Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-08-14
Shall We Have White Mans Party 3-The
Question Considered.
Correspondence Public LedGor.l


not exceed that Of Feniau for Queen
Victoria, | don't propose TO shed tears
over the late election. 1t was as natural
to expect decency from Brownlow as
that the negroes would vote for Eiheridge
Such an action would have been nntag-
onistic to all principles by which men are
governed. The negroes are wolully
ignorant, and much better fitted to illus
trate the plow.handle than polling booths
but they are shrewd enough to realize
that Southern white men are disgusted
with their claims to social and political
equality. They would regard their old
masters with contempt if they we're not
1t is only Radical politicians who can
sink all deeency and seek to level every
distinction between the two races. They
pronounce all inequality at an end, and
are correct from their standpoint. 1t is
not difficult TO decide whether the negro
or the white Radical is complimented by
the association. A white man who vol
unfairly seeks the level of the most de-
graded in the land is as unworthy
the social or political recognition
of even the latter, as the latter is
that Of the most virtuous and en-
lightened. If the Southern negroes do
not fling these infamous toady office
seekers from their embraces, they need
anticipate nothing else than an absorp-
ton of the vices naturally resulting from
such an association. What white iaan,
other than a Radical, would permit
such men as compose the majority of our
Tennessee Radical politicians to become
socially intimate with his family2 The
touch is pollution itself.
Your Radical politician can readily
fraternize with the negro. The associa-
ton instead of degrading is elevating.
Cugee is sometimes honest, and socially
his new friend is just degree or two be-
low the scum of the earth. To him Cuf.
fee and Dinah are better society than he
has been accustomed to. At home he
was contemplate. Public opinion forced
him to pack his kit and tramp. He
came here, and found that white men in
stinctively held their noses as he APP
preached Social amenities were denied
him on the principle that excludes sour
Wy fellows generally. He seeks the ne
gro as naturally as water seeks its level,
and is glad to sit at Sambo's table and
enjoy the society of Sambo's daughter.
By and by, though long time hence,
Sambo will become disgusted; Miss
Sambo will turn up her fat nose, and
the white toady must seek somebody
lower down in the social scale. His next
resort will be the Digger Indian, if whis-
ky, gambling, and other advance guards
of civilization do not too soon wipe out
and relieve the latter from the crowning
disgrace Of such an association.
We can also manipulate the odorlier-
GUS gentleman from the African jungles
by social assimilation, but not other
wise. The recent attempt Of some OF
orr Conservative politicians to control
him by holding their noses when in his
presence, making wry faces and touch-
ing him with forty-foot pole was
miserable failure. Sensible men antici-
pated nothing else, and we were treated
as we deserved. His action on election
day was predicted by everybody who
possessed more judgment than enthusi-
asm. We merited just such treatment
for even temporarily sinking the decency
supposed to cling to the Caucasian. When
we showed disposition TO get down in
the dirt before him, call him the col
ored citizen " and beg for his vote, he
readily perceived our hypocrisy The
action simply disgusted white men, and
the "colored citizen" laughed in hia
sleeve and told it as good joke in the
League.
The sickening farce has been played
out; the curtain has fallen; the foot
lights have blinked out, and Egyptian
darkness prevails. We met the fragrant
African, and he wasn't ours, We crap
pied the black anaconda, aud he choked
us into Mr.. Mantelim's demnition
particles"
l tell you, Mr.. Editor, the irrepres-
sibe conflict has just arrived. 1t has
brought its knitting and intends to stay
awhile. Two elements are struggling
for the same goal They are antagonistic,
and one must 60 by the board. 1t is
White VS.. Black. You may double and
twist, and refine as you may, yet moth
ing else can be made out Of it. Either
this Southern country is to be pernan-
ently,ruled by the Caucasian or by the
African. There can be no co mpromise
One must 60 up and the other down.
Not by violence, however. 1t is a strug
gle of intellect and decency against ig-
norance and degradation. 1t is not diff
cult to anticipate the result, which is
simply that Of every other battle between |
the Caucasian and inferior races.
But the sooner we strip for
the contest the better. The sooner |
we raise the white mans banner, the |
sooner the question will be solved. The |
tl,oL = Sla,-ir- iost 70 M ro~ ware IN /