Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-04-03
ATroubIesome MIDDLE.

The New York Herald, which is quite
behind the curtain. says that the South
ern negro reconstruction case OF Ala
bama is a puzzle to the two Houses, and
requires a great deal of mighty nice
consideration" The constitution failing
by the required vote is no impeachment; ;
but, says the Herald:
The trouble is here: Alabama, If re-
stored to Congress and the State right TO
manage her own local affairs, though
Radical this year, may be revolptionized
next year-constitntion, negro sBprsma a.
CIV, universal negro suffrage and all.
And so of Virginia, North Carolins,
South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Lou
| isiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas.
! While under their present military gov.
ernments and the direct supervision OF
| Congress they can be managed but once
reinstated into full communion ss States,
| they may become as intractable and OF.
| fensive to Radicalism as Maryland and
Kentucky.
We are utterly astonished at such dali
ness With the example of Tennessee
before them. how should there be any
trouble about those States, when once
Radicalized, being Kept sol Nothing
needs to be done but to send down some
of our little puppy Tennessee constitu-
ton. makers to help manipulate the thing,
and then put over these States some Of
the Stevenses, Buffers, Wadss. Schencks,
Couovers or Hollis (who will be just 81
good as Brownlow), and the whole thing
is effected. Cast they see that Tennes-
see is unable to escape from their tolls
and dare not lie its head enough even &c
hold peaceable, lawful, eKpsdient and
necessary State Convention ?
Hear the Herald talk about the legis
lation of Congress being all a shallow
device, just as if there were white free
men 10 these States:
Let us suppose, for instance, that al
these ten disabled States are recon
structed and restored upon these funda
mental conditions, snd that Hext yea
the opposition party, say in Alabami
and Georgia, get control Of the Legisla
ture. call a new State Convention, get tn
majority therein, frame q new Cons,itu
ton reducing the negroes to qualities
suifrsre. and so elect an anti Radica
delegation 10 the next Congress, whs
tbenf OF course if the Radicals, ex
Guiding these States, still hold the con
troll Of both houses, all these proceeding
in disregard ofthe conditions OF Congress
applying to the future regulation OF sal
! States, will be upset But suppose that 4
the next succeeding Congress the eOnseI
vatives get decisive working majority Il
both houses, and that they abolish TIN
, whole radical system Of Southern recon
! siruciion, uill not that be the end Of Il
Most likely; aud ss the laws Of one Cos
gress may be repealed By another, al
these securities and conditions for thl
future with which the present Congress i
) eudeavoring 20 bind the States coucerne,
; are liable 20 be overihrovn With the frs
change Of the dominant party in Con
} gress
This Radical policy Of Southern negrl
recoustructiou, thens may Be pronounce'
a f.ilure- We find that even in Ten
nesses. where this system has been 6xsl
60 TIE Siafe CobEiitutiou and govern
! inert under Brovnlov, The preseuce Q
! the United States army is necessary =