Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-12-17
REGISTER to-day. The last chance.


The reelection of Grant, to the extent
that it was effected by an overwhelming
majority, was perhaps most fortunate
for the South. Confident of absolute su-
premacy and of unrestricted, unlimited
power, organs Of Grantism, without
danger to themselves, or to partisan au-
tocracy, can afford to tell the unvarnish-
ed truth, and the condition Of the South
may now be fairly considered and dis
cussed. The New York Herald is thus
enabled to supplant the Tribune, as it
was when Greeley was at the helm, and
says:
The troubles in Louisiana, as well as in
Alabama. South Carolina and other
parts Of the South, arise primarily from
the reconstruction policy Of Congress,
or, more properly speaking, from the
policy Of the dominant Radical Repub-
ican party. In DISTINGUISHING the in
telligent and leading men of the South,
and in elevating the whole mass of ig-
norant negroes to political power, We
lind the cause Of the present deDlorable
state of things. The object, as is well
known, was to secure the votes Of the
Southern States so as to perpetuate the
rule of the Republican party. This
might not be considered alto
gether unfair in a strictly par
ty or political sense, and it may 0e
that any other party would have used
the same advantages for a like purpose.
Nevertheless, this feeling has proved
disastrous. The world cannot be gov
erned by ignorance. The attempt to
govern the South through the mass of
ignorant blacks, who were Just emanci-
pated from slavery, and who We're not at
All prepared for civic duties, has proved
a lamentable failure, as every statesman
must have seen it would. But to make
matters worse, the dominant party, in
carrying out its policy, flooded
the Southern States with carpet
haggerS, with men of no means
1r conscience and no feeling Of abid-
ing interest in that section of the
country. These INSCRIPTIONS and needy
adventures were placed in positions Of
power and trust, while those who be-
l0nged to and had a deep interest IN the
peace and welfare of the South were Os-
tracised. The miserable SCRAMBLED
that President Grant speaks of for the
spOils of Office is among these very adj
venturers. Still the Federal Govern
nent seems to adhere 10 its original pol
icy Notwithstanding the frightful con-
sequences that have resulted from il, for
We have seen one faction sustained in
Louisiana, and another in Alabama,
which are in accord with the party in
power at Washington, regardless of the
II Of l,nu N1a rio ,F
government, or the forms of State law.
Perhaps it is not possible to undo
much Of the evil that has been done, for
lights and privileges that have been con-
'eded cannot well be Withdrawn, though
hey may have proved mischievOus.
But Congress and the President can do
. great deal in the way Of applying
remedy. The theory Of the abstract
light of suffrage, whether adopted from
principle or policy, will have to be car
led out now, however unfit the mass of
negroes in the South may be for the eX-
9rcise of that assumed right or privilege. !
The evil might be neutralized to some
extent, and, as we hope, to give peace /
o the South, if the Federal Government /
would let the several States have absO- |
ute control over their own affairs, and in |
.aSe OF such dlfllculty as thaJln LOUISE /
ma, to leave the solution Of it to /
Ocal laws; if it would concede complete
so as to give the most intelli- |
rent portion of the community a voice /
nd influence in public matters; if it
would, in short, help to restore the /
'OUtherners to Office, and frOwn down .
be carpetbaggers and scalawags who
make all the trouble. Such eruption
nd anarchy as exist now in the South 1
re not only injurious to that section;
ot only check its progress and material
interests and, therefore, prove damaging
D the business interests of the North,
ut they are infectious, and must in the
nd demOralize the whole Republic. It
!, in fact, long step toward centraliza-
on, despOtism and military rule. 1t is
he way in which all nations have
larched the liberties and institutions of
-hich have been subverted or over
Irned