Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-21
\. FRIDAY EVENING. AUGUST 81. 1868.

the ballot; and II IS the Radicals alone
who talk Of war, and are making prepa-
rations for II in connection with the elec-
ton. Gen. Blair and the Democratic
party invoke the judgment, Of the people
10 the issue joiAed with the Radicals In
the validity Of their measures, and pro-
pose 10 carry the judgment Of the people
into effect BY the officer elected for that
purpose by the people.
There can be no war unless the Radi'
calls make il 10 resisting the judgment
Of the people in the exercise OF their
constitutional power.
What, then, does this outcry about war
from the Radicals mean. but that they
will not submit to that judgment They
deceived the people as to their intentions
in respect to those measures, and secured
their present power by denying that they
contemplated any such abuse Of it TO
subvert civil government and set up mil
itary governments in the South, TO be
used in defeating the wishes of the peo.
pie of the North, aud then put forward
the commander Of the army as their
candidate and the representative man OF
their policy, and gave him the army to
elect himself-sub bstantially inviting him
10 seize power, whether elected or not by
the people. This conduct shows their
determination to forestall and defeat the
will of the people. The menace Of war,
which they themselves now make, but
falsely impute to their opponents, be-
cause the judgment Of the people is in
voked against them on these acts, despite
of their attempts to avoid and prevent
this issue from being forced upon them,
only demonstrates their determination
10 hold power at all hazards.
That, at least, is what they want the
people to believe is their resolve. 1t ID,
however, but brag game. 1t is an at
tempt to intimidate the people into ac-
quiesceuce in their rule. Gen. Grant
ominously says: Let us have peace"
with the same meaning; and they are
winding up the session with a distribu-
ton of arms among their followers, to
give emphasis to this language. 1t il
Grant and his followers alone who
threaten to disturb the public peace;
they alone threaten to resist the will of
the people in the lawful exercise of their
authority to pass judgment upon the acts
of theirs-unfaithful servants, and restore
the Constitution.
The Democracy have submitted with
out resistance to the most glaring viola.
tions of the Constitution. Every spe-
cies of tyranny and outrage which have
disgraced the meanest and bloodiest of
tyrants in the worst ages, have beer
borne with unexsmpled pstiepce-look-
ing tn deliverance by the ballot box in
November next Appalled, by the pros
pect of being at last brought to account,
these corrups and ruthless oppressors are
attempting to drive the people from the
polls and compel still further submis.
sion by arming their followers and
threatening war if they shall pronounce
against them.
But there is no danger. "The sure
way" says General Blair, with truth,
ITO avoid strife, is to put the issue
plainly to the country" That has been
done; now let the people decide against
these usurpers, and they will not have q
| corporals guard to sustain them. Gen.
Grant will not find soldier, not even a
colored soldier, who would resist that
judgment. Napoleon, backed by his
millions of armed men, cannot withstand
the voice of France. The carpet-bag
gers cannot survive the power to which
they owe their official life. The dictators
for this caucus in Washington, like the
Bombas of Naples, will become objects
Of derision; when, with the loss Of
power, they cease to be feared, their
creatures will become yet more con-
temptibe The transfer of the executive
power by the people to the hands OF
Horatio Seymour will end the struggle at
once and in all its forms, to the joy of q
once more united. happy, and free peo-
Pile; nor have the least doubt thet
this will we done. In the address made
here year ago, l yentured the prediction
that the people would repudiate the
faithless men whose insane lust of power
had driven them to violate every guar
antee for liberty. Although our Demo-
cratic leaders were so discouraged that
they made but little effort in the canvass
last year, the result was that the Radi-
Gals were sgnally defeated.
This forced the Radicals to fly to Grant.
But the elections since he has consented
TO cooperate with them, show that the
people are not to be diverted from their
purpose of restoring the Constitution by
the influence of his name, or deferred
from doing their duty to themselves and
their posterity by brandishing the sword
before them. They want that assur ance
of peace which is afforded by toyern-
ment Of law, and not the pear'e of des-
potisDs, or of the reign of terror of which
Grant, following on the footsteps of other
military chiefains, has become the min
lister. lThe address was received with
great applause,