Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-11-13


We have claimed that the eight mil
lions of Southern people. lately overcome
in war, have some rights which are indie
feasible, even by war; some promised
and reserved to them BY pledge OF
The national faith when they laid
down their arms: and some conceded
Nv The authority of publicists, defended
nv ali wri,srs on the law of nations.
v;slded invariably by all governments
bav;ng n as,no,;e form. and inheriug, in
The vary nature Of things, in every race
~ c;v;I;vsd neonle on the face Of the
a.r,h Thu, 80 mueh should be gravely
aan;oa ,h., "A ,hould be necessary to
60. :, M. dav 10 INV authorities on
Inc subise,. would asionish every respect.
.hlo aver and every man of moderate
-a.a;n, =, I;heral education. To such a
nan No argument in answer 20 such
;-..... 81 vouls hs thereby implied
-. ~ ,oos...,v or usefal. and the intro
anc,;on Of authority in proof Of the
-, ~ .0uuon right would seem,
s.eo,.onv raonle of average intelligence,
- 10 . wo,t os supererocation. Hence
80 bovs M, entered on il, nor do we
GA; !, necessary 10 spare so much space
.s would he requisite for that purpose.
I,.rrnss The weakness, and is a poor
.omnlimeut to the republican form Of
government. that people having honor
"a character. once in rebellion, and
now subsued and pledged by parole, by
ns,r;a,;c uurpose. by a common interest
and a common destiny, and sworn to
.nnnort the Constitution and supreme
Law cannot be trusted. Why then accept
,ba;r marbles. their pledges, and profess
slams and oshs? Why swear men who |
have no rights" ami are never to have |
anv except at the will of the conqueror,
sxcent 10 remain in chains2 If their
os,hs and their honor are insufficient to
hind them. are you quite sure they will |
No, find The way 10 break their chains |
II their honor cannot be trusted the day |
If is pledsed. can il ever afterward be
q safe" to trust it, when the chains have
CALLED them. and, once having felt the
generous fame of liberty, you have re-
duced them in shame to confess that they |
ara slaves having "no rights q Is it |
10 expect that a people, who |
hsvs hv,bs;, or urare illustrated and filed |
with new glory the annals Of the ages, will
suffsr sueb DEGRADATION. and forget that
,bsv swim would be free, themselves
uust strike the blow ?" And, even if
his were nossible. has not tie great ex-
ner;ment failed-has not republican and
.s,s government found its grave /? A des-
not;sm can be magnsnimous and restore
the public prosperity in cases of insur-
against the supreme authority. |
But alssl because free governments can
no, thew are proyed impracticsble, and
the exner;epee of mankind il reproduced |
and the nrea;ction Of tyrants verified and
The w;sdom of their principles INDICATED.
Tho divine right" of Kings is estab-
J;.bad nm republican authority.
Our Jefferson street neighbor thinks
the war has settled our doctrine of the
r;gbt Of secession to be a fallacy. Truth
can never he overcome by the sword, so |
Init that il will be truth still. But, for
nractical purposes, we consent that the
war did settle that question, and that
NOW and henceforth, at the command of
the sword. the integrity of the national
domain cannot be violated. That is set
tied at last, that States could not go out
of the Union, and did not. why then
have we the present anomaly oil punish
ing States? Why are the innocent ID
volved, and compelled to suffer with the
guilty 2 Why are not the guilty tired
and punished, and the innocent allowed
to 90 free? Why has not this vengeiul
Government, which declares that the
conquered people " has no rights what
soeyer (which is, indeed, the false
theory of its Congress and governing
power), why has it never tried and con-
victed single man, on the naked ques-
ton of treason and rebellion in which all
we're alike involved? If States are not
guilty of secession, why not try the indi-
yidual traitors and rebels, to whom you
have not as yet any thing to coucede