Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-06-01
Rank Treason

The New York Tribune picks up the
Knoxville Wing upon the following
statement:
"The editor of the Tribune would do
4 we'll to display greater degree of
modesty and less of dogmatism touching
our affairs. Certainly, if his counsel and
theory in regard to universal amnesty
and universal suffrage had been adopted
in Tennessee, this State would now be
under rebel rule, and loyal men would
have been compelled to fee their homes
or submit to the most Calling expressions
and the most uncomfortable insults and
injustice.
"Treason here is under the ban. 10y
atty is in the ascendant The loyal
black man and the loyal white man may
| assert themselves as citizens under the
forms of law. The restlessness, hatred,
and lawlessHess of many of the rebels,
prove how wise it has been to withhold
from them the exercise of the right of
franchise and of office. The situation
in Tennessee. State far in advance of
even New York in true Republican
principles, is vindication of the wisdom
and rightfulness of our policy, mauger
the repeated imputations ofthe Tribune, "
1t prefaces the quotation as follows:
The Knoxville Whig is edited by
son, we believe of Gov Brownlow. He
does not like the Tribune so well as he
might do if his taste we're different-we
will not say better. He instances sew
eral points in which our course might be
more to his liking and thus proceeds"
We must be allowed to correct the Iri-
bpne upon one point The Whig is
edited by old man Brownlow himself,
better known perhaps as old Proc, or
Senior Editor The question of taste is
hardly admissible, in this controversy.
A person of good taste would not swear
by either journal.
But the Tribune goes on TO CON NIT
rank treason against Brownlow in the
following shameless manner:
Even though we were agreed that the
state of things existing in Tennessee were
as altogether lovely as the Whig regards
it, we are obliged to consider: lst, That
there are other States than Tennessee;
I'd, That the existing regime may not
endure, even in Tennessee"
We eheerfully concur with the Iri-
bune in both these propositions, but then |
we are copperheads and are disloyal. |
Your truly loyal man may perhaps be |
induced to admit that there are other |
States than Tennesses, but never that
the existing regime may not endure
even in Tennessee" Is there not loyal |
militia2 Are there not courts, yea and /
a loyal jury law, and loyal judges2 The
existing regime not endure Good |
heavens, was there ever such reasonable
talk as this u Why if the Tribune we're
to make such an assertion in Tennessee,
the senior editor Of the Knoxville WHO
would disperse it at the point of the bay
onet
But the Tribune proceeds:
Mr.. Brownlow and his friends have
iisfranchised a part Of the people Of
their State-he says a majority, but we
think him mistaken on that point. Now
be says that the 'restlessness, hatred and
avlessness Of the disfranchised moity
1f Tennesseans proves their disfran-
,hisement wise We cannot so regard it,
We have so long heard the ignorance
md degradation Of the blacks cited to
excuse their enslavement, or at least
heir privatiou Of political rights, that
We regard with disfavor all arguments
hat run in the same groove We admit
hat the blacks are often ignorant and
leeraded; We insist that slavery and.l
political nullity made them 90. We
.dmit that the Tennessee rebels are rest
ess, hateful, and laEiess We hold their