Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-05-16
Ti.e pnty Of The Hour.

If we desire peace, all unjust and irri-
tating legislation must cease. Laws
which oppose reason, justice, and the
great laws Of God, must do mischief,
and after having wrought such evil as
conld have been easily averted, they
must come to naught Now, the laws
which have placed the ignorant in power,
and deprived intelligence of its birth
right, can work nothing but evil, and
that continually. Let us look at the
Legislature of South Carolina. Ninety
out of one hundred and twenty-five
members are ignorant negroes. Their
legislation is simply intolerable. 1t is a
burlesque and a sham. 1t has neither
reason nor justice. 1t has plunged the
State into debt, and imposed taxes such
as no people can bear. Society IS I'M
settled, property has lost its value,
liberty has turned to anarchy, and
ruin sweeps like a tornado over
the State. The descendants OF. the
Marions, the Sumters, and Calhouns,
are not allowed to vote. New comers
and negroes have seized the Ship OF
State, and have already driven her, a
wreck, amid the breakers of native ig-
norance and foreign cHpidity. Did Mas
sachusetts have such Legislature forced
upon her there would be another tea
party in Boston Harbor, and the present
population of Boston would throw the
negro overheard, just as their ancestors
did the boxes of tea. Why, then, inilict
such humiliation, such injustice, and
such ruin upon the glorious old Palmetto
State? Is there any Christianity in this ?
Is this patriotism Is it common hui
manity2 Is it not a disgrace to the age Z
But South Carolina was the first to Sc
cede; let her suffer. So says sectional
ism; so says vindictiveness; but so does
not say enlightened patriotism. All this
cruel legislation ought to be annulled.
1t is the source of unmitigated and IN
tolerablo hardship to as noble a people
as ever suffered oppression from the iron
heel of despotism.
1t is cruel to the negro. 1t must seal
his doom. 1t has demoralized him. 1t
has taken him from his proper position.
II has made him an enemy to himself.
How can he ruin the white man without
running himself2 Let common sense
answer this question. Future genera
tions will stand aghast as they gaze
upon the dark. history, in which shall be
the record of scenes in which it will be
impossible to determine which is the
more prevalent, folly or crime. Why
seek to bring about collisions OF races 7
Why force men to violate laws which
are SO burdensome that it is impossible
to observe them? Congress might in
one day restore peace and order all over
the land. They must reverse their un-
wise legislation. They must cease de-
nouneing Southern men, who are as
good as themselves, and who have really
accepted the situation in good faith.
This, however, we may not expect. Rev
olutions, it is said, do not 90 back. And
the one that began ten years ago may
not prove an exception to the rule. 1t
IS true, however, that a very great evil
may at last work its own cure. While
the evil is upon us there are certain
great duties. devolving upon the men OF
the South. It is especially to commend
these duties to the minds and hearts OF
patriots that we have undertaken the
writing of these papers.
Let the men of the South be calm and
temperate in all things. Let them bear
the state of things which seems almost
insufferable This is no time for excite
ment. We need the decisions of sound
Judgment and pure conscience. We
need honesty of purpose and strength OF
principle sustained by sense OF JUS
tice. and spirit which nothing can dis
turb. With sources of irritation beyond
convention. we must not allow ourselves
to lose our presence of mind or perfect
control of our temper. 1t is calmness
that we want, after this terrible storm OF
passion, which has ragged almost to our
ruin. Now is the time for the exercise
of the passive virtues. The men of the
South have been defiant, and often lmpu-
dent. We need the greatest prudence
and the calmest, coolest Judgment. Our
hot blood must be cooled, and our vio-
lent temper restrained. We must learn
to look upon q carpet-bagger or scala
wao without moving q muscle OF the
face, or exhibiting the least sign of emo
ton. The thing is on us, and we only
make it the more intolerable by giving
way to excitement. This is especially
true of the States South of us. With
clear heads, cool judgments, and strong
wills, the present evils may be overcome
without bloodshed or violent counter
revolution. Any man can be calm when
there is nothing to excite him. 1t re-
ouires hero to maintain his equanimity
amid such misrule, snch injustice and
such vindictiveness as do this day aflict
the Southern people. Letus be heroes,
calmly bFooking the storm.