and property, that, if long unchecked,
must place them at the mercy Of body
Of bigots whose increasing license would
become uncomfortable.
From the Evening Post.l
Is it a reaction2 Have the Republi.
cans lost their hold of the affections of
the masses have they ceased to be the
popular party, and must ith0y go, like
former Wings into a permanent mi
nority or is this manifestation of the
peoples will a mere passing chastise-
ment, intended to rebuke their faults,
aud bring them back to moderation,
common sense, and policy2 We think
the latter Interpretation is the correct
one. The Republicans have had entire
power and responsibility ever since the
close of the war; they were called upon
to restore the Union, TO pnt our finances
on stable, consistent and reasonable
basis, so that business men might know
what to look forward to; and to devise
| r 81 Il
the wants of the Treasury, without inter.
fering too much with the productive
industry Of the nation.
These three things were required of
them; but they have accomplished
neither successfully; they have bungled
in all of Them and the people are dis
satisfied. Our method of raising reve-
nue. is unscientific, complicated and OPP
pressive; our financial management is
without fixed principle or plan - not
wholly unskilful, for Secretary McCul-
loch looks and acts towards an important
end, the resumption of specie payments
but yet sufficiently so to keep the
commercial miRd in a state of uncer.
tainty and chronic fever. As for re-
construction, it is not in so hopeful
condition now as 1T was year ago, when
the constitutional amendment-artcle
XIV-was passed. Nearly all that
Congress has since done has been need.
less, violent, unstatesmanlike-we might
almost say fauatical.
The Post then enumerates among its
"minor causes" impeachment; uniform
suffrage forced upon all the States. The
extreme measures of the leaders of Con-
gress the proposition Of ooniiscation
prohibition, ETC., which cover the Repub-
lican party in all its entirety. 1t then
concludes:
1t was to correct these mistakes, to
arrest these designs, to put the party of
the war on better path, that the people
have spoken. Republicanism, they say,
must not be tied to the tail Of the New
York Tribune, to follow the fortunes of
its idiosyncracies and foibles. 1t must
plant itself upon sound, broad, pro-
gressive, popular principles, and discard
ing alike its fanatics of one idea, and its
politicians of more than one corruption,
accept the guidance of statesmen.