Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-08
PATRIOTIC PLUNDERERS.
Prom the NatIonaI Into lIreneer. /


Congress has adjourned Congress is
the epitome and exponent Of the X ldical
party. BY what il did, by what il failed
TO do, and by what IL attempted 70 do,
but shrank back covering from the act,
at the irown Of an offended people, shall
1t be judged. The situation is one Of
great gravity. The Presidential election
is approaching. The Radical party is
before the country again asking for re-
newal Of confidence and power. 1t is due
TO the people, that before renewing these
they should know what the party has
done. and whether or not IL has been
faithful to the momentous trust coniided
to it. edit sban
The Radical party has now been in
power nearly eight years. 1t has had ex- :
elusive aud overwhelming control Of the
Government through allthat time The.
past four, of these years were spent in the
subduing ofthe rebellion for the ayowed
| purpose Of maintaining, by force of arms,
the integrity Of the Union The complete
triumph of the armies of the Government
has forever set at rest this question by
such emphasis ss the Issue Of battle and
blood can give to it. When the war ended,
then the point was conceded that the in-
tegrity of the Government was main
tanned, and there were no States out of
the Union. 1'6dra ar.f ~ 1ttt
With the close Of the war came the
| termination of the FIRST four years lease
of power of the Radical party. : On iae
preceding November, that is, in 1864, the
suing four years The Republican party
was again in the field for reelection, with
Mr.. Lincoln at its head, and by means
which will not add to the public tranquil
lity to recapitulate here, nor to the good
fame Of those engaged in it, Mr.. Lin
coin and the Republican party succeeded,
and were declared elected in opposition
tothe Democratic party, with George b.
Mcclellan at its head One of the
strongest arguments used by The Repub-
licans for reelection was that, having had
charge of the government, and, thus far,
the management ef the war-which was
drawing rapidly to close, but had not
vet closed--they could, better than the
Democrats, continne operations, and ad-
just, when the conflict had ceased, the
various questions, the disorders, and de-
rangements growing out of it; or, as
Mr.. Lincoln put 1t, 1t was not well to
swap horses in crossing stream" the
work in hand being to end the war sue
cessfully, and to bring the States which
had attempted to secede, but did not, back
into practical relations with the Union,
with all their rights and privileges un-
impaired TO use the language of the
Republican Congress- and a Republican
writer's and speakers, as spoken and
written over and over again--which had
been by their own volition and fault
temporarily suspended. The country
believed the party when it gave this rea'
son and put forth this plea, and trusted
it again. Then began the second Repub-
lican administration, with fresh promises
ringing in the ears of the country of q |
speedily-restored Union, peace, and pub
lie tranquility and, as consequence of
these, dsbaudipg ofvast standing armies; |
rand, as consequence Of this, large re-
6uctions in the ruinous expenses of the |
Government; tightening of the insup- |
portable taxes and other burthens which |
weighed heavily upon the people; read
justment and recuperation of those States
which war had Frustrated, thereby ena
bling them to bear their share of the cost
of government, which else must be |
borne by the remaining States alone, as
has been the case; with all else which
should naturally follow from harmoni
Gus restoration of the recusant States,
and wise healing of the wounds and
reciprocal forgetfulness of the animosi
ties and bad passions which the var had
caused. 1ssst..r
Has the Republican party fulfilled
these, its promises made before its re-
election, or taken the first constitutional
step toward doing so? Let the shattered
and distracted condition of the country
answer--answer through the din of i'm.
perious military orders, and from urder
the cloud of an overshadowing military
despotism. ieH
Soon after the second accession of the
party, the conflict which had so long
shaken the Union to the foundation
ceased Then came the time to disband
and send home to industry these gigantic
armies. The South bowed in submission,
and the Republican party pretended to
accept that submission as all suffi cient
Did it keep it's faith with the vapquished {
States, or with the country2 The Repub-
liean party was pledged, and through it {
the country, to restore the ten Southern
States to the enjoyment of their unim
paired rights and privileges when they
laid down their arms and acknowledged
the authority Of the United States Gov /
eminent over them The word of the :
nation was given that this should be c
ione-given through the Republican
party. Has that word been kept2 Ask e
sglin the lrowning powers of a military y
1espotism, and shout so loud that your J.
veice be not drowned by the hoarse COM
mands of military despots, ordering the c
civil powers to stand aside aud hold their 4
peace. sr' -fH ~. p
What was to be done2 What was Il
1eeded2 8
These ten States needed restoration, v
Ind they have not been restored. They a
lave been reconstructed instead Recon 5
'truction implies that something has
been torn down and something else put 81
n its place. For this we indict the a.
party. Tearing down one form of gov Q
.rument and putting up another is reyo- 6
ution. 1t was not for revolution; 1t was te
lot TO reconsiructa new form of govern- tr
nent, but TO preserve the old, that the a
var was fought IL was on the plea that Of
t would do precisely the opposite Of d
What it has done-ihat is, that it would q
estore. and not recoustruct-.hat the | d
Republican party was intrus,ed with
'ower the second time. When this oi
econd term began, TO repeat, The war
ad nearly ended, aud restoration should u
ave begun. Since then nearly four s
ears have elapsed, and mp 10 this time d.
in conformity with The Fede- in