Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-10-25
AbsOIUtiSm and C9sarism-HOW
Congress may Kake a Place
for an Emperor Like
Napoleon.
Wall Street and the Financial
DOdgers-The "0ld Man" still
for the People and the
Peoples Liberties.

] uactOn anG menQacfOus and unpuncl-
/ pied assaults. A man in the crowd ex-
/ clai ned: You still live, Andy2" to
( which Mr.. Johnson replied: Eyes, thank
/ sod, I am still alive; and not only live
physically, hut I am alive to the preserv-
alton of institutions and best interests
Of the country" IApplause. He did
/ not come for OratOrtcal display; what he
would say now would be by way Of in
I quiry, and he would ask "What kind of
/ 3 government have we now?" Applause,
and cries Of ''Tell us?'l We used to have
some idea that there was a constitution
/ Ilaughterl and a constitutional gOvsr rn-
ment, as [ argued when first made my
appearance as a member Of congress.
! The inquiry wa as to the powers con-
/ fe-red upon the government. 1t was
| thought long ago, that there was a linn
itation to the powers of both, as to seve-
raj States, and the general government
under that instrument. Such was the
( view Of Washington, the father OF his
country, who was first in peace and
/ first in war, and who sacrificed his ease
and received no pay for his services.
And so thought Jefferson and those
/ great men who framed the constitution
/ When he first came to congress there
/ were two great parties, Whig and Demo-
! cratic. He wished to-day that the eOun-
! try was under their control. He feared
[ the people would never again have two
/ such parties. The difference between
{ them was merely this: The Democrats
cOntended for strict construction, while
! the Wings claimed little
more latitude. While these par
/ ties were thus opposed they both
agreed in the essential principle
| that there was a constitution, but how
was il now or within the last four or six
I years. When the measure was brought
/ up in congress and its constitutionality
was questioned, the reply would be in ef-
4 feet, "D-n the constitution, we have
got the numbers" Laughter. And
while he was here as a friend of the con-
stitutiOn, battling and cOntenaing for its
existence, the constitution was taken
from the archives, torn to pieces and
trampled under foot, and the query came
up, " What kind Of a government have
we?" The consequences Of the war had
fearfully effaced and wiped out the Inn
itaI0ns and restrictions of the cOnstilu-
ton; the people therefore required to be
indoetrinated in the principles in which
the co stitutinn was established. "If the
constitution is wiped out, and congress is \
without restraint, where are we? Hav-
ing the government controlled by body
of men without limitation rs to power,
and DO constitution TO restrain them, b0I
acting according TO their own will and in
terest, we would have the most odiOus
despOtism ever permitted to be establish
ed Rather than accept such a body OF
men, calling themselves congress or par
liamentary courts with unlimited power,
give him wise and just prince in pref
erence. If other departments were
made subordinate and gave their assent,
the whole thing had better be wiped
out. Applause. If all power was 10
be centered In one man, let him be a
Just and good man. Let him be some
man whom it would be a pride TO call
master 1t had been said, "Why,
johnson, you are insane on the cOnsti-
tuition. The whole thing is played
out. The liberties of the people are
gone.n If this be insanity, he wished to
God there were more insanity in the
country. Laughter He wished the
whole country would become in
sane on constitutional liberty.
We should be aroused. If people
could see as their fathers saw,
things would be different. "He then
spoke Of the increase Of the plunderers;
of people being taxed to subserve the
interest Of particular classes and the
iDiu-tice applied to both the federal gov
ernment and those of States. He wished
it were possible to have an ampitheater
constructed to seat all the people of the
country, so that when the curtain was
drawn they could see what was going
on; there would be such reaction g.
was never felt or heard of before, but il
might be said this was all talk; that we
can carry elections; but how carry them,
while heavy taxes were being laid on
the people? The ballot-bOx was cOrrup-
ted, degraded and controlled by money
n the hands of those who are not the
peoples friends. A great deal had been
said about Caessrism; he never was a
partisan in politics, or a IA
laic in religion. The world
was his home, and every honest
man his brother. In the language OF
Burke, the eminent British statesman,
"When bad men combine for corrupt
purposes, the time has come when good
men should combine to arrest encrosch-
ments on the constitution and th
country" Let the good, honest and
pure associate in 3 common cause 70
resist .all encrOachments on cOnsti-
societies called grabges, but beyond this,
be did not care if they would also take
under their control the State and ma
tional governments and administer and
preserve them for the interests Of the
people To this he would sag Amen, 50
be IT," Nj. johnson then branched Off
on the subject Of finance, advocating
gold and silver as a constitutional cur
rency, and the Withdrawal of all
national bank notes and the issuing
for them greenbacks, TO be received
IN payment of all government dues.
He maintained that by this means we
could return to specie payment The
idea that there was not gold and silver
enough for this purpose was an absurd
ity: Tut what was now the matter, that
the banks have suspended2 It use1 10
be that banks suspended because they
bad not coin to pay, bat at present the |
banks have suspended because they are
deficient Of psper-mOney. Banks, 1
brokers, and corporations could all sus-
pend, and there was no way TO reach /
them. There was one portion Of the
people that did not suspend. namely, !
taxpayers. Spectators could suspend I
with millions. There were two things
certain-death, and payment Of taxes. I
Laughter He was in favor of g rev.
Oi0tion being brought about ia pub |
lie sentiment, and instead Of the ballot /
box being degraded and cor
rupted, he wanted the ballet /
elevated end purified. Abiding to Wal !
street, he said that ten million dollars 4.
pass during the day from one hand to 4
anotheT. Capital is hot increased by
this, nor was anything added to toe pro- 1
ducts Of the country. Wall street was
demoralized by such proceedings.
When s nation, like an individual, sins,
violation of the law brings punish
ment, and it was now time We should
return to the old landmarks The time
had come when war should be made on
monOpOlies. The scrambling was fOr
money, lsnd, and treasure, as a gen
eral thing The people did not seem to
De alarmed about a third presidential
term, and by apathy many nations have
lost is liberty. Power is passing FROM
the great mass to the few. Mr..
johnson then spoke IN favor
Of the election Of President FOR