Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-24

been manifest from their vindictive a
we'll as false utterances, when dealin
with the whole mass Of the Souther
people, lately 10 rebellion, from thei
broken oaths, their contempt for the Con
stitutiou, their obedience TO pretende'
higher law, when not even the pretext Q
necessity" longer exists, and from al
their inconsistent, contradictory cruel
infamous and shameless acts. There wa
one thing, however, which they did no
do. They did not attempt the coniisca
ton of Southern property. They prob
ably thought they could get along with
out that, or It would undoubtedly have
been done. For, judging them BY thei'
asst acts, it would be unreasonable tC
suppose they would hesitate at anything
necessary to retain their power, for nc
better reason than that it was wrong
And, moreover, to the honor of the peo'
nile of the States North, be it said, these
men who have disgraced their country,
and indelibly branded their own names
with such dishonor as will cause them
to be marked by the historian as
warning to others, foresaw that the
extreme of confscation, prescription,
Punishment and torture, to which
they would willingly have gone,
would not be borne by the Northern
people. There was too much intelli-
gence, patriotism, magnanimity, philan-
thropy and craftsmanship in the North
to bear such enormities against common
humanity, and such breaches of the ma
tional faith implied at the surrender. And
seeing that fact, and fearing to go so far,
and entertaining at the time the hope of
accomplishing their ends by milder
means, they desisted. But now they
regret that they did not 60 to the utmost
extreme, only because they fear the
omission will be the means of displacing
them from power.
What, then, will they do, if Grant and
Colfax are elected, and they are firmly
seated on the throne, in order to retain
their ill-gotten prerogatives? Or rather
what damnable thing may they be ex-
pected to leave undone?
In speaking on this subject, that
always sagacious, as well as eminently
practical and sensible journal, the New
Orleans Crescent, has the following:
Some of the Radical papers are grace
less enough, and shameless enough, to
express regret that Congress abstained
from extreme measures of confiscation
and prescription, in the outset, as an
essential part of the plan for keeping
the Radical faction in perpetual power.
1t is due to this weak generosity, they
argue, that there is doubt as to whether
the Southern States will vote in the COM
ing election for Grant or for Seymour;'l
had a different policy been
adopted, the South could now be
reckoned as unit for the Radical
ticket But the abstinence in ques-
ton was not the result of gene
rosity of any sort. II was only
by fear Of public opinion at the
North that the Radical leaders in Con-
gress were deferred from INJECTING upon
The South sweeping confscation and
The Northern people were
not prepared 10 see nearly one-half the |
territory of the Union, apd that the fair
est portion, abandoned to material ruin,
to social chaos, to leprous barbarism, to |
The Jungle, ths swamp. the food, the |
wolf and the panther, the viper and the |
alligator, for the obvious and sole pur-
pose of securing power and plunder |
10 a clique of unscrupulous politicians. |
Aware of the popular Jealousy in this
the Radical msjorities of the |
hirty ninth and of the fortieth Congress
nesitated to 90 at once to the extremity |
indicated, hoping that Southern recon-
;truction on the present plan would |
serve their purposes as temporary ex-
pedieut. But this hope begins to look |
extremely shaky, The prospect becomes |
Tally more clear aaj distinct that the |
Democrats will carry every recoustrpcted !
State, with the doubtful exception Of
South Carolina. The Radical oligarchs
view the scene with modification and |
lsmay. They repent with anguish of
he concession which they made to |
popular sentiment in emitting 10 carry |
but merciless scheme of coDhscation
and prescription. by which, as they Row
think, they might have taken " a bond of
ate, and make assurance doubly sure
Il is plain that the idea of eventually |
adopting such a policy has never been |
The adoption of il was
merely postponed to a more convenient |
season, in order to make things smooth |
FOR the time being. The people, there
rore, have stronger reasons than ever for |
hurling the radical olgarchs from |
power. Should they be permitted to grasp |
and WELD hereafter all the machinery Of
there is no extremity to |
which respect for popular sentiment
would prevent them from rushing. For |
experience teaches them that this senti- |
ment is now turned unalterably against |
hem, and that in order to fortify and |
perpetuate their dominion hereafter they |
must take COUNSEL of audacity and despe- |
ration, and pyocaed resolutely from
perfdy to perEdy. from usurpation to
from spolistion to spolietion,
until ruin should spread over the whole |
land, and liberty would have no abiding
place in it. The people divine this
temper and this reasoning, and hence 1t
is that the wave of anti Radical reaction
rolls onward with constant increase of
volume and force.
Carpef-Baggers.
By this expressive title the people of
the Southern States designate the tramp.
ing aud proving Yankees that have