Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-27

until our "bell wethers are secured
and, convinced OF the utility and fitness
of the Empire, they become the winds
made subseryient to the best interests Of
men in the propagation OF stable
government--the Empire. They thus
become the trade winds, the guilt stream
and the tide winds, having lost in the
change the typhoon, monsoon and
cyclone spirit.
If we see by repeated history that
/ democratic governments are short lived,
and that, when once admitting change or
outliving the issues and feelings that
called them into existence, they must
soon cease to live and give place to q
better form of government, then let us,
| in the name of reason, heed the lessons OF
the past; see If the government has run
| it's course, outlived the objects and feel.
! ipgs which created it; and, il so, change
it into an Empire giving stability, protec.
ton and security to person and property.
Even those denying the failure of our
effort at democracy, attested by the late
revolution-which, they vainly endsavor
to force themselves to believe, proves its
strength-cannot blind their eyes to the
results since the war. Corruption and
bribery, the legitimate results of such
war, have, as in Athens, Rome, Venice,
everywhere, with daring etfrontery hur-
ried us into a mad vortex from which
there is but one escape. 1t is folly to talk
of going back to the Constitution, for
revolutions nerer 90 BACKYARD. The
Empire is our only salvation.
We Of the South who sought to main
tain the Constitution, as understood by
it's trainers, failed. Now, can you rea-
sonably expect to dictate terms to the
victors2 Mol it is Vae vichsl Vae
rictis +. here as in Rome We cannot |
persuade innovation and progressiveism
to concede that which 1t fought for and |
won. The South, by reason of it's insli-
tuition of slavery, was not inviting to emf.
grants teeming to this country; hence a
different society in the South from that
seen in the North. In the South, family
ties were stronger, Innovations were COM
batted, and strong, deep love for old
people, old ideas, and detestation of
change was deeply rooted. But the
North, recruiting from every nationality,
hao society OF many colors-a hetero-
geueous mass. Each new importa-
lion, bringing the prejudices of his
nationality and race, sought to en-
graft his opinions upon the go
neiy around him. Therefore, in
his Babel of Nation, we have such q
variety of prejudices and conflicting
opinions, creating desire for change
\ spirit of progressiveism which must
ind in disruption, or an entire change /
IF the form of government In the
South, before the war, those at the head
IF affairs were descendants of Revolu-
iouary parents. Not so at the North, II
whose mixed population could have no
pride of family and reverence for solid
ty to keep their unholy hands from the
The South, with climate
md soil superior to that of the North, {
lid not invite immigration, from and on
account of the aversion with which
,outherners viewed every fear of I'M
teadiuess in society. And the small 8
element introduced since the war
las slTeady began to subvert so
,iety. What then will happen when |
wo-thirds are importations If the '
ssyrian monarch could not control bis !
line characters OF people, eau tue totter- q
ng democracy speak peace to the count
ess, inextricabe mixture now manipu- d
ating our polls History is fruitful of T
Examples, consult her. The innovation b
4 strangers ruined Athens; while Spar
a, under her Lycurgan discipline,
for FIVE hundred years at the
nrbuent Athenians. Change is not the c
of law and order, which pro-
Iuoes the Leeuidas and his bold three
hundred. Democracy will Danish
rhucidades to honor Cleon. The Em- I
ire must come Of necessity. Let it
ome quickly. Meet the issue peacefully; 4
ee your only salvation and security of
lie, liberty and property, 10 the Empire.
The Empire Ia peace Let us have d
'eace."