Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-03-22

I -C-
vention, and let them authorize the goN
ernor, in the event of an atfirmatiY
e answer to that inquiry, to make the N
eessary proclamation. The time is an
ple. The term of the present governC
does not expire until the lst of January
1868 It is probable that il may suit th
pleasure 81 the general commandin
:, this department to eGntinEe the existin
y forms of government, SO as to pfev6G
q for some months TO come, the disorder
j. of anarchy. Meas while, we may dis
s cover an escape from horrors which it
S happiness merely 70 postpone. By thi
: means the people will be enShled delif
! erately to assume the responsibility c
I action in the emergency-a responsible
D ity too profound ana momentous to res
: on narrower foundations.
J From the Petersburg pispatch.l
To decline to act brings in view conse
quences which are fraught with peril
to act is to drink to the dregs one of tn
D bitterest cups ever concOeted by iDge
: nuity Grd viudictiveness.
! From the Lynehbnrg Nirgnian.l
.. One thing is certain, in our judgment
snd that is, that we cannot rely upon tht
Conservative leo called people of th'
north. They seem to be qemOraiiaed
f anu tDlAtllN themselves G4AAtptI - Af+
tame protests against the usufpat!On:
and outrages of congress. Neither car
We cite, with any effect, the decisions o.
the supreme court. That body is nov
supporting the constitution Int how
long it will be found 10 accord Herewith
depends upon the little of life that re-
mains to one infirm old man who must
soon sink into the gave. The court will
then be equally divided, aud its decisions
upon all political questions be neutral
lied. But, if it were even otherwise, il
commands no respect.
From Col Doster oIthe Alabama Legislature
/ regard it as certain that this bill viii
very soon become the law of the country,
and within one I1o2th a federal officer
will have in operation the machinery of
martial law IN Alabama. My opinion is,
that under the operation OF this bill the
present state government Of Alabama
/ will continue as q provisional govern
ment, but will be sUbofdinated tc the
military. The statutes of Alabama now
recognized as law by the state authOri-
ties, including the acts of the legislature
passed during the session just closed, viii
doubtless be executed by the Off
GERS OF the present state govern
ment. ! regard it as highly probable
that the military eommandant will inter
fere as little as practicable with the
present machinery Of state government.
| / think that the present ineumbents o!
the state and county offices will be per-
mitted TO continue the discharge of their
official duties, whether they are dis
/ qualified from holding office by the third
section of the Howard amendment or
not. The local civil tribunals viii con-
tinue to dispose of questions involving
criminal and civil jurisdiction as hereto
/ fore, except in those cases where they
! fail or refuse TO execute the laws, or
where there is a palpable departure from
/ the principles of impartial justice. The
| intensity of the Tigors and asperities
of martial law will depend upon our
! own conduct.
/ From the Augusta ga Chronielel
We will not insult the people Of
! Georgia by asking them to open their
mouths and take into their bowels the
abomination contained in the last pill
! compounded 10y the political quacks at
! Washington. II our people were mean
enough to bid for representation on such
debasing conditions, they have no
guarantee that additional degrading
terms will not be exacted. We are
called on to deliver up TO Outlawry and
political martyrdom the best and purest
men in the south, and to send TO con-
gress creatures who can take the test
oath, and swear that they set their faces
against our people in the day of trial.
This would be placing the brand of in
fanny on our own brOws. Military des-
potism, or any other rule, would be
| preferable to such an alternative as that
presented in the Sherman bill. If degra-
datiOn and torture are in store for US, let
not our people voluntarily aid in the in
| Fiction, but let the shame of such q
monstrous iniquity fall upon its insti-
gators and authors.
From the Augusta Ca Constitutionalist.l
/ There is, as far as the north is con-
cerned, no question Of consent at all.
| Demands are made and no option is
/ given worthy of independent minds. We
can scquiesce silently, because powerless
10 defy; but TO stultify ourselves by or
| ganizing affirmation Of disgrace, is al
/ once folly and a crime. Because We
| have cheated ourselves once, il is no
argument to repeat the deception. On
the contrary, it is the very sturdiest rea-
son why we should stand aloOf from
self betrayal, which can bring US no
honor, and, depending on a string Of
congressional "ifs,n may bring us no
profit.
From the Columbus Ca SUM
We are clearly of the opinion that it is
moral suicide in the people of the south
/ to change front at this time. While it is
! true that the military bill proposes to
! impose upOn us the humiliation which
| Gov Brown advises US 10 impose upon
| ourselves, it is yet question if the out
rage can be successfully perpetrated.
| The fight is not yet over, and it is rank
/ ., 10
/ fore he has had q chance TO prOmulgate
his veto, and before all legal and con-
stitutional remedies have been eX-
hausted to avert from US the destruction
! with which we are threatened.
From the Griffin tGa.) Herald.l
We look upon universal suffrage as
/ one of the greatest calamities that could
| befal our country, and for the sake Of
all that is good, we trust the southern
people will not be partakers in the crime
of bringing it about.
From the Columbus (Ga) f-aquirer.l
Why should we yet despair of favor
| able reaction in northern sentiment,
when no popular indications whatever
have vet been given of the acceptability
| of the harsh measures proposed for our
government-when elections are just
about to come off that will afford bet
ter understanding Of the feeling of the
northern people? Why not continue in
the unmolested enjoyment, vouchsafed
TO us for brief period, Of the state lOr
provisional " government of our own
choosing?
From the Rome (Ga) Courier,l
II the vietors demand nothing more
than they have right TO claim, or the
subdued can honOrably yield, then COM
| ply with good grace and promptly. But
| If il is wrong for the south TO accept this
proposition, then let her not voluntarily
disgrace herself under the threats that
her property will be pillaged unless she
does it. IL may be better that the COM
| mercial interests Of the south should
| suffer a little longer rather than that her
peOple should endure a shameful mOrtiti-
cation through all coming time-by their
own act But, as we said above, 1t Is a
grave question, and the people should
Law aside all prejudice, and give the sub
ject a thorough investigation and delib-
crate decision, in all candor and honesty.
From the New Orleans CreseentI
| We impress upon our readers the ss.li-
ent and remarkable fact, that the meas
ure makes absolutely no provision for
affecting the objects which il Ostensibly
contemplates. IL the real desire had
been to accomplish restoration of the
union, some machinery would have been
nrovided by means of which the southern
States would have been rehabilitated. y
The time Of restoration would not have
been indefinitely postponed by leaving
r the initiatory movements optional with
the people OF the southern states. In fact
this measure rivals the constitutional
! amendment as an inefficient project.
and equals it as 8 dilatory expedient.
We do not think that there is any oc.
easion for alarm, much less for despair
; ss to our situation and prospects. Sc
J long as the state governments retain
} their functions, the people of the south
can endure the evils of their compulsory
disseverance from the union quite a
well as they have borne 1t up to this
time. They will, Of course, decline x
! reorgauize their respective politica
. communities under the provisions Of thi