Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-11-09
the Rebellion has been Suppressed
The Necessary uitfmntum.

ing at the head Of their columns, and
which a considerable number Of other
good people yet venture 10 swear by
that " the pen is mightier than the sword.
The maxim, freely translated, may be
understood as the equivalent Of an affirm
alton that truth, ably expressed, is a
power before the people, omnipotent even
over the sword ITSELF We confess we are
getting little over all venerased whims'
We have witnessed strange things lately
In good, old, honest times, when the pen
proved the truth, and men hardly dare
use it for another purpose, It was omnip'
otent even over the sword. But now
when tits given to proving lies, II seems
equally so. We begin to think therefore
that the power is not in the pen, but IN
the wish for good or evil, which drives
the pen. When two lies can run down
one truth which the pen asserts, and we
find the majority of men tossing up their
hats and applauding the victory, how
else are we 10 conclude but that the pen
is powerless, and the truth toof We
speak of what is ascertained. We are no
seer. Some may think truth and the
right will win at last. We hope so. 1t
certainly will be about that time it ever.
But, dealing with the present and now,
we are compelled to say that falsehood is
more potent than truth. 1t is by false
hood that the thirty millions Of the North
have Just been swsyed They think they
have but Just now accomplished the final
suppression of "the rebellion" which
has had an existence the last four years
only in the imagiuings begotten for self
ish ends by the most unprlncipled as
well as the most contemplate Of all as
pirants for power with which nation un-
der heaven was ever cursed. The pen
has not been idle. The truth has not
suffered for want of vindication. 1t has
come burning from the pen and from
the lips of eloquence in no wise inferior
to that of the giants Of the ancient or
more modern times But the people
would not hear. They preferred to be-
lieve the serpents, who crsw!ed undis-
guised in their midst, Kissing monstrous
lies The people of the Southern States,
though "the soul of honor" and with
that honor pledged to all that wisdom and
patriotism demanded for the good Of the
country, have been SO maligned that
thirty miIlisus of people, who, perhaps,
meant well enough, have thought it
" unsafe" to restore them to liberty, |
even from the known diaboisms of I'M
scrupulous and irresponsible men. So
far a, we are concerned, we know that
liberty is undone, and we know not what
more will be done. We are not fastidious
about the forms OF government which we |
have no hand in. We shall be satisfied |
with any which will secure to us life and
property. We must consent to tax
alton without representation, since
the descendants Of the men OF
with the power of the
sword will have it so. But zoe must hare
protection to life and property, scithOut
punishment for suppressing outIaUTy
in sel:defense Give us that and the |
South will be quiet as lamb, and take |
what its masters put upon it. But no
less-tbat is our "phifty phorty |
or fight" line if we have any. We have |
full experience in accepting the situa-
ton" We know how to do it as bravely |
as anybody. But there is last intrench-
ment left, right or SO remaining. And
if that is taken we shall at least have the |
disposition if not the pleasure of eHdan'
pering the health Of some Of the snakes
and byeuas who have Kissed the false
hoods which have maligned Us, and fed |
on the meat, which besides the garbage, |
was about all we had to spare. We have
no enmity to those who have been mis-
led. But those, who, by the instrument
tally of their fslsehoods have deprived
us of the liberty Of American citizens to
which, since the surrender Of our armies,
the faith of the nation was pledged for
its protection, God will never forgive,
and. for us, we cannot Grant has prom
ised to keep the peace. He can do it by
finging out the petty tyrants and mis-
creants with which the South swarms.
And we hope he will do it. Whether he
be King or President, SO he is not King
Log, and will keep down the thieves and
murderers, we shall be satisfied. 1t is
impossible that any people should be sat
listed with anything less. Aud it is our
judgment that none but arrant towards
will submit to anything less. Obedience
to law is characteristic Of good men.
The evil must be compelled by the ma.
tional or State government, or by the
people. And ali criminals must be
driven from place and power. Have we
less than that to expect from Grant when
we have waited SO long in fruitless an
guish and faint hope from johnson, the
King Log at the White House2
Grant without Head or Heart"
The Boston Transcript, Of the 3lst