Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-07-25
THE SAME SUBJECT

Pope, the poet Of al tms, says;
For forrss Of government bet fools euntest-
That which IS besi administered a 6csi.
True, bat perhaps little overdrawn
In establishing government, the hrs
thing to be considered is its form, When
that is arranged, the question of admin
isiration comes mp The Issue Of form
may be repeated, when it Is proposed N
change it, either in tins manner prt-
scrihed BY itself OF By unlawful assuna'-
1iuns OF power. The question ~ io'm,
Son the first inaesince the establishment
or nur government, IS i,nime itilf lem'is
gr l,as moi originated iyum rHrRmtiuns n
the Necessity ali ninInrs iiur Sie 1ssnsi''ii
rand. iu4 mas ErBwn ms al pnr1isfir
uaHrr- nH1z Is al Ws really have
3 vnreT In power that could aUE
retain Il Under the COa<riTztiOa AZ It
was, and vas desperate enough to change
il One 10 suit it was substituted No
issue was ever Of graver importance.
The right TO life and property may be
affected BY it. The safeguards that pa
triotism has thrown around the citizen
NAV. under a form of government be
taken from him. He has already been
disfranchised from holding Office in the
South By virtue of pretended changes in
the organic Law. Coupled with a bad
administration, such as that which new
aflicts the public, it is difficult to sug-
gest a sadder state of things than that
which confr0nts us. Perhaps a bad
form of government periodically ad-
ministered is not so great a calamity
as one good enough in structure but
prostituted to unlawful ends by bad
men. The people of this country, un-
less they have lost the spirit Of their
ancestors and are content to become
slaves. will not long tolerate either a
bad form or a wicked administration OF
government To undo the change made
in the form of our Government by the
Radical party will require the exertion
Of years, perhaps the lifetime of the
present generation But the Ad-
ministration may be changed by |,
a vote of the people next year. As
a preliminary step to the restoration
of our institutions to their original
form, it is necessary to overthrow the |
present Administration and drive it
from power. The best mode Of doing |
this is all that is relevant to the coming
contest. We fail to see how the Consti-
tuition can be restored first, and the
overthrow Of the Administration follow
how a party out of power can accom-
phsh reforms in administration except |
by its moral influence or by reyolu-
ton. The Democracy can effect
the reforms they mediate in neither
Of these modes. No moral force
can influence the Radical party |
The Democratic party is not party Of
revolution, and cannot be provoked to
violence. Its first duty is to unite its
forces and batter down the worst Admin
istration Of modern times. When it ac-
quires power the country will be saved,
in defiance Of the three cancers that are
eating into the vitals of what was once
recognized as the Constitution Of the
best and freest government on earth.
Perfect union Of the Democracy is the
need of the hour, and the first duty of
the citizen. With or without platform
they should go into the coming fight
He who divides them is their enemy, and
should be so recognized