The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1868-12-18

save a reckless and lsw:ess few, who are to
be found in every State and under every
government, and who belong indiserimnaie-
ly to all parties aud factions, or to none at
al? It is remarkable, however, that the
children so much respect the mother, when
they receive from her no kindness or affec-
tion, but constant cbastisement and abuse,
and that, too, without disobsdience or trans
gFessiOn. But still they love her, You
can not easily ALLEVIATE men from the spot of
their birth, the home of their childhood,
and the battle-ground of their ancestors.
Here their infant eyes FIRST beheld the light
of hesven-here they have ever liVed--here
has been all that they ever loved, and here
they hope to remain and let their dust re-
pose. Thus they still respect and cling to
the commonwealth with patriotic devotion.
And they will continue SO to do, until pro-
tracted prescription and unequal laws have
extinguished every hope Of freedom, every
emotion Of patriotism and every principle
of manhood.
The fourth objection we answer by asking
what is it that indicates that the spirit of
rebellion still exists and is cherished by our
people? Surely, you connot construe their
reasonable complaints against psoscriptive
laws, and their frequent aud ferveut appeals
for relief therefrom, into Esprit of rebel
lion" Nor should the people be charged
with, or held accountable for, the local abb
normities and illegal acts committed by
violent and incorrigible few. who more or
less afhict every country after The termina-
ton of grea, war, AS to the Kuklux, it
is believed that they are local organizations
and after the manner Of protective or vigil
lent committees, doubtless originating in
part from the brutal and uapunished crimes
ewly emancipated and preferred race
y from reasonable apPrehensions Of
violence from this infatuated and
Suddenly disenthralIed populatiou-in part
from the UNPUBLISHED crimesof lawless men
of all shades who prevail in the country,
and in part from the ineficient execution,
and the partial administration of the laws
in force. We do not believe and never
revolutionary organization, or designed
the overthrow Of the State government
Are they not all over the South? But even
suppose they were revolutionary. and as
strong as they are sometimes represented
to be in the States (from forty to sixty
thousand a fortiori, immediate steps should
be taken to remove all causes or pretexts
for revolution. For then, in an hour of
paroxysnal excitement and patriotic enthu-
thusiasm, they might burst upon the State
and accomplish prodigiOus mischief, before
the strong arm of the Federal government
could intervene and suppress the outbreak
there being 70 power in the State aoe-
quate to do it. But we feel assured that
they are not revolutionary and have no such
designs upon the State. Nevertheless,
strike disfr0nchisensent from your Constitu-
ton. and establish just, equal and Impair
tial laws, and take our confident predictions
for it, you will soon have no more Kuklux,
no more Loyal Leagues, or aBy secret or
ganization whatever, whose genius is poll
tics and whose existence is only maintai
by discord aud antagouism. Do this, and
at single stroke the chain will fall from
Tennessee, amid the eulogistic shouts of g
disenthralled people and the signal appro-
baton of the. whole country. Re-enfrau-
chise the dis-fFanchised, restore them TO all
the rights and inmunities of feemen, and
you will have accomplished "reoonstruc-
III
is the primal source Of all our present. trou-
bies, ant to that source we can ouly look
for relief. Otherwise, Reconstruction"
will never be consummated, and malco..
tenGment, dsaffection and eommotion will
continue to afiiot our long suffering and
distracted Common wealtk.
Conscript Fathers can it be possible
that eighty thousand freemeD, in the small
State of Tennessee, are TO be reduced to
and held in political vassaIage for the causes
before mentioned? What sn unjust pro-
seription, What political abnormity. and
what egregious injustice this is 3, - aa
This state ofthings cannot be perpetua.
ted without social 6ouIeVersemsnt, civil an
archy. OF political revolution. Men born
and educated under a republican govern
ment cannot eRdurs it. And We say this,
not as menaee, but because We fdueiaIly
believe it will be an ultimate and moment.
Gus fact a. 4-s.5
The question of universal suffrage ia
nov suggested to Congress for eonsidera-
ton, and it is generally believed that that
body will soon offer an amendment to the
Constitution embracing that question and
submit it to the States for ratification. If
| they do. the South will donbtless ratifr the