Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-05-28
THE APPEAL" AND IMPERIAL

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THE aAPpEAL" AND IMPERIAL
ISM.
Our cotemporary, the Appeal itseems'
is incapable Of compromising the plain.
est decorations in the English language.
This paper copies an extract from the
New York Imperialist, at some length,
in which it is plainly stated that the doc
trine Of Imperialism is not at all parti-
san, and that its ranks are open to all
who are tired of the miserable fraud OF
government we now live under But this
old fossil sheet that is seen floating round
town-tbat is sold and bought only as q
curious relic Of the buried past--fails to
understand what is published in its own
columns
The absurdity Of the statement that this
new doctrine was scheme hatched by
Radicals to perpetuate their party exist
epee has long since been proven to the
satisfaction of every reading and think
ing man in the country.
II Is not true that the doctrine Of I'm
perialism was first started in this coun.
try by the people of the North. ~The
LEDGER, Of this city, with other newspa-
pers through the South, advocated the
doctrine long before the New York
sheet, styling itself the Imperiatfst,
had an existence, or was SO much
as spoken of by any one. The idea
of a new government had its birth
and origin in the necessities for re-
form aud longing desire for a happier
state of existence than we are now com
PEELED to submit to and live under. The
people of the North-a large number OF
them-are thinking men, and see to what
condition we have all nearly been re-
duced by the doctrine Of popular SOW
ereiguty. We do not deny but that this
new doctrine in the North 6nds its
strongest supporters among the men who
own the wealth Of the country. Ii is the
very feeling of insecurity and the know
ledge Of the unstableness Of our Govern
ment that forces these men to
favor change. The man who
owns United States bonds. or Govern
ment securities of any kind, knows that
the masses care nothing for public faith
and national honor, and that at any time
his wealth may in day be taken from
him. Then, if the Government will re-
pudiate its own contracts, and thereby
beggar the men who stood by it 10 the
dark hours of revolution, would that
same Government scruple to do anything
thatit saw proper, even to the taking
away the lives of our best citizens with
out cause? 1t certainly would not
as has been proven in the preceding
Administration, when innocent men and
women were sacrificed upon the altar oil
popular fury. There is no restraint 10
popular government to the wild and I'M
governable passions Of the multitude.
But these passions, when once aroused,
must be left to vent their madness upon
innocent victims, and, when too late, the
people are left to repent of their folly.
Multitudes are more liable TO do wrong
than a few sober and discreet men,
whose duty it would be at sll times to
watch ever the public interest, and whose
sludious care should be TO weigh out
exact justice to every man. Look, for
instance, at the popular government,
now being carried on by negroes in our
city and State. Is it not sufficient to
disgust every man who has the pride of
country 10 bis hearth The honesty and
integrity of the country have been put
down by corruption, and to-day worth
and public virtue are below par. Bot,
one says, I'VE should 90 to work and en-
deavor to revive the sick patient by APP
plying the proper restoratves. /" 10 reply
we would say, the patient spoken Of is
dead, and all the party nostrums and gall
vanic batteries brought to bear will
fail to again infuse new life into the
defunct body. The means Of establishing
a new government entire is more feasible
than to endeavor TO get back to our old
Constitution. that at best was nothing
more than q rope Of sand thrown round
the citizen to protect him and his prop
eriy. And we assert this from knowl-
edge Of what has happened and what
to-day is going on before our very eyes.
The editor Of the Appeal, of this city.
would say, "But this reform is advocated
nv Northern Radicals, and for that res-
soa the South should have nothing to do
with H." Well, for our part, We
are willing to accept a hand.
whether from The North or the West,
the East, or the South that shall
he held oat to lift the country from It's
nreseut debased and PROSTATE condition.
We are glad that the idea has taken
Judgement in The NortheFa Ei9d' that
,h.-a il a necessity for revolution anda