Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-10-11
1HE sHTUsTEON.
AnOthC- Letter from Hon. B. Fl.
Hill.

To the Editor OF the Herald.
II the Herald OF this morning "a an
article headed "SOuthern Democratic
Lesders In New York, D and among the
number my own name Is mentioned.
Allow me, FIRST OF all, to say am no
party leader; never have been, never
expect TO be.
Allow me, in the next plsce, 70 say
did not come to New York TO "driDk
wine or eat Gns diEners," and have NOT
been so engaged.
came North 70 ascertain, If could.
the exact temper, vieWs and purposes Of
the Northern people aud the probable r.
suit Of the political contest now being
wsged. To one who F15 studied and
learned to admire the system OF Ameii-
can government, Federal and STATE,
limited and reserved with harmonious
boundaries fixed for each by plainly
written constitutions, the examination
has not been encouraging.
Shaken to its foundations by 3 crimi-
nal war oceasioued by a fsustIcal discus
sion about The rights and capacities ef
some savages imported a. ehattels for
speculation from the juBgles Of Africa,
the question now is, whether these saw
sgas, being now eonHesssdly free and
certainly greatly improved by Southern
masters, Enis great system of government
can again be made hsrmOnlously stable
and the freedom OF the white race main
tanned and OF al races perPetusted2
find the Republicans meeting this
great question by Proposing 70 main
tain and perpetuaten measures which
are 81 outside OF the Constitution" which
svowediy seek to disirsnchise and de-
grade white people for no reason but
that OF q YindicliTe hatred Of section
against section, and w8lch pretend, in
the most unnatural way, to elevate the
negro By leading him, ignorant and cred
ulous, promising TO equality, bat really
to ruin, as the butcher temptS with his
bundle Of hay deluded sheep to the
slaughter pen.
fad the Democrats naseting this most
psIpsble insanity OF the Republicans by
exhaustilg all their powers upon cent
per cent argument about bonds, gold and
green nbscks. I fiGd the capitalists more
insane than the political leaders, taxing
sides with the Republicans in this issue,
aud ars layishly spending their means 70
maintain and perpeiuate measures which
subvert the Government and destroy the
industrial energies Of the county, in
order to make the Government Stable
and its resources ample t. pay thsiE
bonds. Ministers Of roiiRicn are eZeCu-
ting their noble commissions s5 peace
makers by abandoning the gospel ard
urging their hearers to Join ia the work
OF maintaining a policy whose only
fruits IN the past have be5B, and whose
only fruits IN the future can be riots. hate
and blondshed. Amid all this Babel dis
cord of political and moral confusion of
the Northern ps0pls, I ind bat few who
seem TO remember that there Is q written
Constitution, and that those Eho are
chosen TO administer Il must be sgorn
" 10 support, protect and defend it.n L
Is most significant that in th8 whole
Chicago PLATFORM aud the letters Cf ae-
ceptancs from the nominees thereon,
this Constitution is not mentioned nor
even alluded to. Us builders rem en- 6sred
there was 8 negro, but forgot there vas q
Constitution. I have heard snd read
long speeches from notorious tca,ied dis
tinguishsd) political leaders, WIS, do
believe, have never SO much As read the
Constitution, and most certainly nave
not read its history, nor understood It's
meaning.
Ststesmen hays abandoned tbs Con-
stitutiOn; ciergymen have abandoned
al41 k4AG Jrtftt1E - = AJSiA1es G4tAA
freedom and religion. Nothing IN the
NOrth-not even It's great cities and wOn-
derfal material devalupmants--staa
out 50 prominently 70 view as this start
ling truth.
II the Union can DO cordially restored
and the resources OF the country thereby
be- developed, this Government will be
able TO pay the existing deut, even II
three times as great as reported. Ia this
contingency there need be no debate as
to whether the debt shall be paid in cur
reney or gold, for then the credit of the
Government viii be restored and 6ar-
renoy will be equal TO gold.
II the Union cannot be cordially re-
stored and the resources OF tha country
theFeey De permitted 20 ba developed,
the existing debt viii nos be paid nRy
not ten cents on the dollar, for IL that
event the resources of the country will
be consumed in q process OF subvaTtiuR
| the Government, and some 0taer Gov
ernmeDt which did not contract the debt
will lake its place either in the form o!
red republican anarchy or military
Dictatorship.
How can the Union be cordially re-
stored? By returning 10 ths Cons .itG-
ton. How will the Government be
subvsrted Blythe American people de-
Gliding to maintain and psTpetuate 8
policy outside OF the Constitution. Ia
side OF the Constitution q Union, free-
dom, increased prosperity, restored
credit and bonds payable Outside Of
the Consultation UuiOn, freedom, pros
serlty and credit vill perish together.
The reconstruction policy Of Congress
has cost hundreds Of millions already.
It has lessened the prOdustln1s OF the
South one hundred millions each yesr oi
is exis:anee, It has depfg0iatesi tRe
value OF southern property 20 Oaes!0ur.h
ita value ia 1865. Il viii GOst the + 5deral
Government hundreds Of millions more
to " maintain and perpstuste > this "as-
sured success" this Wholesale dsstTae-
ton. It will lessen the productions OF
the South more than ope hundred
millions per snnupa, and, Tickediy antic-
ing the poor negroes from the fields Ct
plenty into Loyal Leagues OF hate and
into armed companies OF death, VIII sOl
years desOlate the South.
Can you maintain the Union, promote
prosperity, restore good will, stimulate
philanthrophy, modify Southern temper,
restrain " rebel outragss and pay the
bonds by " maintaining and perpetuat
4
victorious North Is resdy 20 fight agsin
and millions OF boys 10 blue viii
march under the great leader, General
then President) Grant, and "make the
CONQUERED rebels snbnnit to this negro
equality and social ruin" You will
Bravo But stop, courageous fool an
swer me how Will that restore the
Uoion aud pay the bonds II Is 80 brave
for these, we'll equipped and after 8 long,
hard struggle, to conquer one poorly
equipped and then boast about 1t and
call that one q coward, and 80 magasni-
NOUS to crush that one and foroe him 20
accept an equslity with the negro which
the Northern States Tepudtate for them
selves. Stop all this new form OF treason,
and stop the miserable policy Of recon-
structIon which is its fruit. The South
wants peace. She is impoverished aud
needs it. She was promised it on terms
Of equality II she would surrender and Ii
entitled TO it. She has Kept her Apo
nattox bond in good faith, and every
Northern soldier IL, In honor, her end0rs.
or " lille she keeps that bond. Viii they
Join and will their chief lead the poll
tioisns in this negro assault on the peacs
OF the South and the honor OF the Northl
Take away these carpst-bsggeF and sand
us the lab0Ters, farmers, maoninis's ano
oapitnlists of the North by taking away
this miserable reeonstructiOn policy
which sends Us the first and keeps away
the last. We have peaceful, fertile,
eheap houses for 80, 900 of Northern
-..-f. 80, ,.-ifI onua IN haIO us bf1iff tIr