Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-15
dEM9HES APPEAL
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTA-
TON.

TEa lust GAUSS Iuf fGVOiuttOHs Np
State or Colony can owe any allegiance
ts 3 government beyond its limits, which
oompels It to bear any portion Of the
burthens of the country, without being
entitled to any voice In the conduct OF
public affairs.
The reconstructed States Of the South
sre virtually without representation, be-
cause then are not permitted to select, Of
their oron free i0ig, and Without restTfc-
ton or limitation, those sOho shall repre-
sent them in Congress. Il is the ssme
thing, to deny representation altogether
to State, or to prohibit its election Of
those who truly represent and are the
choice Of thepsople; aud to compel z sIa
To select their representatives out q
limited number OF persons, designated
by the eupreme power. A people on
which so odious a restriction is imposed,
is not represented, but misrepresented,
ia the body that makes the laws. II
they vote.s all, they merely elect be-
tween two or more whom they detest
and despise, that one who is least despi-
cable and detestable. 1t is like deter
mining between two diseases, by which
OF the two it will be least horrible to die.
Itis always quits as probable that, ss
i the people cannot exercise free choice and
select those who would truly represent
them, they will not care to vote at all.
In either case they sre not represented.
The men who have Ruesked into Con-
gress from Arkansas, and who, il they
had the least sense of shame, would not
dsre to look in the face a man rightfaliy
proud Of holding his position by the free
votes Of a respectable constituency, do
\ not represent the people Of Arkansas,
aay more than the negroes in the South
CarOlins Convention represented the
+ PEOPLE of that outraged State. They
occupy a position not more honorable
than that of an officer who has in his
conservatory the statuettes stolen by
him from a tomb in the South or on his
sldeboardthe plate packed up while sOiled
at Holly Springs; or In his library or
parlor the books and paintings captured
+ from Southern residences; not more SO
/ than that Of a man who lives in house
Of which he has robbed bis wards, or
which he has gained by sharp practice
/ and chicanery, or won by cheating at
4 cards or jockeyiDg in a hOrse-race.
These men vote 20 increase the expen-
ditures, and by appropriations for Sec
tional benefit and ingenious tariffs, and
releasing b0nd-holders and manutsctur-
ers from taxation, lay heavy burthens
upon the people whom they pretend to
represent. They are always ready to
sell themselves for a price. They cry
their votes for sale, as hucksters cry their
wares. For they know that the places
4 they bold do them. no honor, but are
only their shame; so that these places
do Iot profit them, uSIess they puJ
money in their purses. They have no
chsracter to lose, no popularity to via,
! that an honest man would have. IF any
+ Of them are without shame, they are
{ only so much the more despicable.
/ And yet the votes Of the two sham
( Senators from Arkansas, weigh as much
as those Of the real Senators from the
great State Of New York. Twenty of
them will soon be there to herd together,
and pretend to be at their ease while in
the pillory; serene while they srs the
mark Of universal contempt.
These men viii have ia their hands
the liberties and fortunes Of million
reeborn Southern men who despise
them. They levy taxes upon them, and
bow them down to the earth with the
heavy, cruel burthen. They continue
their disfrsnchIsement, and commit to
negroes the power Of making laws for
them; they souander the revenue merci- /
lessly wruBg from them by the Federal
tax gatherers they impose ON them
penalties, dissgalifications and punish
ments, and deprive them Of every right
lhat any charter OF freedom ever gua-
rsnteed they are for the time the Nor
man mobiles making laws for the Saxon
ThaDe and peasant and the serf-the
Tsrtsrs eneamped in China. This is
more than taxation without representa-
ton; and It IS the condition Of every
Southern Stats. Il is the condition OF
FsBuessse. It would bs = f5 condition
for the subjects Of Turkey, Morocco or
Agiers.
For such government Is simply 8
Despotlsn, the Rulers being In 40 degree
responsible to the people, and only in
terested to enrich and sggrandize them
selves. They are even worse than those
members Of the Irish Parliament who
sold their votes for the union with Eng |
land for British gold. The only differ
ence Is, that some Of these 0Uere men Of |
birth and mark and name and reputa-
ton, and their venslity and treacbery,
therefore, seemed unnatural and worthy |
to be noted in history while the venali- |
ty and political debaucbery and shame
lessness Of the ignoble crew who misre-
present and are to misrepresent the pso. !
pie Of the Southern States, is 20 phenou-
enon Of which the world cares to take /
notice. History does not reach down to
fsh the names and actions Of such crea-
lures out Of the puddles and holes in
which they swim.
Look at this city Of Memphis. Who |
are they that impose tsxeson its people at
pleasure, and eZpend its revenues +? |
Who levy black msil, and refuse
TO obey the law and account /
for their ill-goiten emolumenE, /
and arrest citizens at pleasure, aBd
hermit a burglary to be committed every
night? The Board of County Commits
sioners hold their offices by the same
tenure as the Pachss Of Turkish Prov
lnces;-at the pleasure of the Sultan.
Not responsible to the people, they are
not responsible to any body. They are
the Lords- Paramount of Shelby county, |
armed with and grossly abusing an ire |
sponsible power. Bribing venal presses
with their patronage, and paying them |
for their daily coinage Of fsisehood with |
the moneys coming from those who have
neither voice IN the appointment Of these
men, nor privilege to demonstrate against