Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-05-17

ratified the amendments, does the
Bulletin pretend to say that the De-
mocracy would "accepg such amend
ments? Would the Bulletin, in
such a contingency, ask the AP-
PEAL "hOtgD to "reject'' such
amendments? The Fourteenth and
! Fifteenth Amendments have been
fastened upon the Constitution by
fraud and usurpations, by means just
as illegal and unconstitutional as il
they were placed there by a resolu-
! ton A" proposed" by a majority OF
! Congress, and ratified only by q ma
iority Of the States, and we are asked
"hOlU" we are TO reject such aUsUrp-
alton and unconstitutional outrage.
Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia, rejected"
all the amendments and the recon-
~structi0n acts of Congress, when, after
being indicted, he bid defiance to them
and showed so plainly that they were
unconstitutional, null and void, that
the Radicals withdrew their indict-
ments and ceased TO prosecute him.
Without the Enforcement Act, the
Fifteenth Amendment would be a
dead letter upon the Constitution, and
the Democracy of Tennessee is 50 hos
tile TO the Fifteenth Amendment, so
anxious to ''reject" it, that, in the last
Democratic State Convention, held in
Nashville on the 18th Of September
last, the following resolution was
unanimously adopted:
BeSOlUed, That we regard the act re-
Gently passed by Congress to enforce
the Fifteenth Amendment as uncOn-
stitutiOual, unjust and oppressive; an
invasion of the rights Of the States and
subversive of the best interests of the
people. We therefore urge its uncOn-
ditiOnal repeal.
In thus denOUncing the act enforc-
ing the Fifteenth Amendment, the
Tennessee Democracy characterized
the amendment itself "as uucOnstitu-
tional, unjust and oppressive, an in
vasion of the rights OF the States, and
subversive of the best interests Of the
people," and the Democrat who ac-
quiesces in such an infamous measure
is a traitor to his convictions. The
real, honest, earnest opinion of the
Tennessee Democracy in reference to
that infamous perversiOn called the
Fifteenth Amendment is, that it is a
fraud and an outrage. This opinion was
rendered when the Legislature re-
fused to ratify the amendment. Yet,
the Tennessee Democracy is called
upon to stuItify itself, to become the
receiver Of stolen goods by accepting
a measure which it has branded
4" as unconstitutional, unjust and op-
pressive; an invasion of the rights Of
the States and s%ubversive Of the best
interests OF the people"
The Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendments are such gross US
urpatiOns, so grossly and no.
toriOusly violative of the Con-
stitution, that instead Of "ac-
cepting" them, the Democracy every
should initiate the example Of
Linton Stephens, and appeal to the
courts Of the country. Radical as the
Supreme Court is known to be, the
Judges as sworn officers who have a
reputation to preserve, would Unhesi-
tatingly declare these amendments
null and void, because they
were engrafted upon the Con-
by means unknown to the
Constitution and in utter violation Of
that instrument. The Democratic
party has always been punctilious in
its Observance of the law and the Con-
stitutiOn. It pronounces these
amendment unconstitutional, anditis
in honor and duty bound to war upon
them until the Supreme Court decides
constitutional. The Democratic
creed inculcates the principle that the
Constitution establishes a Union of
cO-equal States-a Union Of CO. coordinate
Legislative, the
Executive and the JUdiciary-all in
dependent Of each other. It reserves
to the States certain rights which were
to remain unimpsired and not to be
i~nteriered with by the General Gov
eminent. But we now have instead
OF these a Union Of central and
despOtic powers, with the EXecu-
tive and Judiciary under the
absolute control Of the Legisla-
department Of the Government.
Congress is not only the Legislative
power. but iJ controls the Executive
and Judiciary. States have dwindled
TO mere corporation authorities,
and State sovereignty is a principle Of
the past. Our whole theory Of Re
publican government has been SUBJ
verted, and the party is fast Fastening
to Imperialism and Centralism under
a Congressional o~Iigarchy. The
Democratic party will have lost
the Promethean fire Of principles
it asks us chow" we are 10 "re-
.ect' usurpation and despotism
show" we are to "~reiecg" unconstitu
enactments. Hthe Democratic
party be not sham and a fraud, it
viii not stop to inquire Show" it is to
work when the temple Of liberty is
1n fire. If il is worth a pepper corn
{ will "reiecC' the reconstruction
lets, the Constitutional amendments, |
everything that is violation Of
he organic law of the land.
Il 10 possesses any virtue
hat should commend it to the conf
Ience of the people, those virtues con
list in the propositions Of restoring to
he country the principles and gov
civil liberty as committed
to us by the founders OF the Republic.
r the Democratic party is tc succeed
It all, it must succeed on the dEtinc-
i've principles which place it in direct
intsgonism to the policy Of the party
n power. Success would be but an
Empty triumph except upon the PTin-
that the legislation Of the coun-
Iy, for the past ten years, has been
4 series Of blunders which has rent
he country with the direst confusion
and disintegration, and kept the ma.
ion in a constant turmOH8nd Of sec
strife and bitterness. The mis-
lion Of THE Democratic party is there