Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-06-08
The Republican Party Dagusrreotypsd by
Radical and Loyal" Pen.
From the New York ReyoIution. May q.

From the New York Revolution. May 2l.]
Republicans elected Andrew Johnson
for party success they impeached him
for party success; and since the day the
scepter of power came into their hands,
they have worked for party success rather
than the nations life.
While they have deceived the people
with the cry of constitutional amend
ments, loyalty, negro suffrage and i'm
peaehment, they have shown themselves
disloyal to the grand principles OF our
Government, by their attempts to drag
down the Federal Constitution to their
low platform; to force negro suffrage on
the South while repudiating it in. the
Northern States and after proving the
President guilty of high crimes and mis-
demeanors, strangling impeachment with
their own hands. n
And now the handwriting on the wall
warns them that they are weighed IN
the balance and found wanting" The
Republican party stands to-day with its
ranks broken, divided, distracted, blasted,
and the scepter of power has passed from
it forever. But this is no cause of sor-
row, for the sooner this party is scattered
to the four winds of heaven, the sooner
will the scales fall from the eyes Of the
people, aud they will see that their lead.
ers have been but blind leaders of the
blind.
Jeremy Beutham says, the people
cannot be too distrustful of their rulers.
When the American people learn that
men ard parties are nothing unless based
on principle--and that whether under q,
Republican or Democratic dynasty, we
have the same results-they will awake
to the responsibility of government.
As we turn over the pages Of history,
we can see how other nations, groaning
under taxation, ignorance aud poverty,
have been deluded, blinded and destroyed,
without even dreaming that we, ourselves,
are to- day the thoughtless victims OF
selfish and crazy rulers, who think only
of their own aggrandizement just as
Rome, with fetes and feasts, with holi-
days, and deadly comsats between man
and beasts, with gladiatorial exhibitions
in crowded smphitheaters, tuTned the
peoples thought from their wrongs-so
do our rulers to-day, with csucuses, con-
yeutions, campaigns, impeachment trials,
aud the coarse brutality of the press aud
politicians, smuse the people, degrade
The public taste, and destroy the virtue
of the nation. Unthinking leaders in
fame the North against rebeldom, aud
damn every man who dares put in a plea
for Justice aud mercy to the South, with
the nnmeaning name of copperhead." 4"
To rouse the peoples wrath, they point
Them TO the bones Of their sires and sons
bleaching on all those southern plains,
forgetting that with their own hands they
built that sepulchre where our brave
dead now sleep. The chain that held
the black boy in the everglades of
Florida, and the slave girl in New Or
leans market, was fastened round their
necks by New England's sons and dsugh-
ters Through our avarice and selfish
ness, the land Of orange groves and
flowers lies bleeding and desolate to-day
Blame not the South, bot our own con
stitutious, creeds snd codes.
Bat when We ended with the sword a
slavery Of brute force. aud ioveriurned
the Southern oligarchy, BY cunning Lex
islation, We have substituted another
form az slavery in cur own system o.
6naAce. 1n cur national debt and taxa