Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-03


Sanposing that the measures Of Rsdi-
eslism were so well taken as 10 insure
theguceess Of SceIRwagism md the adop-
tiou of the counterfeit Constitution, that
was to be voted on by part Of the people
and all the negroes, we were taken by
surprise when the thing was reported to
be defeated by & large majority. We
supposed, indeed, that in consequence Of
the great number Of Negro voters in com
harrison to those Of the white race, there
would be no necessity to resort to frauds
in erder to ObtliB q msjority for the
Constitution; ami that, in the absence
Of temptation, RsdicsIlsm might refrain
from raseslity.
When We saw the printed returns
from large number Of the counties, we
still thought there must be some mistake
about the matter, and rather doubted
whether we were not dreaming. There
is no longer any doubt Of the defeat of
the Constitution, by how large a msjcrity
we cannot ssy,-the Mississippi jour
nails put it at Is OO0,-and still
the great victory hardly seems to US like
an accomplished fact. We remem Der
that the Constitution which now ffiicts
Arkansas was al first reported rejected,
and t0as rejected, perhaps by eight thou
sand majority and yet, by the use OF
incredible frauds and undisguised vii
Iainies, 8 military report was procured,
declaring It adopted. Similar manipu-
lstions are threatened in Mississippi, and
may succeed. II they should, the 81 Con-
stitution +" Of Mississippi will have Just
little validity and binding force,
for. il VIII be the work Of
Force and Fraud, and not Of the
will Of the people Of the State. No msn
will owe il voluntary obedience, even
II he voted for i. and II viii stand only
so long IS it IS maintained by force.
The white men Of the Southern States
are certain to rule in the end, and the
creatures who imprndently pretend to
represent them in Congress will not De
suffered long TO hold what they have
gained by sheer usurpstioD.
The real people OF Mississippi have
done molly. A year ago 1t was believed
that they were in favor Of reconstruct
ton. We suppose they. were so; nor was
that to be wondered at, when such men
as Albert @. Brown declared themselves
in favor Of submission and urged DPan
the people the acceptance Of the humiI-
iating terms dictated by Congress.
Prominent journals, edited by men who
had fought bravery for :he Confederate
cause, believing it better to accept those
terms, than " to 90 further and fare
worse, - advocated thst acceptance, with,
sometimes, somewhat unnecessary
and Incorporate zeal and rebuked what
they termed tho 4" intermeddling " OF the
APPEAL with The affairs Of Mississippi,
advising US 70 oonfne our labors to the
field offered by Tennessee.
Those journals have since seen their
error. and msn'ully admitted it. Where
GOV. Brown has lately stood, we are not
informed; bat the inclination Of the
people towards acceptance of the Con-
gressional terms began to change months
ago, and, st last, when other States re-
quired by every consideration OF self-re-
spec. to stand firmly by the right to
the last gasp with truth and loyalty,g
becsme faint-hearted, and yielded, and
are re-admitted into the Union upon
conditions that make them the Interiors
of Nevada and Oregon, conditions that
disbo,,o r them, ezseting from their white
citizens a pledge OF honor that they viii
Devar seek 70 regain their lost authority
AID rightfuI exclusive exercise Of the
uewers Of government, by taking from
the negro the right OF suffrage, Mlssis-
slppi has pronounced her discrimination
not to accept such terms, nor to se-
knowledge the validity Of the abortion