Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-02-17
Fnreicn Fogyism.


they are in advance Of the people of the
new world, they may discover that they
ere in error by consulting the carpet-bag
legislation and practice of the Southern
States. They will discover a stride OF
advancement on our part of which they
had never dreamed. They will discover
that reconstructed State with us is moth
ing but n absorption of unlimited power
by the minority, who run the new ma
chine in their own interests, To this end
the people are declared to possess no
rights except such as an armed man
graciously accords to one who is un-
armed. Let US take Tennessee as an IL
lustration Of single point of Radical
absolutism. DR.. Leftwch and Mr.. Sheaf,
democrats, were elected to Congress in
this State by considerable msjorities.
Brownlow, right in the face of the law of
the State, gives certificates of election to
Smith in the one case and Tillman in the
other. The law, as laid down in section
$50, Of the code of Tep nessee, provides
that:
The Governor and Secretary Of State
shall, as soon as the returns are received,
in the presence of such elector as choose
TO attend. compare the vote in these sew
eral cases Congressional elections) and
declare the person receiving the highest
number of votes duly elected.
Section 1872 provides that if there is
tie the Governor shall give the casting
vote, and section ss9 provides that
No poll-book or certificate made under
the provision of this article is to be set
aside or rejected for want OF form, nor
on account Of its not being strictly IN
accordance with the direction herein
contained, if the same can be clearly
understood; and any such return, poll
list or certificate signed by majority OF
the inspectors or returning officers, is
sufficient.
In further illustration of the shame to
which we are putting the old fogies of
Europe, the declaration of martial law,
in time of peace, in Arkansas-the rails
ing of an army-ihe butcbery of inno'
cent people, may be appealed to. In
this. case there is not, as in Europe,
where wars are Waged, an organized
belligerentto fight. The people, without
warning, are oyerruu, shot down, and
their houses pilIaged. But" ssys the
disgruntled fogy on the other side of the
water. THAT is not law, nor right. nor
Justice, nor enlightened progress" THAT
may be true" says the man with the
sword, shut it is fact" And so it is fact
Many a uew-made grave attestsif Many
a desolated home speaks eloquently to
the point. The proof is conclusive, and
the victory is won from the Wanted pro-
gressiopists abroad They stick to-
Magma Charia, to the principles of civil
liberty. We do not, but kick them out of
the way when they rise up to obstruct
our progress. In Arkansas, under the
new order Of things, resolution has
passed one Of the houses of the Legisla-
ture declaring that the name of no one
shall be Nesented Cor the removal of po-
litical disabilities who did not support
the reconstruction measures and vote for
the State Constitution. Now, old fogy,
what do you think Of that2 You, sir,
old gentleman, you have very much TO
learn, and something to unlearn. Our
political rights no longer depend on ma
ture, manhood, virtue, intelligence. They
depend on the complexinn Of ones po'
lilical sentiments. If one think with
the lords Of the carpet-5ag. he shall be
freeman. Otherwise he shall be prae-
tically a slave, though the class of which
he is a member, be the great pillows Of
the people.