Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-01-27
PUBLIC LEDGER.
MEME HIS;
r.,aax Evenfng. Jan. ~, 1871.
DIRTY.

Perbaps no word in our language SC
6tlv describes the attempt now making
in Congress to reconstruct the Southern
States as this odious word, dirty. The
Conservative press and people OF al
parties regard it as dirty. Truth, hon
esty decency turn from it as from a
thing whose touch is contamination, All
the Southern Governors declare that
peace reigns within their borders. But
no evidence to that effect is desired, or
will be regarded by the dirty workers.
They are bent on the election Of Grant
in 1872. As the States Of the South
now stand they will vote against hlm. II
they have any rights at all, this they
have right to do. But they have been
in rebellion, and although restored to
the Union by the dirty workers them
selves with all the force and sanctity Of
law still they are not regarded as States
in the sense that Massachusetts, and
Vermont are. To overthrow either one oil
these States by an act of Congress would
he a revolution begun by the Cen
trail Government against all the States.
II would be a rebellion by the creature
against its creators. 1t is not worth
while to discuss such question. Rea-
son is now nothing, and law is but the
will of dominant party bent only on
that which is deemed most likely to re-
tain the Government in its hands, This
is dirty work. We should, perhaps, ask
d;rt's uardon for the assimilation. But
dirt must endure it. Dirt ought to keep
better company. 1t should cease to be
dirt in an extreme case like this. There
is no manliness in the work Of disorgan-
ling States. 1t is, therefore, dirty
There is no justice in it. There is no
honesty in it. There is nothing lawful
in it. 1t is only full Of dirt-not your
bright yellow clay, nor your rich loan,
but dirt formed of decayed animal and
vegetable matter, reeking and fostering.
1t is wonderfully productive, and so is
the policy of the dlrt-workers. Mems
hairs have grown white in single night
from fear. Men have grown rich at Wash
ington in a single day. All products that
sustain life proceed from dirt, and these
sudden fortunes proceeded from dirty
work. Meantime the poor, oyertaxed
people toll on, utterly innocent OF knowl-
edge Of the disposition made of the
money every interest and thing they
possess is assessed TO raise. While they
sleep, the gamblers at Washington keep
watch over their purses, their means and
incomes, for the tax-gatberer will start
once more on his round, and millions
must come again and forever to enrich
them. If sources. OF expenditure are not
sufficient for all the dirty workers, new
ones are created The next great job is
to plumber the South, but the dirty
workers have different motives. One
fellow wants to be Military Governor of
a demolished State, with power to levy
enormous taxes on the people that he
may steal the money. Another, who
looks to a seat in the Cabinet, or for
eign mission, wants the South so recon
structed as to secure Grants election in
1872. With this. particular patriot go
the great mass of dirty workers, for the
minor Offices are tens Of thousands and
the public stealings hundreds Of mil
lions. 1t is dirty work, all of it. 1t
smells of venerable cheese and aged
mackerel, rapidly undergoing translation
into dirt.