Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-28
PUBLIC LEDGER.
m IED II III Il ~
wednesday Evening. April IS. 1853.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. COUNTRY
RIJIEc


RUI.Ec
There is in the breast of every honest
American love for republican instltu'
tons. 1t is the peculiar form OF govern
mani under which the mind and genius
are permitted to roam at large, and OK
plore the fields Of science unknown and
untrayeled before by human ken. The
thought is pleasant to revolve IN our
minds that we owe no allegiance to po-
tentate or power save the mejesiy OF the
law enacted by our own direction, and in
tended for the good of all, without priv
legged distinction to presumptious few
The idea Of our Government is that
all are equal in making the
laws, whether rich or poor or
biph or low, in the social circle; every
citizen should b, heard through bis
representative in the halls of legislation.
In a word, az TO what was intended by
the founders of our Republic, msJoriiy
of the people were supposed to control
the destinies of the State. And indeed
the ignorant North have persuaded them
selves that this is now a peoples govern
mrpi. and that the South alone have
rebelled against q majority rule. That
is a great mistake and an unjust charge.
The people of this part of the Govern
meut have ever been willing to bow down
TO the will and wish of majority OF
the rightiul controllers and We charge
the North with being the first party
10 the contract who disregarded the
clearly defined and expressed will OF the
people of the United States. The people
were opposed first to the elevation OF Mr.
Lincoln to the Presidential chair, and be
was placed in { flee by plurality vote
instead, as he should have been, by the
wishes Of a majority Of his peers at the
bsllot-box.
Then again, since the South was put
down because she preferred not to be
ruled by a minority, the North have
again elected their President and seated
him in the Presidential chair with
cut the appreciation Of msjority
Of the people. These are facts that
can be shown from the record. The 7rf-
Jnne Almanac gives the entire vote OF
the country, leaving out the disiranchised
citizens of the South at 5,725, $50; OF
this amount General Grant, in the last
Presidential election, received 3.0l6 325,
and Governor Seymour received 2,70G,-
63l, making Grants majority in this
count 800 ,694 or about six per cent on
the whole vote.
In the Senate Of the United States the
Radical members are iify-seven, while
there are only nine Democrats. The
States Of Mississippi, Texas and Virginia
are not represented at oil in that august
body, not having put off the swadling
clothes Of loyalty TO the Radical party.
But should these excluded States be
allowed a place in the Union, then their
representatives will only serve to swell
the vote of the Radical party. For it is
a settled principle of the Government
that no more Democratic States will be
admitted, as was the cry before the war
by these Noriherners that slavery should
be restricted within the bounds it then
occupied. But let US take glance at the
disproportion of the vote as given for
President and the excessive vote 10 the
Senate Of Republican members, We can
see in moment that the will of the ma
joriiy is not expressed in this, or that the
people can be considered as now con-
trolling the country.
Suppose we add to the vote already
given 100000 white men deprived of the
elective franchise II will then be found
that Grant is a minority President, and
that the acts of Congress are
not an expression of the peo-
pies will, made known through their
Representatives. This is the beautiful
republican government that We are called
upon to swear allegiance to wherein a
minority rule. Why no, at once make it
q one-msn government, aud cease the