Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-09-15

| tneT own FRnKS against tlelr excuses
and crimes are met with the busily piled
eld much worn epithets Of "rebel sym
pathiser" and copperhead." BY this
fact the sincerity OF their professsd ap-
prehensions OF insecurity on account Of
attachment to The Union, can be easily
tested.
Such purposes as are attributed to us
in this charge imply that we are desti-
tute of ordinary Intelligence and sa-
gaeity. Never, until oppression be-
comes so intolsrabIe as to make
70 condition worse, and leave
nothing worthy OF consideration ex-
cept revenge, could the people of the
South conte mplate such disastrous en-
rprises as those imputed to them by
their enemies.
APPEAL TO THE FEDERAL SOLDIERS
TIE POLICIES OF CONGRESS VIOLATE
THE TERMS OF SURRENDER.
We now have an appeal to make to
the late Federal soldiers. In closing the
long ard sanguinary strife consequent
on seee ssion, the soldiers OF the respect
I've armies, in the adjustment Of the
terms of peace and conditions for the
restoration of the Federal Union, repre-
sented practically and truly the peoples
and sections for which they had re-
spectively fought. They were armed
plenipotentiaries, having full authority
to treat with each other on these Ques- |
tiOns and by virtue Of the necessities Of |
the situation, the only ambassadors COM
petent to make the required conven- |
tions. They, and they alone, executed |
the work of paeification for distracted |
country. The office of each, in this re- |
gard, was substantially recognized by |
the people, North and South, at the |
/ surrcnAcE nf the (rOnfof9ara 70. oUrnfna
and their acts In the premises, acqui- |
eseed in and accepted by each Of the /
belligerent sections, and the GoverHment
of the United States. The terms of sur
render agreed upon by the contending |
armies did not include the degradation
or digfrdnchisen1en Of the Southern
| citizen, nor deprive the late Confederate
! States OF their coequal dignity in the
! Federal UEion. There was no such con-
stTuction placed upon these military
covenants, at the time, by either patty.
To divest the people of the South of
! their political franchises, and their
States of the right to manage their do
mestic affairs with the same large priv
ileges and competent functions Of the
other States, is q gross repudiation Of the
| covenants made between the Federal
and Confederate soldiers. We have the
right to appeal to o1r late gallant
armed sdversaries, against such mon
strOus iDjpstice, and ask them to see that
their contracts, sOlemnly made, shall
neither be violated in their letter nor
evaded in their spirit, by mOusing poll
ticians, intent only on revenge and
seeking personal advantage from the
distractions Of the hour. We call upon
them to rescue their triumph from the
dishonor OF such Punie faith, and to
eonsummate its glory in maintaining the
constitutional life OF that Union, for
whose geographical unity they fought
so bravely.
THAD. sTEvENs-THE LAW OF CONQUEST
DOES NOT AUTHORIZE THE BsCON-
STRUCTION BIZ.
Mr.. Stevens, the Cor73IpheEs of these
mOnstrou5 limo vstions on American pre-
cedent and American law, justifes these
iniquities by the doctrine OF conquest
and the arbitrary power ne supposes 1t to
confer. But government cannot be-
come the cOnqueT0r OF its own citizens,
or derive any new or enlarged powers
over them by title of conquest. Once
under the protection OF law Is, ss to the
citizen always to be under its protection,
until deprived Of it by judicial sentence,
according to the law OF the land. We're
It otherwise, tyranny tC0ltId dltgdys hGUs
|
just emerging from a successful rebellion
and an accomplished secession, and
therefore having a lively senslbility to
the dangers OF unlimited power, in every
possible way embedded IN the Federal
Constitution denial of the theories and
doctrines, for which this bold leader of q
bold revolutionary faction now contends,
and most emphRticsily prescribed every
principle contained in these RecOnstruc-
ton bills, as unfit to be tolerated in free
government.
Yet even on the ground of conquest,
these denominations cannot be sustained
They are prOlessedly and in fact the ex-
eIUlse OF arbitrary power. In the Ian
guage of Bul6e, Arbitrary power is q
g thing which neither any man can hold
. nor any mAn can give.n There is no :
such thing lawfully in the universe.
Even Onnipotence hiss by the primal !
law of His own infinite being, imposed
on His acts, and governs Him.
self by iHlmutdbLe laws, though self
imposed. Much less shall frail, impo-
tent man assert for himself arbi-
trsry power. 1.-The title Of con- :
''quest makes no difference at all. No /.
. conquest can give such q right; for ' '
= conquest, that is force, can not convert :
. its own injustice into just title, by
l..
''ure. By conquest, which is q more i'm Z
q mediate designation OF the word of :
u God, the COZ queror succeeds to all the !,
"a painful duties and subordination to L
. the power of God, which belonged to
u the sovereign whom he has displaced,
just as IL he had come in by the posi-
u tive law of some descent or some elec- c
' tion. TO this, at least, he is strictly
u bound, he ought TO govern them as he
. goVeTnS his ol0a subjects" Q
Even allowing, then, the largest Ieglt- Il
mate claim OF the conqueror, has the b
present Congress OF the United States Il
the Southern States and peO- d
pie, as il governs its own subjects Il
hat is the people of the so-called loyal \
States Does the Republican party, if 81
to retain power, promise 10 do o.
10? The former compels the South to g
accept negro suffrage, while permitting o
he Northern States to reject IL. Con- Il
,Tess recognizes that in the Northern Il
States, the citizen shall not be deprived "
f any privilege, or right OF life, liberty II
n property, without judicial sentence, u
md in due course of law; while In the g
south it divests freemen of priceless 81
privileges by legislative enactment, and q
entence of military commissions 1t II
PERMITS the people of the Northern States Il
hosen by them, in the lower House and ;
senate of the United States; while to the q
states and people OF the South this is de- 81
lied. No Northern citizen is taxed with Il
ut representation while in the South q
he most onerOus levies are imposed 1c
Without representation. In the North IL
he elector Is allowed to cast his vote II
without intimidation without ineurrlng
he risk OF bringing on himself penalties a.
nd hsrdships at the hands of the Gov A.
rnment, If he should reject certain y,
'rOposed measures while in the South w
he reverse Is the case. In the North -
Intelligence and virtue are permitted to -,
xerciss their legitimate influence in <,
egislation aud at the ballot box, while :,
t the South they are prescribed and ex- a.
iuded from participation ia public af- -
airs. All other States of the Union may, ~
Githin the limits of the Federal Consti- or
titution, control with the largest liberty hi
heir domestic affairs. Those Of the IN
outh must shape their internal polity II
nder the menace of Federal bayonets, ~
nd the Federal Congress intervenes to ~
oerce their internal administration. NJ
he Radical party stands committed to m
he continuance of this odiOus aiscrimi- Ne
stion between the States and to this r
iolatiOn Of even the law Of conquest :. :
)r hatred Of the South il the breath OF "a :