Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-07-28

ever and wherever it may be necessary
to do So" Thus has this official,
armed with power by a ~subservient
Congress, declared war against a large
body of the American people, and
forced them 10 know him hereafter
only as their enemy.
In the recently enacted law purp0rt-
ing to enforce the Fourteenth amend.
ment "0nd for other purposes" and
in that commonly known as the cleo
ton or enforcement law, there are laid
numberIess traps and snares for the
unwary Southern citizen, who ven-
lures to cast his vote or use his per-
sonal influence against the candidates
who stand forth to support these
abuses. Vogue and indefinite enact
mentS, not specifying overt acts, but
matters merely Of construction and
opinion, expose him to criminal
charges laid by the worthless and ire
spOnsible, upon which he may be
hurried away from home, imprisoned,
anG Laade the subject of merciless eX-
action before he can regain his liberty.
These expressions are already familiar
in our experience. They will be re-
peated, until they make suffrage and
the common privileges of speech and
action in public affairs SO perilOus and
costly that their exercise will be large
ly fOreborne.
simultaneously, and at the instiga-
ton of the President, a committee or
ganized to suit his purpose, sits at
Washington in the vacation of Con-
gress, inviting ISLANDERS and misrep-.
RESERVATIONS of the Southern people,
that the Northern mind may be kept
inflamed against the South; that the
fires of war between the sections may
never die out, but live even in the
ashes of the expired conflict; that the
one section may be blinded and mis-
led, and the other dragOOned into the
support of a faction which deserves
the eXecrations,of both.
The ascendaney of the Radical party
is a great and general misfortune,
which imperils the existence of free
government in this country. But our
share in it is peculiar. We suffer di-
rectly, as its measures are aimed at us
as victims. But beyond this we stand
in the presence Of a great danger, for
ever impending, forever threatening.
The event which shall give Virginia
back to that party consigns her to the
fate which, with infinite striving, she
escaped two years ago. The negro
and the carpet-bagger will resume
their sway; law, order and security
will fly at its approach; life itself will
become ~intOlerable. To what Sleep
less vigilance should this thought in
cite. How it should stir each private
man to make the public concern his
own.
In these p~erplexities and troubles
your duty is plain. Possess yourselves
with patience-With your character
istic hrmness and moderation. Give
the enemy no advantage by impru-
.ence Or want of temper. Exercise
your legal rights, and no more. Let
there be no apparent excuse or pre-
text for the intervention of armed
force at the elections, and as little as
possible for informers, spies, war
rants, examinations and indictments
the apparatus Of tyranny ready to
be employed against you. Send your
best men to the Convention. They
nave no right to refuse their services
1t a time like this. They will devise
discipline under which ct nomina-
ions for the Legislature will be made,
md the safety Of the State will be in
ured.
By order of the committee.
r. T. DANIEL, Chairman.
J. r. FISHER, Secretary.