Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-03-22

MACK, Of the Cincinnati Enquirer,
commenting on the rapjdity with
which tire reconstructed" States are
employing their carpet-baggers and
e~x-seceders into Congress, cOmpli-
ments, after the fashion following, the
newly elected Georgia Senator, who
was indicted for perjury only 'fOr po-
litical effec5:"
Now comes Georgia with a Senator
elect in the person of Mr.. Foster
BIodgett-the leader of the Republi-
can party Of the State. Do you know
BlOdgctt's record? lido; for l learned
it a few years ago in the city Of Au-
gusta, where he lives. At the out
break of the war he Mas the meanest
and most malignant rebel in the State.
When Alexander II. Stephens was
speaking, in language which, in the
light of subsequent events, reads like
the inspiration Of prophecy, against
MISUNDERSTANDING its causes and
fOretelling its consequences this man
BlOdgett was organizing a Vigilance
Committee in Augusta 10 hang every
man hAO A1GNd AAo NOllC AZ AoNCA VI
the Union. Stephens, who lives near
Augusta, was n of his threatended
victims, and Blodgett did his best to
incite mob violence against that great
and good man. He remained at his
home during the war, perse-
cutting Union men, but too great
a coward to expose himself to the
hazards of the battlefield. When
peace came he rushed to Washington,
pledged himself to the support of
JOhnsOn'S administration, and was
appointed postmaster of Augusta. He
took the irOn-clad oath without any
reservation; WhereupOn he was in
dicted by the grand jury for perjury
indicted by men who knew his record,
and many of whom had been the vic
TINS of his viIlainy in the days Of Sc
cessiOn. 1 have lost sight Of the mat
ter since, and do not know whether or
not he was ever tried for his crime.
But now he looms up as the par excel
ieHce of Georgia, and the people are
called upon to shout and clap their
hands at the return of an "erring sis
ter State" under a policy which puts a
premium on viilaiDy and exaIts treach-
cry into q virtue by the election of a
fellow like BlOdgett.
The Radical answer to all such arti-
Giles as this is ready made" Demo-
cratic hate of men who repent of their
participation in the rebellion" Not
at all. If the cOWardly crimes of
BlOdgett are to be forgiven by the
Republican party, why not the brave
crimes of others? My objection is to
the policy which allows such a man
as Blodgett to rise to power on the
political ruin of the men who were
associated with him in the work of
secession. Why make a " traitor" of
TOOmbs and a patriot of BIOdgett?
The questions answers itself. and
shows the Shiny filth of Congressional
reconstruction all the way through,
from its first act to its last. Mr..
TOOmbs could bea ''patriot," too, if he
were not q gentleman. Doubtless he,
too, could be taken to the bosom of the
loyal party if he would but denOunce
his old comrades in secession, applaud
their Acknowledgement, and help to
trample them with the heel of mill
tary tyranny. And thus the work of
reconstruction goes On-filling the
highest posts of trust and honor in
America with the vilest wretches on
the face OF the earth-snd succeeding
such men as ToOmbs and Stephens in
the halls of Congress with the Blod-
gets and blackguards of the Southern
States. Proceed, gentlemen, and all
We conscientious debt payers walk up
to the captains Office and settle the
bill. The liabilities of the "war for
the UniOn'' are but three thousand
millions; the assets are Blodgett, Rev
els, and negro suffrage.