Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-07-24
aaoa ooxernment and Pence.

/
II any Southern Democrat should be
asked what public good he desired, he
would answer an honest government and
lust administration of good laws. II
| is not to put Democrats in power, instead
Of an opposing party, that is the hrs'
thought and wish. 1t is to put any men
in power who have the qualifications the
great Jefferson required, who asked
nothing as to public servant but us
he honest, is he capable, is he faithful
to the Constitution Peace and good
order is what all Democrats crave. And
they seek, therefore, to place in power
honest men who will obey the Constitu-
ton. That is all we care about men.
fthis right object was equally desired
BY the Radical leaders, we should have
peace in Tennessee in twenty.four hours.
Much as We have abhorred their bad
practices, we could bear with them with
out complaint to the expiration Of their
terms of office, il they would only simply,
faithfully and honestly, make and exc
cute Just laws. But, because they have
been weak enough to suppose they could
not do this and retain power, they have
hitherto refused, and still refuse. They
undertake to drive the people, by threats
of an armed force, into the support Of
their iniquitous measures. What they
might accomplish by fair means, they
are silly enough to expect to do by force.
The Louisville Journal says truly:
determination is the Brownlow cry;
and il has produced its effect. Long sut-
fering will drive any people mad. Des-
peration will make any people reckless.
This is Brow nlow' object and the object
Of the Radical party. They want to pro-
duce a conflict between the people and
the militia. They want "a civil war IN
Tennessee. They think they can send
Gen. Thomas down there and stamp it
out, and make of it besides great cam
paign argument
And on this the Nashville Dispatch,
in keeping with the true will of peace
full and law-abiding, but none the less
resolute people, makes the following
comments. We must indeed keep in the
right. And we must also take care that
the enemies of inalienable rights do not
90 so far and obtain so much power as
to assure their final overthrow
1t is the policy of Brownlow and the
hold. had men by whom he is urged on,
to provokea :" civil war" that he might
letloose upon defenseless people band
Of desperadoes and cut-throats who would
have mercy for neither age nor sex. We
have no doubt that il is fixed fact that
the militia will be called out and sta
toned in different portions of the Mid
ale and Western divisions of the State to
barass and annoy the people, and by
systematic cruelty and outrage, worse
even than was practiced by the mill
tia last year, to provoke peaceable
and quiet eitizeus TO acts OF violence 10
retaliation for these wronga. we know
il is difficult for heightened, honorable
men to restrain themselves under such
an accumulation of wrong and outrage
as has been. and will yet be, perpetrated
IN the name OF lag and order, but we
trust we shall be pardoned for urging, opr
fellow-citizens to so conduct themselves
that In whatever emergency may happen
they will have right on their side. If
collision must come, Let it be brought on
by our oppressors Let the people OF
Tennessee show to their brethren of the
other States, in the critical emergency
lust dawning upon them, that they a.e
law-abiding people, and that they seek to
redress their wrongs only in q legitimate,
lawful way, and right will prevail in the
end. The immediate future is overcast
with dark and gloomy clouds, but let the
people of Tennessee act with manly firm
ness, under and within the law, and they
will wrest victory from adversely and tri-
umph over the Calling despotism that
now weighs them down.