Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-10-11

The hideous iiueameuts of the Recon-
struction measures are thus graphically
painted by the Chicago Times. We con-
fess our inability to adt to the picture:
This last reconstruction bill is an set Of
perfdy on the part Of congress. Only a
! few weeks ago the radical speaker Of the
house, who from his position may be pre-
| sumed to know whereof he aEiirms in al
matters relating to his party, declared,
I In effect, in a speech Ia New York, that
there could be no change Of the terms
offered to the south in the first military
bills, If Ebs accepted them. without a
! gross breach OF faith which should make
the men eXeCr8ble who we're guilty Of il!
She did accept them, and was pro.
ceediug to reOrgauize under them iu en-
tire good faith; and now congress has
met to change the terms, aud to impose
| more severe ones on her. Il has openly
| com mitted the mean and criminal act of
| repudiating she pledge It gave 10 the
| southern people, aud Speaker Colfsx is
/ foremost in the infamous work. AS one
! lie to conceal a crime ueUessitatss an
] other and one crime cCmpels the com
! mission OF others TO prevent detection
and accomplish the purpose for which
] tile first was committed, congress has
| been forced to blunder on in fsIseh0od
and villainy in this work Of " recon
stTuctiOn until 10 has resched the
! crOwning monstrosity in this last bill
! To say that 10 does not change the
/ terms Of the first ones is patent IN
/ truth. Under pretsose Of declaring
| their meaning, it authorizes district
| com snders aud boards Of registration
| to exercise powers forbidden them in the
| first bills, and it excludes from the polls
] large classes Of the best men in the south
| who could vote under the first bills. Il
makes tbs power Of the district COM
maDders absolute, and authorizes them
10 overthrow at pleasure the existing
state governments, which the first bills
did not do. The change Of terms is ma
terial, injurious and insulting to the
south, who was assured r~ 20 no change
should be msde. How pitifui and de- !
grading is the lie offered IS an excuse !
for the perfdy Of the last bill.
The character Of the bin msy be Judged |
by its purpose, aud that We have fairly |
and exactly stated. The men passing Il |
had but one object. They intended 70 80 !
legisiate as to give the negroes in the |
south political control of the state gov
ernments. To DO this, it was necessary |
to disfranchise the only GLASS Of men in |
the southern states capable Of managing |
the public business.
1t was inevitable that a purpose SO !
criminal and degrading shogld be accom- |
psuied by acts of tTeacbery and mean
ness. The reconstruction policy Of con-
gress is bold usurpstion Of authority |
There is no warrant for il in the cOnsti- |
tuition of the United States. The men |
voting for it have violated the Oaths
which they have taken 10 support the /
constitution. Had congress been law 1
fully invested with power to enforce this
policy, there was nothing in the situa-
ton Of the cOuHtry to justify its enforce
ment. The despOtisIl it establishes is in |
defiance not only Of the constitution, but
Of every principle Of free and enligbt-
ened governments. 1t Is fastened upon
a people obedient t. law. The pretenss
offered for its Justification is an absurd |
falsehOOd. The war ended so dissstrousIy !
to the south that thece was not sane
man within her limits who thought Of
again resisting the authority Of the fede-
raj government.
The reconstruction policy Of congress
can only be spoken Of properly in Ian
guage Of severest deuunciatiOn. It is a
policy in which perjury, Usurpstion des-
potism, treschery, hypocrisy, cruelty,
eOwardiee and prohigste partissnshipl
have all mingled It's purpose is SO de-
testaoie that il can only be accomplished
by the preparation of hideoUs crimes.
It's authors intend TO "Orcsnize helt7l In
all the southern states, Is it is now or
ganized in Tennessee and Missouri, and
they intend to do this by degrading
white men, Americans in blood, and
placing them in subsection to negroes,
who are as ignorant as the Digger IE-
dians, and but little less debased. This