Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-22
sacrificing the nation to the exigencies Of
parties plunged US into rebellion and

1
parties plunged US into rebellion and
war;
Even admit that the power should pass
into the hands of a party made up ol
Southern men and the hitherto dishon'
ored and misled Democracy of the North
that power could not be used just as they
pleased. The war has changed, not alone
institutions, but ideas. The whole coun'
try has advanced. Public sentiment il
exalted far beyond what it has been ai
any former period A new party would,
like river, be obliged to seek its chan
! nels in the already existing slopes and
forms Of the continent.
We have entered new era Of liberty.
/. The style of thought is free and more
noble. The young men of our times are
regsnerated. The great army has been
q school, and hundreds of thousands OF
men are gone home to preach truer and
( nobler view of human rights. All the
| industrial interests of society are moving
with increased wisdom toward in
telligence and liberty. Everywhere
lin churches, in literature, and
nature and natural sciences, in
physical industries, in social questions,
as well as in politics, the nation feels that
the winter is over, and a new spring
hangs in the horizon and works through
all the elements. In this happily changed
and advanced condition of things, no
party Of the retregrsde can maintain
itself. Everything marches, and parties
must march. q Hea
l hear with wonder and shame and
scorn the fear of few that the South,
once more in adjustment with the Fed :
eral Government, will rule this nation !
The North is rich-never so rich; the
South is poor-never before so poor.
The population of the North is nearly
double that of the South. The industry
of the North, in diversity, in forward
ness and productiveness, in all the
machinery and education required for
manufacturing, is half 9 century in
advance of the South. Churches in the
North crown every hill, and schools
swarm in every neighborhood while the
South has but scattered lights, at long
distances, like lighthouses twinkling
along the edge of continent of dark
ness. In the presence of such con-
trast, how mean and craven is the fear
that the South will rule the policy Of the
land That it will have an influence,
that it will contribute, in time, most i'm
portant influences or restraints, we are
glad to believe. But if it rises at once
to the control of the Government it will
be because the North, demoralized by
prosperity, and besotted by groveling in.
terests, refuses to discharge its share Of
political duty. In such case the South
not only will control the Government,
but it ought to do it.
1t is feared, with more reason, that the
restoration of the South to her full inde-
pendence will be detrimental to the freed
men. The sooner we dismiss from our
minds the idea that the freedmen can be
classified and separated from the white
population, and nursed and defended by
themselves, the better it will be for them
aud US. The negro is part and parcel of
Southern society. He cannot be prosper
GUS while tits unprosperous. Its evils will
rebound upon him. Its happiness and re-
invigoration cannot be kept from his par
ticipatiou. The restoration of the South
to amicable relations with the North, the
reorganization of its industry, the rein
spiration of its enterprise and thrift will
all rebound to the freedmsn's benefit.
Nothing is SO dangerous TO the freedman
as an unsettled state of society in the
South. On him comes all the spite and
anger and caprice aud revenge. He
will be made the scapegoat of law
less and heartlsss men. Unless
we turn the government into a
vast military machine there can
not be armies enough to protect the freed
men while Southern society remains in
If Southern society is
calmed settled aud occupied, and soothed,
with new hopes and prosperous indus
tries, no armies will be needed. Riots
will subside, lawless hangers-on will be
driven off or better governed, and way |
will be gradually opened mp to the freed
men, through education and industry, to
full citizenship, with all its honors and
duties. ar
Civilization is a growth. None can
escape that forty years in the wilderness
who travel from the Egypt Of ignorance
TO the promised land Of civilization. The
freedmen must take their march Ihave
full faith in the results If they have the
stamina TO undergo the hardships which
every civilized people have undergone in
their upward progress, they will, in due
lime, take their place among us. That
place cannot be bought, no: bequeathed,
nor gained by sleight Of hand. twill
come to sobriety, virtue, industry sad
frugality. As the nation cannot be sound
until the South is prosperous, so, on the
other extreme, healthy condition Of
civil society in the South is indispens-
sble to the welfare Of the freedmen.
Meanwhile, the great chasm which re-
1eilion made is not filed up. II Crews
ieeper aud stretches wider Out Of il
-ise dread spec,res and threatening
sounds. Let that gulf be closed, and
,ury in il slavery, sectional animosity,
md all strifes aud hatredsl
II is st that the brave men who, on sea
md land, faced death 10 save the naiion,
Ihould nov, by their voice aud vste, con-
Iummaie what their swords rendered
possible.
For the sake Of the freedmen, for the
AXE Of the South and it's millions Of
'ur fellow ow-couutrynen, for our own sake,
md for the great cause OF freedom and
'ivilization, urge the immediate re-
inion Of al The parts which rebellion
md var have shattered.
Am truly yours, (,
HEsnr WkRD BEEoHER-