Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-29
INC rmutrc-Is ft Possible .

EDITOR LEDGER: The DAY OF ourti
of July spread eagleism" and fre-cracke
elcquence is thing ef the past Real
ties of so stirring nature as the Ameri
can people have experienced in the las
decade have Invested democratic govern
ments of all that species of enthusiasm
so pr,judicial Of sound and healthy opin
ion, so as to warrant now mature and
thoughtful study of goversmenf, which
is likely to be productive OF practical and
lasting utility to man, and to us Ameri'
cans in particular. We are glad to hail
new era of fire, iiiibberai aud v:.sram-
meled spirit Of investigation and inquiry
among the thinking minds of America.
Ifthere is merit in a thing-intrins3 good
per se-we do not now question whether
it be the pet scheme Of u foreigner, who
is insisting upon applying tito us notens
rolens. but our consideration is what
practical good or general utility2 Can
il Le made subservient TO our material
interest 2 In entering upon this era we
are Just beginning to become enfran'
cbised to learn in what consists our
true interests, and how to form correct
plans for its general promotion. These
are the FIRST steps Of our enfranchisement,
10 be followed by results in every way
commensurate with ideas so liberal AID
enlightened.
when Germany offers US her civilizing
institutions of the printing press and
lager beer to snpplant our ignorance and
whisky, and we see by their Introduction
that crime is wonderfully decreased,
shall we decline their benefits on the
score of their nativity II France offers
you a cheaper, shorter and more secure
passage to India, by way OF the Suez
canal, than any you now have, will you
decline it because it is the werk of an
Emperor So if history offers you les
sons by which you may profit, will you
turn a deaf ear wheB the immortal Clio,
desce nding to the individual harmo-
nies 5" of her foster children, sings to You
briefly. amid abundance, how Socrates,
who gave to the Athenians their first les
sons of divine immortality, gentle and
charitable, was sentenced to swallow
poison by court OF justice? how Pyth-
agoras. great in wisdom as in humanity,
was burnt alive by the Crotonians, who
we're his bene fciaries how Thucdides,
exiled by the Athenian demos, yet
forgetting his cslumHiators, gives
them aud their deeds to the golden echoes
OF eternity ?-for Athens, our Athens"
still swells into grander proportions,
and lives thing divine on the pages oil
history. How Xenophon was ban
ished, after having brought back to their
homes ten thousand of his fellow-citizsns,
and how the magnanimous Camillus and
the great Scipio Africanus we're over
whelmed with calumny by the Roman
people? Thusw we might continue to trace
this equatorial line of Injustice through
out the vast and crowded map Of history,
with all its fluctuations, insecurity and
unstable forms of government.
The laws of nature never err. II is
sense of this law which constitutes the
ne plus ultra of human reason. We
receive from nature souls friendly to
truth let us then seek in nature, who
never deeeives us, that truthful guidance
for our actions which cannot fail to en-
tighten and restore to US the fountains
and knowledge of wisdom. She points
TO laws that alter not !; she teaches us
ideas of one controlling spirit Hence
we see in the worlds history, with here
and there an occasional short and tur-
bulent interlude of democracy, the mon
archical form of government.
The great trouble with us Americans is
our prejudices. We have heard 40 many
dreadful things said Of despotism, tyran-
ny and monarchy, all embraced together
as one in our minds, and beea taught to
leok upon any change of the kind as
bringing with it en- abridgement of priv
leges aud loss OF freedom of action, as
well as loss of freedom Of conscience,
that it is rot surprising We are disIustiul
and doubtful.
We do not put ourselves forward as the
advocates OF any pet plan, nor the cham
pions of any party; we only desire to in
yite your attention TO the shadow OF
events approaching yon-nst yet great
way removed from your doors We wish
to see you interested in the events now
about you fast developing into others,
which will surely herald new era ia this
country. With hope aud trust that d.
vine Providence may guide them to
peaceful and glorious solution Of all our
troubles, our cry is still, Let Us have
peace J.
: II, in the exercise of the freedom Of
speech. we discuss and advocate in q
peaceful way peaceful change of gov
eminent, who can accuse US Of sedition 7
Yes; we may push away the consider
alton Of these questions with con-
tempiuous "pshaY," believing onrss yes
intrenohed behind the bulSarks Of lib
erty, and vainly imagine that we are still
in the contest with liberty against despot-
IAN, and yet awake to fad ourselves on
the side Of despoiism, and liberty and
monarchy on the other Offering TO us
peace, security, happiness and stability,
which we have sought in vain TO lind 10 q
democracy. j. ,.
tAdyertisementl
soI1iern Imperiaiist Prospectus.