Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-11-17
MEMPHIS APPEAE
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IN a few days We publish the eai
oisl vote Of Che recent election lor Presi
dent Of the United States. We viii re-
joiee when test day s%rrives, as we ar,
anxious 10 obliterate every recollection
Of The contest, IS it Was certainly thC
most stupid and undressing election
ever held. The enemies 70 RaGicalisn'
had no Incentive 20 stimulate then
TO action, and there were 50 many fac.
lions TO reconcile and conflicting inter
ests and opinions to harmonic, tnas +
was almost impossible to say anything
without offending somebody. A philos
opher once extracted sunbeams from
cucumber and we see nOreasou why J
Democrat cannot console himself In the
recent defeat upon the ground that, lei
the result be what It may, the rain viii
still refresh and frUctify the earth II
has not yet been perceived that the re.
suit Of the election on the fifth instant
has had any effect upon the weather.
It must have been a great comfort to our
Democratic friends, who went TO bed de-
jeeted and out of temper, to find on
waking up that the rays of the sun
had lost none Of their warmth nor
morning its plessanness. The elasticity
OF parties, their recuperative powers,
their alacrityi in recove ringfromreverse
have been time and again remarked
upon as a marvel. But 20 our minds
nothing is less astonishing. 1t results
from the patriotic and d~isinterested tenn
per Of the people. Taking it for granted
that the voters only have the good Of
their country in view, and the eandi-
dates are ambitious only 10 serve the
State, and it follows as a matter Of
course that a struggle viii be soon sue
ceeded by a becoming resignation TO the
fiat Of the haliot-boE-and resignation is
the longest step 10 contentment and.
happiness. The feelings Of thepeople be-
come mere excited rs the election
draws nigh. They all think they are
right; each voter imagines his own
principles to lie at the base Of all good
government. The interest felt in the
contest IS noble and patriotic one. The
stir Of preparation gives Intensity to the
belief, and Imagination heats the reason
tuI thought is melted into passiOn. Then
it is that one party thinks the other viii
ruin the country, and the other becomes
convinced that the salvation Of free
government is staked upon return Of.
certain candidates. By degrees the
representation Of the social cOnse-
quences Of the election extend them
selves to physical phenomena, and just
shout the time the polls open the inn
preston is grown into a positive knowl-
edge that defeat viii not only destroy
civil society, but fatten the rotundity
Of the earth and dry up all The moisture
in water. The election is over the
defeated party get to LED ear
ly 10 avoid the shoutinus Of
the vicU0rs, who in their turn get
rid Of their glory by the happy prodi-
gality Of 9 single night. The first
glimpse Of the morrow which a beaten
man gets, dispels some Of the Illusions
Of the preceding day. It is perceived
that divers supposed effects of defeat are
not 10 be realized. The air is redolent
Of the flower garden; the worlds round
and rejoicing; birds are singing hymns
70 the rising sun; toast and coffee have
not lost their SAVIOR, nor eggs and butter
their zest. Presently the absence of any
physical mischance leads him 10 doubt
II the social consequences Of the cleo
ton viii be as terrible as We're predicted.
By the time he finishes his breakfast he
Is philosopher, with app stlte and sor-
row both gone. He takes up bis staff and
o loOses all sense Of disappointment
IN the ezaeting duties of life. The
first glimpse Of the morrow which the
victor gets dispeIs Illusions also. If he
happens to be one Of those who for econ
0mys sake celebrates the success of his
party by torchlight, he viii probably
hnd his heads hot with glory, that for
fearofit bursting be wilIhave il swathed
IN ice-Eater and his stomach doused
with the same. The odors Of flowers are
not sweet to him, nor the air refreshing,
nor the song Of birds cheerful, nor toast
and coffee savOry, nor eggs and butter
luscious. From their physical deterior-
atoms he begins 10 fear the social prom
ises Of the election, and BY the time be
finishes bis breakfast he is a philosopher
in the u Of one who looks upon hu-
D1an affairs with no small suspicion Of
lurking drug in every cup Of Joy.
This is the sequel Of all electiOns-one
party gets elated 0ver-much. The other
depressed beyond measure. The rever-
Jerati0n sends them across the center O.
gravity, SO that they change places o.
-he index. The next vibration they
stop midway. They agree that the PEG
PIE who have been elected have too
much or too little sense to upset the es
abIshed order Of things, and settI
town into the truly patriotic and philo-
'oPhical conviction that the country
iafe. This is the foundation stone uUou
which We build our faith.
The people of the South are learning
y each Successive election that there j.
.omething far worthier Of the hopes anG
a50rs Of the true lovers Of their country
md race than the eternal struggle for
he a~scendancy Of one selfish party over
mother, or the wrestling Of the sp0ils o.
ihce nom mans hands 70 place
hem in those Of another, TO be used, a.
hey may be and too often are, only for
purposes having no regard for the publ.
ysod- Now that we have q truce 10 pol
ties for two years, let the people Of the
south look TO their material interests
let Us sbure politics, and learn the les
on Of se~lf-reliance. The South mus
earn TO look 10 the South. Let US. then.
esOrt 10 OuT own mines, 0ur rivers.
ur workshops and factories, and our
people. Let Us stand on the
Ianks OF our own rivers and make then
t Our command and bidding DO the Ia
'or Of ten thousand hands. When you .
these things, then, indeed, viii YOU
ave improved your agricultural con
idon; then viii you have secured per
nanent prosperity and repose; then
nd not until then, viii you have es-
q commerce on your Owl
hores and n your own harbor; then
7Il you have at your command the
treasures Of the land and the treas
res of the sea. If We would j
buld towns and cities, /
re must engage In manufactur- F,
lg. An exclusively agricultural people
-D always be poor. The Southern
want cities sndtowns-they want
diversity Of employment. They wanl .
be enterprise and activity which g.
n~gendered merely by bringing masses
T the people to act on each other BY
MUTUAL stimulation and excitement /
Why is the balance Of trade continually q
} favor Of the North? Because our la s
Of IS not sufficiently diversiied-be- Q
the raw material goes from bis
cry city TO the North 10 be msnufac-
red, and then comes back 10 be won S
Y our citizens, while we have among c
5 thousands and thousands who might I
-ork il Up, but who are lying here idle, d
ANY Of them supported by public char {
y, These are the questions that should {
lgage the attention Of the Southern J
They VIII certainly be discussed q