Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-04
The Bells Of '76 and '6s.

When in the year l776 the colonies Of
Great Britain published to the world that
deathless Declaration of Independ.
ence" which proved that there sis q
limit to the despots power" the bell of
the Old South Church in Philadelphia
rung out loud and clear through the sum
mer air proclaiming liberty through all
the land" and as its reverberations
sounded over valley and hilltop, as its
glad notes were echoed from steeple to
steepe, till through the country arose the
pean TO freedom, every man who heard
the tidiugs answered the invocation, and
with earnest and solemn joy prepared for
the great strife which was to come.
To-day, were the bells of New Orleans
allowed to speak, they too would ring
forth note that should traverse the land
from end to end. But their tidings would
be far different from those which the
bell of the Old South Church proclaimed.
Instead of the glad anthem for the birth
of liberty in the land, they would toll
slowly end sadly mournful kuell over
her grave. Instead of bidding the world
rejoice that nation of freemen had
sprung into existence, they would ask
its pitiful tears for people crushed
outraged, trampled under foot; instead
ofdemanding the admiration of the globe
for the creation of an army of patriots,
jealous for liberty, single minded, they
would tell the mournful story of the
bringing into existence of an irresponsi.
BILE, rapaeious and ignorant body of sol.
diers instead of bidding the monarchies
of the world to behold the solution of the
great problem of self government by the
people, they would invite their gaze at
the spectacle of pretended free State
placed under the absolute and despotic
control of one man, made responsible
for the abuse of his authority to no one
but bis God. But, alas the bells of New
Orleans are dumb. Our people can do
naught but "suffer and be strong" for
the hand of power crushes out both re-
sistance and complaint. But there is q
portion of this nation to whom free
speech aud free action are both yet re-
alities, and in them, in the justice OF our
cause, and in the merciful goodness of
the all merciful and all good is our trust.
Let it be proclaimed in every Northern
city, let tnem Dc tOiu III every uouecuoiu,
let them be published in every street
corner, let them be printed in every pa
per, that the lower house of the Legisla-
ture of Louisiana-the pretended Legis'
lature which as fairly represents our
State as it does the State of Massachu-
setts-that this body of revolutionary
politicians, on the 29th day of July, 1868,
passed an act allowing the Governor of
the State TO raise and equip whatever
troops he chooses, to employ them as he
sees fit, to disband them at his discretion,
to officer them at his will; in short, an
act to create a standing army of negroes
in the State to be at the beck and call Of
the Radical party in Louisiana. Let
these tidings be proclaimed everywhere
the free North, and if they
do not there create Sc strong a feeling as
shortly to undo this iniquitous work, let
the bell of old South Church be re-cast
and instead Of words which it now bears,
I" Proclaim liberty through sll the land
let it be inscribed with the blsckest Of
letters. This bell, originally token Of
the birth st liberty in this land, il now a
to her memory. y."-Nep Or
1sous DreerSnf