Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-08-03

the world. Inc reason given by the
journal is that the composition OF
the next Legislature is wholly in the
dark" That " lets the cat out of the
bag"-it is uncertain whether its
party is on its last legs or motor says
the Times the Legislature is a posi-.
ivepower,a and is everything" Ever
since Congress seized the reins of gov,
eminent, dethroned the Executive
and intimidated the Judiciary of the
United States, our Radical cOtempora.
ries have had a profound reverence fol
the omnipotence of the Legislative
authority. The Governors functions
"are so few and limited" exclaim:
the Times, that the election of thai
officer determines nothing. The Legis
lature is a positive power, and isevery
thing" That is tolerabiy strong W.
should say, but then after all, what O
it? If SENTER is about to be elected
as that paper claims and desires, anC
candidates mostly in sympathy with
him are about to be elected, why SCI
up a hue and cry about revolution
and declare thatthe STATED indanger,
What is there to be scared about?
But, dreading the Legislature, ant
fearing that the people, who by The
Constitution have at all times the
right to alter, reform or abolish theil
form of government, are about to dc
so one way or another, the Time.
is now dOubly alarmed, first lest re-
form should be initiated by the Legis.
lature, and next lest the people should
act in their sovereign capacity. Ac.
cordingly, and to forestall such an
event, it declares that without per.
mission and authority Of the Legis.
lature no lawful constitutional con-
vention can legally assemble. 1t will
be its province to say how amend
ments to the Constitution shall be
made, and to what extent the amend
ments shall 60" The people it declares
" have a revolutionary right, but nc
other, to convene and act without
permission Of the Legislature; but
that is a right which must be main
tanned by force Of arms" The great
right which the Constitution gives in
express terms, in letter and spirit, the
Times pronounces a right exclusively
revolutionary and not constitutional.
Then there are no rights which are
constitutional, none to be maintained
except by force Of arms; might is
right, and the only real right is to be
governed by the law of the strongest.
This is the Republicanism of the Radi-
cal party-the real Imfsrialism Of the
hour. Radicalism and Imperialism
have joined hands, they are one and
the same, eXtremeG have met, and no
man shall put them asunder.
Constitutional Conventions have
hitherto been held in this country in
time of peace in all the states, without
danger, without fear and without OBJ
lection. No harm has hitherto been
done by them. Is that a practically
Republican government in which
they cannot be safely held, can only be
excused on the ground Of revolution
airy right, and must be maintained by
force of arms? Is that a people
sovereign and free, whose combined
will is subject TO another, and who
have not at all times a right to alter,
reform or abolish their form of
government-subject only to the self
imposed restriction that Congress shall
forever see that the States shall have
a government Republican in spirit
and form? The denial of a constitu-
tiOnal right is a shame even to the in
tereSted partisan. 1t is unworthy Of
any men Of ordinary sense, even when
comes from them trembling for place
and power. When Conservatives talk
about rights and the Constitution, they
are denounced as copperheads and
having mischievous designs
and as undeserving ofany rights at all.
Is not that which is "sauce for the
sauce for the gander" also? If
the Radicals havethe power to amend,
alter and reform the government at
their will, and have exercised it, have
the Conservatives no interest in the
same matter? Has the Radical State
government proved such an immacu-
late success as to occasion no COM
has it been so benifcent as to
excuse none, has it been so wise in its
operation as to preclude the reason
ibleneSs of all attempts to amend or
reform it? Have there been few abuses
and few crimes? Have the people
been as prosperous, happy and unOp-
pressed by taxation? Have no State
vampires fattened on the blood of
he million, and none, native or
imported, grown rich on the
abor of the do~wntrodden? Well
nay the Press and Times take alarm.
The people may be long suffering, but
{ is not forever. There will be a day
If reckoning for these things, and we
rust that when it comes there will be |
zone to laugh and revel in luxuries
yrung by their iniquity from the Just
'arnings of capital, and robbed from
he labor of the poor. We should
,e glad TO e all our people of all
lanes and parties prosper together.
But We pray heaven we may be per-
to see the day when no Iordly
'fficial shall gloat over wealth accu-
nulated by tens Of thousands a year,
yrung from the honest industry and
aims Of their more deserving fellow
itizens.
OUR attention has been called to the
act that on the Goth inst. the property
N Poplar street, known as the Bishops
is to be sold by a decree of Tho