Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-07-17
MEkT

1t was q pungent sarcasm or III. II
MON, "Que le Ninistre d~'iHshructio1
puJligue dot lui.meme saUOir parlei
| Ercncois." Surely the French Minis
ter Of Public I~ustrEetiop ought bimsel
to know how to speak French
Men have a natural proclivity to tall
most on subjects Of which they know
least. They are like the PhilosophiC
Alite in VOLTAIRE's Mieromegas:
ys D'eBfsuds pas hop 5en le Gree lit q
N moi non phs, III 10 Me P~17osophjquc.'
FouT9noi aonca Tfprt e Sy7l1 efes-rgu' az
Ce,r repHqua je SaranL, gu u ydla Jisn aie,
ee qU on ne cOHlprsHd pas dH ioia, dams Ia iaHgu'
o. On extends ie ns1ins'
4 do not too well understand Greek,
says the Giant.
And 1 as little says the PhilosophiC
4lits.
Why then,i ssked the Syrian, do you
quote one ARISTOTLE, in Greek?'
1T is said the Savant, because one
ought always to cite what he does not al
all comprehend, in the language which
he least undefatAndR|
A person named HOWARD, who infests
the Senate Of part Of the United States,
in the character of Senator from Michi-
gan, lately undertook to instruct that
extraordinary body. He performed part
Of his task, thus:
The act Of March % declares in the
preamble that in the ten states there eX-
lists no legal state governments and no
adequate protection for life, liberty and
property. Governments OF q certain
kind already, it is true, existed there ;
but, as a matter Of fact, they were such
governments as had been established not
by congress, the supreme law-making
power of the land not by the loyal peo-
pie Of these states, acting freely by spOn-
taneous impulse for the whole commu-
nity, as was the case in West Virginia,
nor by the rebel people acting freely, nor
by the rebel and loyal elements acting
together, but by the orders and DEGREES of
the executive, acting without the knowl-
edge or consent Of congress. That fune-
tionary, very suddenly elevated to his po-
sitiOn by the assassination of the president
elected by the people, acting under the
influence Of bad passions and bad advice,
Selling upon the most critical state of
affairs produced by the surrender Of the
rebel armies, took upon himself the office
Of state-maker for the ten states which
were devoid of all state rights and privi-
leges, as be himself has often declared.
lying so many heaps Of shapeless politi-
cal ruins. He assumed of his own good
will and pleasure, without any act Of
congress, in utter derogation of the pow
ers OF congress, to grant these people not
merely that military protection which by
the laws Of nations and of war is an in
oident Of the occupation of IN enemy's
country, but political rights and powers.
clothed them with legislative author
ity, with judicial and administrative
AUCTIONS, and the additional right Of
electing senators and representatives 10
All this he did without law
or constitutional warrant, in a manner
and spirit unknown to our history.
and known only to despotic government.
It was the first earnest ana formal
attempt TO introduce practically into our
government these a~bsOlutistic ideas, the
absence Of which from our system has
ever been our boast and glory. Itcannot
be denied-even the president cannot
1Nug Nhdl lie tAtIClotu uullullLeQ power.
and legislative, over the subIu.
gated states. 1t cannot be denied that
object was to introduce into congress
in December, 1855, Representatives OF
communities hostile to this government,
hostile TO its preservation, hostile TO its
policy, with no security for their good
behavior, but the promise on oath of men
who by tens Of thousands had once wan
broken their oaths, to support the
constitution. 1t cannot be denied that
he presidents scheme was to reinstate
he rebels TO their former powers and
privileges, without exacting any security
the occurrences Of the rebellion,
introducing proper safeguards
lgainst their influences for the future.
A Senator ought to know something Of
he facts which be undertakes to assert,
s well as OF the doctrines which he as
to expound. Mr. HOWARD acts on
be theory of the philosophic mite. An
BREW JOHNSON, be says, took upon him.
elf the Office Of State-maker, for The TEN
that were devoid Of ell State
lights and privileges. Re assumes to
i've all Of them legislative authority.
vith the right to elect Senators and Rep
eseutatives to Congress-
1t woald not have COST Mr.. Howard
anOh study OF inaaiy to have learned