Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-28

with judges aud clerks appointed for
thepurpose, st which the votes Of the dis
/ franchised shall be received, in order
that the Northern Democracy may have
! certain knowledge what the vote of each
| Southern State would have been il there
had been no such Acknowledgement, it is
proposed by Congress to make it penal
offence for any persons to act as officers
at such polls; and they mean thus to
stifie the voice Of the true people of the
South. These are not even to be allowed
to say how they would have voted, if
they had not been deprived Of the
right.
Nevertheless this must be and shall be
shown. II Democratic clubs are estab-
lished, as they must be, in every county,
the votes Of all who are DISTINGUISHED
can be taken and registered in the bosom
OF each club, on the day of election, and
the statement OF the vote certified by
the officers of the club, and these eonsol-
idated and certified by the officers Of the
Central Executive Club, and by them
furnished to the Central Executive Dem
ocratic Committee of the United States,
with statements authenticated in like
manner, of the number of negroes who
vote in each county, for each ticket.
If regular polls were allowed to be pub
licly opened, the Radical Congress would
pay no attention to the vote so taken !;
and for the purposes OF the Democratic
party it would be no better than taking
the disfrsnchised vote in the clubs, which
no law can prevent our doing.
Il is quite evident that the organiza.
ton Of the Conservative party here, and
its unexpected display of strength as
well as enthusiasm, have caused the
teeth of Radiealism to chatter, and its
knees to smite together with fear. Even
the furious quarrels of those who once
veuched for each others honesty and
honor, when they knew each other
as well as they DO now; and
whose only difficulty now is to find
words of obIoquy and contumely bitter
enough to depict the true characters Of
each other, are evidences of their trepi-
dalton and alarm and not only the
honest whose stomschs at last with nau-
sea reject Rsdiealism, but the knaves
who always hedge in time and leave 8
party when they foresee its coming ruin,
are falling into the Democratic ranks.
So much the more reason is there why
the organization should be made as COM
plete and imposing as possible. Not
more than half, perhaps not more than
3 third of the Conservative white men
Of this County are as yet enrolled as
members Of clubs. One who is himself
Jealous and in earnest wonders how any
man can be apathetic and listless in such
an emergency as the present, when
every thing near and desr to every free
man is involved ia the controversy.
And yet there are more than enough
here who are sO,-mOre than enough,
even, who sniff and sneer, and pour cold
water on the zeal Of others, and ridicule
the idea OF expecting to do anything in
Tennessee and among these, strange 20
say, are many Of those men OF property
or credit, who are most deeply interested
in the contest, and whose Iukewarmness
is treason to freedom and faitbIessness to /
those who are their fellows in q common
danger.
Enroll the names OF eli such men.
The rolls may be OF value hereafter. And
let no pains be spared to induce every
true man, who is neither al ject nor false,
to unite himself with some club and la
Dor in the common cause. Shame on
those who do not do it! Let the women
shame them TO exertiOn and refuse to
know them if they continue to stand
sloOf ready, however, to reap the fruits
Of Democratic victory, if we should
win one.
But the Governor will arm the State
which the Legislature is to
vote TO raise, and will station q regiment
or two in Memphis, to snuff out the Ku-
klUx, and, with the help of the negroes, I
to put down the Democratic Clubs and
stifis that free speech which tyrants al
ways dread
II this is done, let Conservatives obey
the law, and not resort to any measures
Of violence. They would fail, and we
and the cause would fare the worse for il. /
But whatsoever we have right to do, /
under the law, let US do, fearless Of con-
The negroes Of the Loyal Leagues are /
al armed. They go armed, day and .
night, regardless of the law forbidding it.
They drill nightly, and are organized for
violence. Let it be initiated by them,
and not by US. But we have the right to
prepare TO defend our property, rights
and lives: and every able-bodied men,
Der of every Democratic Club should be
required to arm himself efficiently, and
be always ready at a moments warning,
10 assemble at given place, under Off
eers selected in advance. The lar for
bids carrying weapons. But it lie, as a
law, like that of bsnditti, whose cut
.hrOsts and thieves are sill armed, while
they disarm in advance those whom
they propose to rob, so that they may
not be able TO resist. There is q law of
he land, paramount to all others, the
aw of self-defence, which annuls the
aw that dissrms white men, leaving ne
groes armed. No law is binding or has
he least force, which dissrms part of the
people, in order that they may be at the
mercy Of the rest. Settle law at de fiance.
ls one that is null and void, and because,
f not so, it has become unjust because II
s enforced in rare cases only, aud lie par
ial in its operation. The free white
men Of Tennessee have the right, by
heir Constitution, to keep and bear
rms for their common defence.
Let US, above all things, esehew the
ouDsels Of rsshness, and avoid impa-
!ence, and zeal without discretion, and
hat temper which makes light of and
dangers at the beginning, 10
xaggeraie and be unnamed by them in
he end. We are 10 q great extent in
he power Of the adversary, Of that old
Ian Of Sin, who rules Tennessee, and Of
lis obst qulous Legislature. No consti-
1tional prohibitions will prevent their
Of anu v.,rr--.- 1