Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-02-27

editor. We have never seen the art-
Gle Of the Columbia Herald to which
he refers. and cannot therefore at pres
eut reply to it. Whether it will be
necessary and advisable to do so at
any future period viii depend on what
we may find it to contain, if it should
ave reach US. We are not predis-
posed. however, to dignity into a mat
ter fit for controversy what may have
been but an ebullitiOn Of mOmentary
.eDsitiveness, which the lapse Of time
should by this time have sufficiently
cooled.
WE have before US the arguments
of Senators Morton and Blair, made
on the 18th inst, on the occasion OF
their recent collision in the Senate.
That Of Mr.. Morton presents more
fully, and, at the same time, more
~succinctly, the hypothesis on
which the reconstructiOnists pro
pose to justify their action with
their reasons, than we have else
where seen done. It may be worth
something TO have furnished to US the
wrong reasons which they entertain
for their wrong actions, since the
shame which must follow from the
reasons being crushed out may lead
10 some reform or modification OF the
wrong practices themselves. They
VIII be weaker before the country
with their reasons exposed than they
already were in their persistent re-
fusaI to Justify their conduct by the
attempt 70 furnish any.
In answer to the manly resolution
passed by the Indiana Legislature, in
which it declared the Fifteenth
Amendment a nullity, Mr.. Morton
aHrms the forfeiture Of all political
rights by the late resistance to the
Government. The resolution is as
follows:
ReroIUsd. further, 5g The authority GfOTe.
ratf. That Congress nas no lawful power,
derived from the Constitution OF the
Tgitsd States. nor from any other source
Whatever, % require any State OF the
Union 20 ratify an amendment proposed
20 the Constitution OF the United states
As a condition precedent 20 representation
1n Congress: that ali such acts Of rerhca-
ton are null and void, and the votes so
obtained ought not 10 be counted 10 s15c'
lha right of the people and the states o.
tie whole Union; and thai the state oI
Indiana protests and sulemnly dec arts
that Tie s0-csIIed Fifteenth Amendment
ls not this day, nor ever has been IN law
So part OF the Constitution OF Inc Jull5l
States,
But Mr.. Morton contends that the
people of the loyal States had a right
70 prescribe the conditions on which
alone the rebel States should be re.
stored TO the Union, and that there
lore it was not coercion or dure55 &c
require compliance with them pre-
viousIy TO admission. eff" said he
81 have the right to prescribe tbs
terms upon which I viii convey my
house to my neighbOr, it cannot b'
coercion or duress when he accepts
them" This is an aiter-thought. i
the loyal States had this power, they
did not use it, and say on this eOndi
ton alone can you come into OUl
Union" On the contrary, they con.
tended that secession was only at
tempted, but never accomplished
and to be consistent, they called fol
and compelled and actually counted
the seeeued States to make up th,
majority by which the Fifteenth
Amendment was adopted. They
moreover admitted some withOu.
other condition than consent to g
back, as 10 the case Of tennessee
Besides, they offered all a full restOra.
ton of civil rights on the sole cOndi.
ton Of obedience to the laws, anC
pledged the faith Of the Government
to that effect at the time Of the sur
render, and subsequently, ratified it a
the proclamation Of peace. Nom
else dreamed, and they themselveI
did not at that moment dream, o
further military occupation or co
ercion, except for enforcing the Law.
until civil government could be or
ganized and put in force. They haC
up to that time pretended to be Re
publicans, and TO respect the Constit1
ton, and TO ask no more from any
States or citizens than obedience Z
it and 10 the laws made in p~ur5uanc'
thereof. And on this pretence they
IN part secured the surrender ans
submission Of the Confederate troops
and people, which would have beer
neither so cheeriully nOr 81
promptly made, if at all, haC
it been then supposed that all
pretenee of rights Oh the States we're (
be trampled down, and that the priv.
leges Of the Constitution would only
be accorded at the viii and behest o
malignant Congressional, eternal-hat
ing party hyenas. The faith OF tn,
Government was pledged to the doc
trine Of the equality Of the States
and their friendly restoration to ali
the blessings Of the Constitution, a
the moment of the capitulation; anC
the whole country 50 understood it
until party complications aros,
through the wrangle5 and wiles of an
principled party leaders, who fOunC
taeir interest in a quarrel over th.
spOils. Every Northern man declared
in May, 1865, and every Southern mar
believed, there was but one condition
to the restoration Of the status on,
a-nts-bsUlim, and that was obedience {,
the Constitution Of the United State
and to all laws made by the prope.
netional aad State authorities In pur
-nanee thereof Mr.. Morton did no
bimself then contemplate as at all in
volved she complete forfeiture Of Pc
lltiesI rights on which be now Eest
bja argument i0r trampling down
Penublican Constitution. II he ant
bie friends had done 50 at that tim
the security for good behavior