Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-03-13
,neourass.nsns. % perseverance,.

| couruNint mcthhRoa o'ot '"~
wires daily. They may care little Tor tA'
man, he may be even unpopular as al
individual; but in him as the chief Ex'
ecutiye officer Of the patton, in whos'
person the structure Of the Government
as Instituted and practiced upon during
all the years Of its existence, and the lib
critics of the country are in the way o.
being overthrown, they take decides
| interest, and for him they manifest
| grave, determined and resolute sympa
thy. Accordingly dispatches crowd the
wires, and the mails groan with words Of
encouragement from the people, coming
from all quarters-the cities, towns, VII
lrces and counties Of the Northern States
offering, IL need be, both money and
men. The impcaching Rump finds not
the tame and spiritless acquiescence IN
its reckless disregard Of the Limitations
of the Constitution, and its attempt to
merge the Executive in the Legislative
powers of Government il doubtless ex-
pected, and already it has given mani
fest signs Of finching from the browning
act of it's demoniac work, 10 subsidising,
bullying, recognizing, or overthrowing
the Supreme Court 1t may be they will
vet think twice and count the cost both
| 10 the country aud themselves Of con-
summating their contemplated plass OF
partisan and jacobin demolition.
The Congress has been likewise en-
couraged to persevere, it is true But
that encouragement has come almost
wholly from the exreme wing of the Rad
ical press, from few half mad, halt fool,
half saint and half devil, of the Brownlow
and Fletcher stripe of Governors, and
from the grand myth of the Grand Army
of the Republic, which we have not
doubt our terrible infant Khan of K. X.
ghosts is ample to overmstch. 1t has
come but to a small extent as the spon-
taneous Offering of the great body OF the
people. Congress is sustained, not by
those who have fought the battles OF the
Union, but by those who looked on and
fattened while others barred their bosoms
10 the leaden hail and the iron tempest
of the sanguinary war. 1t trusts Grant
and his army, which cannot be made Its
instrument against the rights of the peo-
pie. American soldiers are born free
men, and the great Richmond butcher Of
his own soldiers can never control them
to strike down the liberties of the free.
On such mission, and against the
orders of the Commander-in-Chief of the
army and navy Of the United States,
Grant cannot take corporaPs guardwith
him. And even IL be could carry the
whole regular army, the great mass of the
two millions Of discharged soldiery, and
the determined resistance of the masses
of freemen, will make him as powerless
as he is incapable of the greater concep-
tons of generalship.
On this subject there have been many
emphatic and outspoken opinions from
the Northern press like the following,
which we find in the Louisville Courier:
The conservative people OF the United
States, God knows, have no desire for the
inauguration Of hostilities; but still 1t Is
sufficiently evident that, even if the Sem
ate should proceed to the infamous out
rage of deciding against the President, 1t
would be his own fault should he actually
be deposed from Office. There are many
thousands of Democrats in the land who
do not approve all that Andrew johnson
has done. but on this question al the
friends of the old Constitution and the
old Union are unit in his behalf. In
espousing his cause against Congress
they would but be taking the part of lib
erty and constitutional government
against Capitalization and usurpation.
Some of the Radical journals assert on
what they pretend is good authority, that
Johnson has ceased to be defiant, and
that be will quietly scquiesce in what
ever the Senate shall do. Well, we know
not how that u.s.. but be it as 1t may, the
President will not, we repeat, be deposed
| in any event, unless hs chooses that al
| fairs shall take that course: There are
millions of strong arms and stout hearts
| 10 sustain him if he decides to make
the issue with Congress- in so just cause.
We do not think he will have occasion to
make any such draft upon the patriotism
of the people, but if it should turn out
that We are mistaken, and if he calls for
support upon those who love the old gov
eminent. and abhor the infamy of Radi-
calism, he will assuredly receive IT.
How does it happen that a question Of
this sort should be raised, and resort to
force should be talked of throughout the
North, as if contemplated 1t was first
broached and threatened by Pharisees,
shoddyites and spectators Of the North
ern States, who only suuffed the battle
afar of, while their men of couraqt and
patriotism fought and delivered them
from perils they had viciously and long
labored to produce, and in which, bu
for the sake Of their country, they de-
served aud might well have been left Il
T fall. None but towards and natura
tyrants could have preached such q sub
/ ject, when all ths brave Of the land hac
laid aside the sword for the PRUNING
hook and the plowshare, and the desir'
: of every honest heart was for fraternity
J amnesty, and restoration to the vigo