Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-07-18

into tire rural districts There we're
be found band Of men called ku klux
who we're committing depredauons an
numbering mepl He wanted TO repeal
and he wanted what he said repor'e
that IL Il takes ten thousand militia I
stop the proceedings Of the ku-klux
let us have themi Loud and pro
longed applause No mans life wa
salei He wished il distinctly under.
stXd that Silas r. Allen would spea'
the truth IL IL cost him his life he di'
moi want war. He had always beer
for poace. He did not look for. peace
until that miserable traitor, Andrew
johnson. was put out Of the Presidential
chair. and Grant took his place. Peace
would then be secured by the strong afu
Of the United States Government. Lone
applause The more riots the rebels go
up the more votes il would make for the
Radical party, and if some OF the ne
groes or he we're killed their suffering
would he the trumpet Of liberty and jus
tice. Tremendous applause.1
The Union street organ here, unmind'
ful that the first secret, sworn and hrmed
association found in Tennessee, was the
Radical Loyal League, says there is
some danger that Ku-Kluxism'may pre-
cipi,ate events" as If the surrendered
soldiers of Tennessee had not faithfully
kept their paroles; as if the wickedly
disfranchised people Of the State had not
patiently, and long and peacefully borne
and forborne oil and continually, what 1t
is but possible flesh and blood should
bear. At the first faint outbreaks of de-
fensiye resistance the same organ turns
innocently conservative, and says;
is an awful state of society, but it is
what Ku-Klux outrages and national
Conservative triumph will bring in many
nlaces. Humanity shudders; morality
Il aphast, but not unpublished assassina-
tion and illegal outrages bring bloody
reprisals by the knife, the gun, poison or
the torch.
Well, we "thank thee for that word
If outrages bring bloody reprisals, has
not the State teemed with outrages by
the Loyal Leagusrs2 Why, then, COM
plain of the "bloody reprisals by Ku-
Klux or anybody else3 Does not the
responsibility for the consequences rest
with those who countenanced and instr
gated the outrages, with the men who
swore in the leaguers and made them
bold for crimes, with the Governor who
has discharged two hundred convicted
scoandrels from the penitentiary, and
declared that he will pardon any and
every man who kills rebel
The Governor and the leaders of Rad.
icalism in Tennessee act under no law
but that Of passion, malignity, and per-
sonal interest. They disregard the Con-
stitution of the United States and that of
the State, and will not protect the rights
of Democratic disfranchised citizens I'M
der either. Has not their perjury out
lawed them? Has not their utter disre.
gard of the laws of God and man, moral,
civil and social, and the countenance
they haye given to all the causes OF de-
moralization, and to the commission of
crime, placed them beyond the pale OF
responsibility, and without all privilege
of rightful authority
In view of facts like these, which are
multitude, is it strange that symptoms of
strong resistance should appear? The
Banner says:
five do not greatly mistake the tenn
per and manhood Of Tennesgeans, they
have borne this thing until forbearance
has ceased to be a virtue, and, making
virtue of necessity, will bear It no
longer. Radical usurpation, Jacobln ty-
rauny and partisan hate and prescription
have kept the people of this once proud
Commonwealth under the heel of grind
;ne despotism, by sheer force and in
terplnable bullyism. The suffering
subjects of this cowardly despotsm are
determined that this state of things shall
No longer exist. We feel sure that we
Init re-echo the sentiment which burns
for expression in every true Tennessee
heart. when we proclaim the popular
edict against the waves of anarchy which
are moging OF 10 oEervheim ps = Thus
far shalt thou go-but no farther The
neople of Tennessee are at length AVA
kened to a sense of their situation andto
q knowledge of the fact that their only
salvation rests with their OWE self-reli
ance. They are beginning to realise the
truth of tho maKiE Of the anciantg, who
would be free himself must strike the
blow" They do not propose to be the
| first TO commence hostilities, but if the
issue is forced upon them, the oppressor
NAV be very sure that they are not so
prostituted by long suffering and con-
timed persecution that they have not
the manhood left to strike back in their
own defense, or that the gives of mer-
ciIess tyranny which have SO long man
acled their limbs have rendered them
entirely nerveless against its optrages
and eontinged ezaetiona.
The miserable faction who have fat
tened upon the public necessities, and
grown insoleut in their self constituted
authority over their rightful masters
the people-have taken the bssest ad-
vantage of our peculiar situation.
They have chcsen to mistass our
neaceful intent for base abandon
ment of our own honor and self
respect That we have iamely submitted
10 injury heaped upon insult, they have
Interpreted as the supine weakness OF
spiritIess subjects who had not the man
liness TO resist their repeated and never
ending aggressions. The time has come
for them to be instructed differently.
The time has arrived when It is
nroper that they should know that
| - nh..inad 1. nond faith