Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-03-02

have played out, 80 far as the Demo
cratic party is concerned, and should
flock with their own feather. There
is no half way between the stand
points Of the Washington usurpers
aud a free and Democratic people on
which men Of any integrity, intelli-
gence and backbone viii consent to
stand. The usurpers against the peO-
pie, despOtism against liberty, furnish
issues for this country not to be de-
bated as matters Of expediency and
policy. As the APPEAL has hitherto
spoken for the common rights Of the
people, so it will continue to speak.
Trimming politicians may squirm
and turn Conservative as much as
they will, but the APPEAL, in such
issues as are now presented going to
the life of liberty, finds no half way
ground on which to stand. The Demo-
cratic party is the party of the Con-
stitution, and stands alone in this
degenerate day for the maintenance
of republican institutions. The name
assumed by the so-called Republican
party is a misnOmer. In its higher
law doctrines it is theoretically Oppo-
sed to Republicanism, and in its tyr
annical practices it carries out the
viii Of the despot. Men on the make
and hunters after the spoils may cry
" beef beef" like tories in the rev.
olUtion, but, between liberty and des-
pOtism, they will be crushed out.
Whatever else they may do, they will
only play into the hands Of one eX-
IRENE or the other. On the question
Of the Fifteenth Amendment, Indiana
and Oregon, by their legislatures,
have both spoken out the sense Of the
National Democratic party, as many
other States will do. The Governor
Of New Jersey, possibly not seeing
that the amendment was the
result Of fraud and force, and suppOs-
ing negro suffrage alone, rather than
a destruction Of the rights Of the
States, was the ground Of opposition
of the Democratic party, has advised,
in a late message, the acceptance Of
the situation as an accomplished fact.
| On this subject, the Missouri Demo
crat, though onIya Radical locker on,
very sensibly says the Democratic
partyis Ommtite and cannot go back.
The Cincinnati Enquirer, one Of the
most stalwart Of the Democratic pres
ses Of the North, also speaks out the
sitaUtiOn as In fact it exists, and as it is
recognized by northern Democrats that
"the Constitution was altered by fraud
and bayOnet power. There is hardly
a Democrat who entertains q
contrary opinion. And no Dem
Ocrat holding such a view can
accept such alteration Of the organic
law, a a fnaIity, simply because the
wrong has become an accomplished
fact which may not be wiped out.
Protests against wrongs, even though
such wrongs may never be over
thrown, should never be considered
useless while the spirit of liberty sur
wives with the people. If the doctrine
put forth by the Governor Of New
Jersey were to be universally accepted
as a proper rule of political action, all
a usurper need do to make his power
supreme and lasting is to accomplish
his purpose by fraud and force, and all
protests and opposition must thence
forth cease. 1t is the doctrine Of ty-
rants, not that Of the freeman"
To such'dOctrine as this, if the Dem
Ocrats Of this country should surren-
der themselves, they would no more
be Democrats, but autOcrats OF slaves.
They would consent to fraud and the
bayOnet as the means Of amending
constitutions made by a people for
their own protection on pretense of
being soverigns, having a right to
dictate their own form Of govern
ment. 1t would be to consent that
results accomplished by an illegal ex-
ercise Of military power become obi
gatOry by the mere fact Of the accom-
pEshment. It would be to consent
to a principle which makes an anti
Democratic end to every vestige
of constitutional liberty. Without
an eternal protest against such
wrong, without setting its face
as a flint against all compro-
mise and all tender-toed nam
by-pambyism in such circum-
stances, the Democratic party must
expire forever. There viii be no more
use for it or good in it. There is a
disposition to belitle thegreat contro-
versy now going forward in the eoun-
try into the idea OF a political issue.
But the struggle is for the life Of the
Constitution, without which we shall
soon hear the knell of liberty, mingled
with ~croakings and paans to accom-
plished TACT. We shall have no polit-
zeal issues to discuss when the empire
Congress is only a little more firmly
established Speaking as to the views
Governor Randolph, the Enquirer
has the following:
What is already claimed TO flow
from this alteration Of the COnstitu-
ton by fraud and military power
welded by the Executive? It is
,1sFD,oF tbaF tho h. -
OlutiOnized the character of the Gov
eminent. The present Attorney Cen
aral Of the United States was a witness
the Reconstruction Committee
Of Congress, and he there and then
declared;
sin my Judgment Congress, under
the amendment of the Constitution.
has tho right 20 remodel the government
Of any State a0hjch fails to do justice as
required under that article of the Con-
5~titution."
QuestioD-Then it comes to this:
that Congress may call a Convention
IN any State to review and amend its
Constitution?
To which Mr.. Alderman responded:
81 think 50. have no doubt Of the
fact that Congress possesses such
power under that amendment Of the
Constitution
The North AD1eT6c0n ReUieU. lead
ing periodical, edited by a Republi- {
can, in its issue Of july, 1870. had an 1.
on Congress and the Admins {
t~ratiOn, which in regard to recOnstruc- Z
ton is applicable alike to an the {
States Of the Union, says: !
The powers originally reserved bv !
The Constitution to the States : in :
future, to be held by them only on {
good behavior and at the sufieranca
IF Congress. They may be, at any !
ime, suspended or assumed by Con- :