Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-15
PUBLIC LEDGER.
A STATE CONVENTION.

Senator Howard, of Michigan, said
Yesterday in the Washington Senate,
that a minority government cannot ex-
list in this country. Heis Radical, and
voted for the Military bill. What does
he think of the minority government of
Tennessee Does he think that it can
exist? What does he think of the dis
reimbursement of eighty thousand white
men by legislature for which the PEG
ple never voted ? Does he know that
the members were elected within the
lines of the Federal army before the
close of the war, and that the election
was a military measured We suggested
yesterdaF the idea of calling a conven-
ton. A correspondent, distinguished
for his talent and patriotism, in the sub
Joined communication, seconds the sug-
gestion. but differs from US as to the
course it should take We have only to
say that Congress possesses the power to
give us republican form of government,
and we have not the power to enforce
one for ourselves. Without discussing
the point further, we give the communi-
cation:
EDITOR PUBLIC LEDGER: In one of
your pithy, brief and pointed editorials
of Thursday, you start out bravely on
the high road to freedom, but you unfor.
tunately got lost in the fog.
You made an earnest appeal to the
people of the State to awake from sleep
and make an effort to recover their free
dom. and say, let us have a con vention
at Nashville, and call upon Congress to
give us a republican government for this
State. Now why call upon Congress for
what we have the right, and the power to
do for ourselves 2 When the cart man
got stuck in the mud, and called upon
Hercules for help, he was told to put his
own shoulder to the wheel, and then if
he needed help, he should have it Let
us take the advice. We don't need the
aid Of the Federal Hercules Besides, if
he we're to come, we don't know GER
tainly which side be would take, whether
he would be for the cart, or for the mud
hole. But if for the former, there is
great danger, that after reseuing the
cart be would claim it as a prize, and
taking the reins and the drivers seat,
we should ourselves be left in the mud.
Upon the whole, Sir, l think we had bet
ter let Hercules alone We are abund-
antly able ourselves to take the vehicle |
out of the mud, and to direct its course
afterwards.
The people of the State, have only to
say to the blood hounds and thieves
that now prey upon the body of the State,
Loose your hold and stand back and
the work is done.
Let us then have a convention. Yes,
Sir, a big one; composed of the best men
of the State Unisn and Secesh, old
Wings, old Democrats, all who are for
law, order, and constitutional freedom
Let them come from the mountains and
valleys; from the Frenchbroad and the
Mississippi Let the grand old city once
more hail her true sons, and let her that
has sat so long in mourning, once more
hear the cheering voices of her own chill
dren, and standing upon her own gran
lite hill, consecrated by the ashes of her
heroes, utter once again the immortal
declaration of Virginia's eloquent son,
Give me liberty or"-you know the
rest Let them proclaim, I'VE are the
people of Tennessee, and by the grace Of
God she shall be again what she was in
days of yore-free " So says
SHELBY County