Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-01-25
,rorre.. OF u.urpasion.


The New York Herald In an article
showing up the reconstruction bills a,
aiming to dissolve civil society as vel
as abolish the executive, says:
The Tenure Of Office bill and the pro
posed control over the action Of the Su'
preme Court by Congress are parts OF the
same general plan 10 destroy the governs
ment and the liberties OF the people. A
great deal is said about the constitution
Atty or unconstitutionality Of these mea-
sures. Whether they be regarded consi'
tu,ional or not according to the srie,,
letter, they are certainly unconstitutional
or sur---sonstitutional In principle ana
according TO the practice Of the govern
ment from its foundation. II is possible
there may.b be defect in the letter
Of the constitution with regard TO
this matter for the founders OF the
government could not have anticipated
such atrocious usurpation on the
paft of Congress. They never expected
The counterpart Of the Long Parliament
in England or the Convention in France
would exist in this free country. IL IS
TO use discussing the constitutional point
on these or any other measures, when
Congress is acting oil along outside Of
the Constitution. This Puritan and
negro faction will certainly not be re-
strained by constitutional arguments.
They have got the power for time, and
will use il. The only appeal lett Is to
the people at the polls. We shall have
that TO RESORT TO before the year is out II
the revolutionists do not utterly destroy
the Government in the meantime.
But suppose they do-what then9 II
the "only appeal left us is to the people
at the polls" why not make that appeal,
and, by a prompt national convention
settle now what may be difficult to do,
when while we are waiting, the Govern
ment is utterly destroyed in the mean
time" The Herald contends against
the constitutionality of the reconstruc.
ton acts, and yet consents 1t is the duty
Of the President to obey them. If they
are void and of no force, what can be the
immediate and pressing danger of resist
ance? OF the last monstrosity the
Herald speaks as follows; Is our re-
publican system soweak that there is no
remedy against the enormity before it is
accomplished, and has it all at once be-
come necessary to keep inside the Con-
stitution in putting down the new rebel
lion2
II declares that in the Southern States
there are no civil State governments,
and that the so.called civil governments
in said States, respectively, shall not be
recognized as valid or legal State gov
ernments either by the Executive or Ju-
dicial power or authority of the United
States" This sweeping revolutionary
measure dissolves all civil society, makes
all laws invalid and imperative, abol-
ishes the right of property, leaves the
people without municipal or local laws
for the protection of property, life and
liberty, and reduces over ten million OF
people to a disorganized condition worse
than that of the barbarian tribes of
Africa or the South Sea Islands. What a
frirhtful condition for the Southern
people to be placed in But the South
erners will not be the only sufferers.
Northern debtors, Northern merchants
aud capitalists who have invested in the
South Or who have debts owing to them
there, are cut off from all legal means of
recovering their property. 1t is virtual
reputation on large scale. Contracts
are rendered void and abrogated. All
business must be suspended, confidence
will be destroyed and the whole South,
already at the point of starvation, will
be turned into a wilderness Such is the
infamous bill which Radical Congress
has the hardihood to call a reconstruction
law. 1t is the grimest joke and most
cruel sarcasm ever attempted.