Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-08-24
aoyrRNnEKT OF FORCE.

The fact that the government OF our
fathers ia being converted into govern
,nent Of force, is more apparent every
dav. The people Of the North were dis'
noesa to persuade themselves after the
war thu. it was slill necessary tor the
Government to assume and ezesc'se eA-
treordiusry powers, unwarranied eve"
hv the Consultation, in order as said to
u,essrve the Unien and the liberties OF
the citizen. But assumptions, Their, are
e,ll claimed 10 be necessary for the pun
lic good and TO force the acquiescenee OF
che people, every subteriugs is resorted
to, that the policy Of tie Radical party
may have The color Of law.
First, to keep 10 Subsection the south,
Il vsa held to bs ell-important that the
negro SHOULD be constituted The ruling
element in that section. So, nov, ip
order to still preserve this Radical power,
the North is clamarous for the passage
of the Fifteenth Amendment, 80 that the
thing may be individually fixed in the
Constitution. This is part of the ruin
or rule policy that has been inaugurated
in the Government, and cannot but
bring disaster upon the Republic. Such
a view of the subject had been held even
in the North at one time, and the ques'
ton of negro suffrage voted down by al
most every State wherein test had been
made.
The evidence Of what we cay can be
found 10 the vote of the States of New
York, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kansas,
Connecticut, Minnesota and others, which
nut their heels upon The neck of the ne
gro most enthusiastically. Itistrpe the legis-
latures Of few Of the above named States
have since adopted the fifteenth amend
ment, but the members of the legislatures
were not in any case elected with refer
ence 10 the question. We will venture to
say that if fair vote of the people could
be he'd in these very States that have been
forced into acquiescence of this fifteenth
amendment, they would vote it down as
they have done the same proposition
heretofore.
The identical Congress which passed
this amendment voted dewn q proposi-
ton TO refer it to the Legislatures that
should next be elected after its passage
bv that body. These Radicals were
afraid to trust the people to vote on this
question Of suffrage, and, in keeping with
their yiIIainous aud shrewd natures, they
chose 10 forestall the qualified voters
of the country, by submitting thisamend-
ment to Radical Legislatures that would
surely do their bidding in playing ont the
farce. The entire proceeding IN getting
this amendment passed has been charac-
terized by force and fraud. We
are TO only LOOK at the law passed
By Congress in reference to Mississippi,
Texas and Virginia TO CONVINCE us OF
the intention Of the Radical party 10
force the people of the country, whether
or not, to accept negro suffrage. These
three sovereign States are inhibited
from exercising their legitimate fame
,ions By this law Of Congress until they
are willing to stand on the came plat
form with the niggers and dogs of the
country.
They must Of necessity defle them
selves before they ore considered fit as
sociates for Northern States Bot we
feel confident that should this amend
msut be forced upon the country, as is
now proposed, that competent and
fearless Supreme Court will pronounce
it a dead letter, aud not eonsti-
tn,ing a part Of the Constitution,
So Tar as its being willing act of free
people, Congress would make Us appear
as engaging in the grand burlesque, and
that too with the bayonei, which is
ttllltl 70 u Tue ils.t iFtyft 10 ipitp 70
to comply. Will the brave men Of the
State, for fear Of violation to our local
government, be made to accept the negro
ss his eQual7 Shall We, in the name Of
high heaven, assist in riveting the chains
upon our sUn limbs, to be made hereafter
the servant. Of servants to the Radical
North There is nothing to be gained
By tbis act Of degradation. but By doing
90 We will enfranchise a large element Of
incompetent men, who will in every in
stance vote with our enemy and against
oar interests. We have no fear Of Ten
nesseeans, who, when permitted to sx-
press tLsir desires, will de 50 fearlessly,
sad sc sic,s'sl BY az enlightened con-
cisrce.