Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-05-06

/ disposed to ignore or eVade them,
1 from prudential or Other considers
| tions. There Is no prudence In pal
pable dissimulatiOn. Nobody Will
/ believe that the Democracy of Ken
lucky are willing to acquiesce in these
amendments, because nc allusion 10
them is made in the platform. Such
course viii only be regarded-as in
truth it viii be-a cOWardly lodging
Of responsibility. The Democracy d
Indiana, Oregon, and other States,
North, have spoken out in many
tones, and pronounced them utterly
void by reason of the force and fraud
by which they were ratified, as the
/ phrase goes. Kentucky Democrats
should not hesitate to do likewise.
We are clear upon the point that
the Convention should not only pro-
test against their validity, but declare
a purpose to test it by a proper case
made before a proper tribunal.
/ Further, that if it shall be held by the
| Courts that they have been so sub
I mitted and ratified as 20 bring them
within the spirit of the fifth article OF
/ the Constitution, and make them
valid, then a purpose to agitate for
their repeal or revocation, either
through an additional amendment or
a constitutional Convention, should
be explicitly announced. We have
no fears that, by pursuing this honest
course, we shall endanger the pros
poets Of our party North; on the con-
trary, we are satisfied that we will
rather encourage and strengthen
them. The people of the North are
no less interested in these questions
than we of the South. True, the
powers conferred on the General Gov
eminent by these amendments-ex-
cept as to the matter Of negro suffrage,
which Is as but a drop in the bucket
have not been brought directly to
bear upon the Northern States; but
whenever they stand in the way Of
the pleasure, or propose thwarting the
purposes Of the party in power, they
cannot hope 70 escape. They may
look for reconstruction whenever this
is necessary to the ruling dynasty.
1t Is q great error to imagine that
the opposition Of the Democratic par
ty TO these amendments is founded
on hostility to the negro, and a dispO-
sltlOn to deprive him Ofthe protection
Ofthe laws, or the franchises of citi-
Zensnip. If there were nothing in
vOlved In them other than the negro
question, then the people would con-
sent to allow them to sleep. The ne
gro Is free, and most Ofthe States have,
by the action of their local authorities,
conferred upon him all the franchises
OF citizenship; and the States which
have mot nnH.TNA n.# a#t.rL All
Importance to the matter to make ii
the occasion Of further agitation in
the politics Of the country. The ne
gro problem is one which will take
care Of and determine itself whether
the amendments stand or fall, and is
very little dependent upon them. The
question involved in these amend
meuts is rather, shall the white race
in this country be free? Shall the
States of the Union continue to pos
sess an identity? Have the people
yet the right OF local self-gOyernment,
or Is all power vested in Congress-?
And IN the determination Of these
questions the people Of the North, no
less than Of the South, are interested,
and they can not be answered salts
tacuorlly or safely, by falling or refus-
ing, 20 discuss and consider these.
The Democratic party, if it succeed
IN loIZ, must obtain large recruits
from the ranks of Embellishments
secure the votes OF many men who
have, during the past few years, acted
with the opposition. These cannot
be procured by defaCing the lines of
demarcatiOn between the two parties.
IL there be no distinguishable differ.
ence between them, men will saw:
Why should he leave one to iOin the
other?' The Radical platform for
lot- viii be quite as lavish in promises
OF reform in taxation and retrench-
ment, and all similar things, as the
Democratic. W. cannot hope to beat
RadIcallsm IN promises in these re-
CARDS. And If we make no issue with
10 upon the fundamental ideas of gov
ernmeut-it we yield the rights of the
people to manage their local affairs in
their " way, and by silence accept
the Capitalization of all power in the
General Government, we shall GER
talnly lall Of success, and then these
things viii have become accom-
pLshed facts" for another lease of
power will enable the chains Of des-
pOtism to be fastened so thor
Oughly that agitation for their removal
by peaceful means viii be futile.
Such are precisely the views which
the APPEAL has expressed for the last
twelve months, and We are gratifed
to see them indorsed by the true and
reliable Democracy Of the State Of
Kentucky. There is q living vital
question in this matter which cannot
be shirked, which cannot be called
dead while the Constitution lives.
Can Congress, by military coercion or.
by positive statute, Oblige the States
TO Tatify such amendments to the
Constitution as it may propose? We
say it cannot, and that it is the duty
Of the Democracy Of the United States
to protest against any such foul usur-
patton, which is based upon a princi-
pie that not only was applied in the
past, but is threatened in the future. If
conceded, the Government is destroy
ed. To show the necessity and what is
to be gained by warning upon these
amendments, we have only to refer
to the recent triumph of Linton
Stephens, in Georgia. He was arraign-
ed before a United States Commits
sioner under the election act passed
under the alleged authority Of the
Fourteenth Amendment, on a charge
Of preventing negroes from voting.
To the arraignment he responded in a
showing 50 many Inconsistent
'ies, lOOp-hOles, plans, and contradic-
ions in both law and amendment,
hat the Federal grand jury, made up
If Republicans almost without excep
ion, refused fatty to find a true bill.
This being a test case, urged on by the
and influence Of the admins
at Washington, its failure has
brought the Fourteenth Amendment
md its belongings into contempt. 1t
s certainly the case that &c Is regarded
IS altogether unconstitutional and
adopted by fraud, and Un-
worthy Of respect, that its worthless
less for the purposes for which it was
creed through is taken to be
o patent that it has dropped cut Of
he line Of political talk. Thus by
boldness Of atrue man the amend
nents have failed in their infamous
work in Georgia. They were so gross
y unconstitutional and ubiquitous
hat they would soon be Kissed from
he statute books if the Democratic