Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-03-27

anything and never can. He who
says at can't" instead of saying
"Pn try" never will do anything
worth doing. The extreme of pru--
dence is sometimes the highest wis
dom. How is-it that no movement
is made by our people, when he is
rash man who denies that we may be
slumberiDg on the verge of recon-
%struction! The people of Nashville
excel US in enterprise as to their home
matters, andthus they are going ahead
Of us now. AS to public matters
they are better informed, and conse-
quently more correctly appreciate the
danger of Reconstruction. We donot
say that there will be Reconstruction
we hope not. The signs are encouI-
aging that the chief danger is over.
But we viii wash our hands of the
charge of failing to give warning as
sentinel of the press when there is
reasonable ground to apprehend
danger. We believe in the policy of
shooting careless sentinels, rather than
cowardly deserters. If there is danger,
our business is toavert the possibility,
rather than risk the probabilities Of
its coming upon us. Nashville has
been moving for the protection Of the
State by setting forth facts to the coun-
try, which will ask, not whether
the witnesses are rebels, but whether
they are honest enough to tell the
truth. To the effort of Nashville
we may owe freedom from military
or Radical rule. Shall Memphis be
silent? We are no alarmist. But we
know the danger is great enough to
warrant action on the part Of u citi-
zens, and to condemn their continued
supineness, let the result turn out as
it may. We publish on our first page
q mass of testimony on this subject,
not because we would create unneces-
sary alarm, but only that which is or
may be necessary to our safety. When
that testimony is read, our friends
will Judge whether it is better to sleep
over it or to act upon it. Speaker Per
kins tells us he thinks reconstruction
will fail as to Tennessee. But he also
thinks there is danger, and that a.
great deal depends upon the facts
which go TO rebut the lies Maynard
& Co. have been circulating being
properly collected and forwarded to
Washington. He warns us that it
may be necessary to prevent the re-
turn of the State to Radical rule that
we should send on from every county
of the State testimony to rebut the
falsehoods circulated by Stokes and
Others. He suggests that affidavits
of prominent officers of the counties
should be sent on, setting forth the
truth of the case as it is. Sheriff Cur
~ states to US that Shelby county was
never more peaceful and law-abiding
for twenty years. Judge Hudson,
Attorney Harrington and Others hav-
ing jurisdiction and dealing with
criminal matters, know whether
Sheriff Curry's statement is true;
and if so, they should GER
tify to that effect. Northern
men here, ex-Federal soldiers,
Union men, business men among
the Radicals, and all honest men
should send on their testimony.
"What they want at Washington"
says Speaker Perkins, sis facts" and
that is just what we suggested a
week ago should be sent on. We
thought then, and we think now, the
testimony of honorable men of any
OIL party will be believed.
Speaker Thomas is a cool and pru-
dent man. Yet having but just re-
turned from Washington, and being
informed, he urges the ''great
necessity of action on the part of the
people," and says ''they should go
to work and lose DO time" He adj
vises US to "get up testimony from
every county of the State" and for
ward it promptly. He thinks
the majority of Congress is
adverse to Reconstruction. But
he thinks that before a favorable vote
can be obtained "the people of Ten
nessee have to refute the charges made
against them By actual testimony, that
these congressman, vindieating US
may vindicate themselves in voting
against it." Will the judges of our
courts, the district attorneys, sheriB
and peace officers of Shelby county re-
main silent? VIII Northern men
and Union men, or any men worthy
to be believed, remain silent, and
continue this don't care, 40 use, it
won't do any good, policy any
We shall see. But we have
done fairly what we conceive a duty
calling public ttention to this mat
ter. If Memphis will do nothing, wei
have at least reason to thank Nash
which deserves the credit of
preventing reconstruction, if the dan
ger of reconstruction is really past.
For the manly testimony of the cor
respondent of the New York Tribune
we thank him. 81