Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-05-31
d. EMPEES APPEAL

HEMPEES APPEAL
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JEFFERSON DAVIS 80 BE UUzzLED-
The Radical papers, and the fellows
ever ready to accept any situation
which fraud and villainy demands,
are Mortified that Jefferson Davis
should dare open his mouth. They
are of the opinion that a paddock
ought TO be put upon his lips. 1t is
right for little rebels 70 chiTp and
crosk their crude nonsense In every
village Ike frogs In early spring; but
it is eli wrong fer a big rebel like
Jefferson Davis 20 speak in his own
behalf or for the cause he loved so
much. We don't know what crime
Jefferson Davis has committed, that
be should be denied the rights Of a
negro. History viii show that the
Conventions which passed their ordI-
usnces Of secession were composed Of
men Of profound learning, stern in
tegriry and sp0tIess purity. The pull
nit. the bar and the bench sent to
them their brightest ornaments.
There were found in them the discreet
planter, the learned physician, the
prudent merchant and the industrious
mechanic. The venerable in age and
spoUess in character were selected to
do the bidding Of millions OF con
stituents. In passing the Ordi-
uances Of secession, these men
gave utterance to the sentiments Of
nearly every man, woman and child
in the South. In doing what he did,
Mr.. Davis was struggling to carry out
not only his own views, but the be
nests Of a clamOrOus people; and the
idea Of sti6ing him, to make him the
scspegoat Of a people guilty Ps him
sell, is cowardly; it is d~isgrsceiul; it
is infamous. Jefferson Davis has as
much right to speak as the little crea-
lures who would seal his lips, and if
he should give U~tterance to the stihed
feelings pent up in his noble bosom,
we believe his sentiments would con
tribute to the restoration Of peace,
and thus bring scOrn upon those
who would have him hustled
of into obscUrity. 1t has been
six years since the termination Of the
war, and the day never will come
when Radicals and apostates would
be willing for Jefferson Davis to vim
cate himself and the cause which the
South loved so dearly. To require Sc
lence Of Jefferson Davis is q confession
Of bis guilt, to brand him with crime.
We have fallen upon strange times
when Southern men propose to give
s. dollar 10 hear Horace Greeley speak
while demanding that a gag be placed
in the mouth of Jefferson Davis. To
demand that the voice of our great
leader should be mutfied is a humili-
ating confession. It is dishOnOr-
ing the cause which he represent
ed. The South has suffered enough
without adding the loss of
honor. Jefferson Davis is not
q traitor, and to demand silence Of
him is TO admit that our long line Of
noble martyrs, with the pious and
heroic Jackson at their head, were
traitors all. Let it not be required Of
us to place the brand Of infamy upon
the grave Of the greatest Christian sol
the world has ever produced, or
to repudiate the living representative
Of our cause by denying him the lib
critics Of a negro. We have changed
our Constitutions; we have declared
slavery abolished; we have annulled
the ordinance Of secession; we have
submitted to negro rule; We have
been robbed by carpet baggers; We
have lived through prosecutions and
desp0tism, and we have done
every thing that was required
10 appease the wrath Of fanaticism
and to give power and plumber to
thieves and knaves; but there is one
we cannot do; Radical despots
the Southern people to spit
upon Jefferson Davis to prove their
and the spOstates in search
Df spOils, would muzzle him like a
log upon the streets; but the South
srn people feel that he is no guiltier
han themselves, and is entitled to all
he privileges they enjoy. If Jefferson
Davis would speak more, and the
title editors anxious TO muZzle him
cease their contemplate rhOd-
Jmontade, the public interest would
De greatly promoted.