Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-04-16

traitors and amhii pect Po''eN' =
\ own possess,) govern without stint The
4 intellect of the State is 80 far s'lenced'
departing aud in tho shade as to DC
powerless Of all control Men on the
make" whose principles are the loaves
and fishes, who care for no section and
who in the times of liberty could have no
place, because neither possessed Of the
talents nor the integrity required 70 win
the regard Of an honest people, even
with the aid Of all the infamous arts Of
the demagogue, now hold the Offices
which they have gained by deceiving
the negroes into a belief in their friend
shin. And such as these make the laws
Law the taxes, monopolise the perquisites
and the salaries, do the stealing, and on
the pre,snse of governing, have estao-
lisbed a condition Of things in COMPARE
SON with which anarchy itself would be q
boon. 1t is now near four years since
the State was re-admitted to the Union
and their government began. None have
resisted. The Radicals have had I'M
disputed possession of the reins, with
things all their own way, and with no
check, except from occasional invective
which their crimes deserved. This to
men Of such character, however potent
| il might be among honorable men, who
had regulations to lose or be endangered
by il, has proved utterly imperative and
impotent. They cannot pretend they
have been at all restrained, and thattheir
errors and misgovernment have been the
unavoidable result of determined and
Efficient resistance. Nothing OF the sort
has controlled them ID the least. And
now behold the result, in State govern
ment unparalleled on this continent for
expensiveness, inehiciency and intamy
1.-THE established rule Of judging by
results is to prevail fairly, what conclu-
sion have we now from these premises Z
Where else is to be found so badly gov
erned an American State that Ten nessee
will not suffer by the comparison Tax,
alton is in excess OF the legal rate of in
terest for money-thus consuming the
entire estimated surplus value of pro-
duction. And yet it is true that we are
running in debt. The taxes, heavy as
they are, are inadequate to the waste,
the pilferings, the legislation for indi-
yiduaI benefit and purposes, and to hill
the capacious NAV of pampered officials,
scallawsgs, and cavernous, fund-stealing
banks. And with unequaled taxation
we are running in debt with such unpre-
cedsnted rapidity as already to drive
population from the State. .,
In return for all this, life and property
is insecure-crimes are committed with
an impunity hitherto unprecedented.
The State abounds with Migrants, the
plantations, villages and cities are in
tested with thieves, and the highways,
never before known to be dangerous, are
unsafe. Taking into view the honest,
industrious and peace-loving character
of our permanent and white population,
we see no reason for hesitation in COM
ing to the conclusion that withdrawal
Of all pretenss of government Whatso'
ever, with the abolition of oil offices,'ex-
ecutive, legislative and judicial, would
not result by common consent in more
perfect order and grestersecurity to life,
liberty and property than we now pos
sess. We could lose nothing by such
change, while we should at least escape
the excuses for public plumber, and the
decentralization which is the consequence
of the operations of the existing and in
conceivably abominable machinery of
government No government but would
be preferable to that which we have. And
be that SIS It may, we challenge the pro-
ducsion of its infamous rival among all
the governments Of mankind-zdemo-
cratic, despotic, or even radical, Hindoo
or Hottentot.
Such is the wicked and shameful re-
suit of four years rule by men without
worth, public honor or private virtue.
Is not that satisfactory and conclusiveP
Is not "the proof Of the pudding in
chewing the bsg?" The negro popula-
ton Of Tennessee itself is intelligent
enough to scout such government, and
it would do SO if it was not also ignorant
enough 10 be duped and mfsied by the
craft of infamous white sceundrels whom
they take for friends, because they came
here with the armies Of the United States
against men who once held them in
slavery. They will learn better after
awhile than TO trust men so utterly I'M
Trustworthy, though the State may be
ruined in the process. Place all the rob
bers, murderers, thieves and pirates Of
the world together on an island of the
sea sufficiently large to contain them, and
they will forthwith establish govern.
ment both more just and efficient than
this, for they will haye sufficient intelli-
gence to know it is impossible to DO With
out it. Yet the honest and good people
Of Tennessee groan under government
too damnsble for thieves, and the con-
trolling power Of the Union looks on aud
exults in the power and crimes Of the
dominating tyrants of the State, and the