Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-01-29
PEACE.
LETTER no. ?.

LETTBR 80. ?.
editors Memphis Appeal:
Ieommend your correspondent, An
Old Citizen" for his article which sp-
peaTed in your columns this morning.
award him full credit for his patriotic
motives, and concur in his main suggee-
lion As to the means we should adopt 70
avoid impending evils. If we are to
ssva the least vestige Of Constitutional
liberty it must be lone by the united
efI1rts Of good and wise men brought to-
gether for the purpose, and actuated by q
single motive. No experienced and
thoughtful man can look over the fed
Of observation now lying before him IN
this country, and doubt for a single mo-
ment thst we are moving at 3 QUICK
step OF the high road to the widest an
archy that ever cursed q people. Onlessi
therefore, we intend 10 fold our hsh0s,
and await in sullen silence the COM
ing storm, We must meet q take
such stems SIS are most hKeIy %
avoid II. 7 therefore most nearby
second the suggestions Of An GA
CitizeuU to call a mass meeting OF
the county, and invite to it ali who de-
sire n zee constitutional freedom restored
and the peace Of the country preserved.
Rut in doing that, / wish to do it IL the
interests of truth as well as peace. That
In adopting the stringent measures Of
1855, a msj0rity of tae party was gov
srned BY apprehensiOns OF danger from
the 90 long smothersd revenge supposed
to be hsrbored In the breast Of some IN
wise men in the South" may possibly be
Z because many Of them doubtless
did enough to cal for the severest ven
geauee. and conscious guilt gave Vehe-
nepese 70 their actions. But that such Is
the motive that now governs the Legis-
lative and Executive fuDctiOnaries OF the
State Is not true. No candid man can
dsuy that the returned Confederates, &s
a oody, have strictly observed the terms
Of their parole, and having felt in their
persons and experienced the evils OF
war. we're known in i very short time
after their return as the ardent friends OF
nsaee. Gases Of individual conflict occa~
siouaIly occurred, sometimes by the
fault of n party. and sometimes BY the
other but did any reasonable man eN-
pect anything else
When did any community escape such
evils on the heals Of q war? especially
when the combatants were members OF
the same community. But that q
great body Of the COnfederstes came
home the friends OF peace, and If allowed,
would have scted as q body IN the inter
ests of peace, no truthful man IN Ten
nessee will deny. Il is T U they felt that
their Acknowledgement end the attempt
To burden them with ruinOus taxes and
odious determinations were unjust but
thew believed that a short probation
would convince even their enemies that
All these precautions were unnecessary
and would sO0n be abolished. bad that
been done, We would have escaped the
untold evils Of the last three years ana
the impending ruin that nov threatens
US WOnid never have { aeard o. but
II the spprehengions OF smotbered re-
venge - wss really the active motive IN
prompting these measures IN the spring
OF 1865, political sneaks were not long
Ia finding that political lofty paid
and when honorable men Of tie party
az that these fears were g~Toundiess;
they became willing to meet their W
ngiqbbsrs once more az brethren
and friends; but the BroHnlows,
Snithg. St0keses and other poiiL!ca!
wh~ang-doodles kept up the cry or
wolf because it paid. To prove
this You nave only to consult the
records OF the Legislature, ana Sec the
s#slied proportions Of the State ezPen-
SEES, ami tne ~stuPendous increase OF her
enormous debt.
Nay, We need go no further than this
city and observe the records and doiags
OF the county commissioners, the city
police, the bench Of some Of the courts,
and the countless justices that swarm IN
our city, the drain Of taxes under when
orr people nog groan, 10 a.! which may
be added the Infamous " Loyalty mdem-
njtv bilI.n The appointments made and
fees collected under it, as well as the
enormously s%windling claims proven
under it's provisions. Now Dir. Editor,
7 want peace, but I want truth aud JUS
toe along with it. Yes, l will seek
,eace and ensue it." but not ct the ex-
nense NJ truth. Peace 60 be worth any
ming must be based upon justice and
trutb no other kind ia worth having. l
wiII meet with "An Old Citizen and
other friends Of psace, and concur and
aid in every measure likely to lead to
that result, but it must not De sought by
the sacrifice Of truth or the denial Of
iustiee to the best citizens OF u State.
ANOTHER OLD CITIZEN.