Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-01-30
The Handwriting. ON the Wall.

If the politicians at Washington were
not men so much like the Tennessee
legislators as to be almost without hope
of any desirable political future, it might
not be uuserviceable to suggest 20 them
a consideration of the effects of their un-
constitutional precedents when parties
have changed and other men than them
selve. come into power. Reverse the
situation--it is not impossible, but rather
extremely probable and imminent-and
what then2 Suppose the democrats
come to the control of public affairs; will
they not then have all the encouragement
and countenance possible for acts of
further usurpation and oppression of
their late antagonists What can they
do, if they would, which will not find its
ample prototype and precedent in their
viRdictive and radical doings outside
of the Constitution ?" Would they then
ask the protection which that instrument,
once sacred to the American people,
formerly gave ? Or would they conseutt to
their present axiom that the surest mark
of a traitor is to find man who pirates
of the Constitutio ? Are they so abso-
lutely assured of the stability Of an ever
changing aud varying popular vote that
they have no misgivings lest the tables
may be turned on them, and their own
OK happen to be the one that is gored ?
Are they so perfectly assured of the per-
manence of their own place and power
that they can affsrd perpetually to play
the tyrant, and laugh at the =" safeguards
of the Constitution" which were en-
acted by their fathers on fleeing from OPP
preston, and in the name of liberty ? If
these men in place will not be warned,
at least let their constituents read the
handwriting which is on the wall. The
men who are engaged in Decorating the
Constitution have fearful account to
answer, and fearfully will they render it.
They will not escape the ostracism which,
at the very least, they SO well deserve.
They will have their reward. In the de-
bato on the reconstruction bill, and re.
ferring to reactionary movements in
Ohio and New Jersey, Mr.. Brooks, of
New York, said:
These proceedings in Ohio and New
Jersey are but the beginning of the revo-
luton which has already made its APP
pearance elsewhere, and the prerogatives
and powers which the majority in this
House is now assuming in the most rev.
olutiouary manner, we intend to make
use of to undo all these revolutionary
and violent proceedings. So the honor
able gentleman from Massachusetts,
might as we'll make up his mind now to
see the beginning Of this great reaction
ary movement. We do not intend to de-
prive the negroes of the South of their
liberty; we intend to allow them FIVE
ffths representation, not three.ffths
one, which the negroes in the North are
having. But we do not intend to allow,
so far as we can help it, the people
of the North to be brought into negro
copartnership in the Government on the
floor of this House, or 10 be ruled by
black msjorities, by rotten borough
negro constituencies in the South. We
do not intend to be ruled by any such
Government as that, and all the pro-
cesses of legislation by which that has
been reached, or is to be reached
through the State Legislatures, as in
Ohio-through State action, as IN New
Jersey-through $4,000 popular major
i,y, as in my own State, to be increased
next year TO 100000, il this House goes
on with these proceedings-we intend to
undo them all. Irepeat everything which
has been done is to be undone. The
voice of the people is no longer
heard in whispers, but in the loud roar
of the whirlwiud coming from all parts
of the country, and it will sooner or later
unseat large majority Of those who now
constitute the majority on this floor,
puttine in their places the Democracy OF
the country. 1.-THE statistics of elections
are examined even now it will be found
that large majority of members on this
side of the House hold their seats here
and vote here on these bills who no longer
represent their constituencies, but are
acting in entire defiance Of the people
who sent them here.
With reference to the bill to abolish
the Supreme Court, Mr.. Brooks also
further said.
You may overthrow Andrew johnson
YOU may destroy the Executive, you
NAV turn the whole States into Haytis
Jamaicas and Africas, but when you
throw yourself against that bulwark o
the Constitution, your puny arm viii
shake and culver, and be blasted in the
first blow you strike against it.