Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-31

Tue ITtoiututlf unu "o tAP'Se ,Ho poS
pie to lose sight Of the principles involved
In their admiration Of the man. ln ad-
dition to this, we have powerful argu-
ments in ringing the changes, through
our organs and orators, upon the words
rebel copprhead, sympathiser, traitor
10 the PARTY, etc, etc" What but these
are the means employed TO secure the
ascendancy Of the Radical party in the
fall elections? And now, having sub
jected the Nhite men Of the South by
military coercion 10 the domination OF
their recently omancipated slaves, less
fitted to exercise the right Of suffrage than
the women and half grown children Of
the North, and led on by adventurers
who seek to use them as instruments 10
secure offices and riches, the Radical
leaders fill the country with the cry, "Lst
us have peace" Yes, with their feet upon
the necks, and their bayonets at the
breasts Of the white people of the South,
they cry, LET US have peace" Let us
have tame submission to all the measures
of our party to secure their own ascend.
aacy, however unconstitutional, unjust
and oppressive. And if any Of their vic
Tins evince disposition to resist their
usnrpations and expressions, and seek
relief, even by peaceful means, they de-
nounce them as unrepentant rebels, seek
ng renewal Of the civil war.
Has any man, worthy to be trusted in
public life, read so little Of history, or
studied human nature so unprofitably, as
to believe that the white people Of the
South are to be pacified by being thrusted
out of the pale Of the Constitution, and
subjected to the absolute power Of their
lately emancipated slavss2 Has ages
of oppression made Ireland love Eng
land? Has oppression and massacre
recouciled the Poles to the domination OF
Russia? Human nature is tho same
everywhere. Reduced to despair by op-
preston, the oppressed will resort to
desperate remedies. Nay, where all hope
is lost, they will sooner rush upon death
itself than live degraded and dishonored
lives. If there be any people in the
world who will not submit to hopeless
oppression, it is those who have been
raised under the free institutions Of the
United States. Let each voter of the
North ask himself how he would feel, and
what he would do, if an usurping Con-
gress were to deprive him OF the rights
of freeman, and subject him in life,
liberty and property to the absolute con-
troll of ignorant and penniless negroes.
As he would answer that inquiry, so let
him act. Let him not wonder that notes
such as he himself might utter under
like circumstances reach his ears coca
from the South and let him ask
himself whether he is prepared by his vote
to reproduce onthis continent the conduct
of England toward ireland and Of Russia
toward Poland. No man of sense and
can expect peace in the
South so long as large portion of the
white population are excluded from all
in their own government,
and exposed to be plundered and
oppressed by their late slaves, led
on by adyenturers. from the North.
They laid down their arms in good
faith they gave up their slaves; they
surrendered the principle for which they
had fought; they accepted the poverty
to which they were reduced; and they
sought only to be allowed the privilege
of free and loyal citizens under the old
flag. This, President Lincoln, and Pres
ident Johnson following in his footsteps,
desired to concede to them. The former
fell by the hands of rebel assassin the
latter has been ferociously hunted by an
other class of assassns. The policy of
the two Presidents was identical; and
yet our Radicals, with singular incon-
sistency, defy the dead Lincoln and
cruelty the living johnson. Why is this ?
Lincoln is out of their way, and they
would profit by his virtues; johnson is a
lion in their path, and they would
destroy him for his fidelity in attempting
10 protect the Constitution.
What sort of peace is to beexpected in
he South so long as white people are
prescribed and negroes allowed to govern,
nay be safely inferred from the condition
If those reconstructed States-Lousiana
md Tennessee. Their Governors aud
legislatures are calling for military aid,
Ivowing their incapacity to maintain
,eace and enforce the laws by the civil
authorities. If this be SO, it is conclusive
roof that congressional reconstruction,
S means of tranquilizing the South, is
failure. The road to peace is in an-
ther direction. Let Congress retire
,ithin the limitations of the Constitution.
.et them abolish their test oaths and re-
aove all their disabilities Let them re-
tore to the President his legitimate |
unctions, and allow his pardons to have |
heir constitutional effect. Let them
instead of weaken the judici-
ry, aud sustain it in the full exercise of
Is powers, for the protection of both the !
Thite and the black.
Wipe out as with sponge all your ez
,ost facto legislation, and restore to all
be States their constitutional rights. Do
his, and you will have peace. The men
Thom you now hold disfranchised aud
ave pushed to the verge of despair will
ecome your sureties for the preserva-
ion of peace and the restoration of order.
Reverse the picture aud what are the
respects of this country 2 Attempt to
ustain these negro governments by |
orce, and you reduce the prescribed |
Ihite men to despair. Your army, in
tead of being reduced, must be doubled. |
he taxes, instead of being diminished,
iust be increased. II Congress cannot
as they have not) prevent an increase
{ our frightful national debt 10 times of
eace, what mountains must be added to
by renewal Of warG Aud in the
narchy which must essne, what is to
ecome Of our republican institutions
re we, like the people Of so many other
,publics which have lived aud per-
he'd, destined to seek for repose
the arms Of = military despotism
implore my coan,rymen 10 look
le dangers Of the crisis in the face. and
, use the power lett to secure union,
,ace and prosperity, withoat further re-
vi to prescription OF the sword These
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