Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-08-19

nc EWefyh EH'tJfUtO" MVte"'"'
Action of tie CitiSens of Montgomery
Comy-A Determination to Secure
While Labor from Europe-The
Crops.
Correspondence Public Ledger.l
GAINESVILLE, TENN, August II, 1861.
The good people of old Montgomery
are determined not to be behind those Of
other towns and counties throughout the
State in bringing about the much needed
change in our system of labor. 1t is no
new discovery which we have awakened
to since the negroes. voted to perpetuate
the Brownlow dsspotism, that they are
inferior to white men in the fields and
the workshops of the South. We have
thoroughly tested the blacks for the past
half century or more, both as bondsmen
and in state of freedom, and if the
question of their physical equality
with the whites was ever the least prob
lematical it has certainly been satisfac-
torily solved by this time. The conduct
of the negro in the exercise of his right
as a voter is not the sole argument any
sensible man will adduce for supplanting
him with white laborers, and filling his
place with another. The inferiority of
the black man, physically as well as his
political unreliability, condemn him, and
place him at discount beside the Cau-
cassian. The two reasons taken to-
gether make the strongest possible state
ment of the case, and while either would
Justify the action taken by Conserva-
tives since our so.called election, it is
0ssa piled upon Pelion, which pre-
sents the true picture of our griev-
ances and demands, as well as JUS
titles our steps toward reform.
The negro in a state of freedom
must necessarily prove burthen upon
the Southern people, and one which they
could not be expected to patiently bear,
even had the black man, consulting his
own interest as well as ours, struck
hands with us politically. Adding then
to his natural, and we might be charita-
BILE enough to say an inferiority which
was no fault of his own, voluntary
misuse of the power placed in his
hand by Radical legislation stupid
and indolent on the one hand and
corrupted and mischievous on the
other, can the race be tolerated,
shall it be fostered ? Whether it will be
tolerated, rests solely upon those who
are aggrieved, and the citizens of old
Montgomery have answered very en-
phatically no. We have had meeting
at this place, attended by the clear
est heads and cleanest consciences
amoug us, and we have appointed one
of our best and most influential citizens
to represent us as an agent in Europe,
whose dense population is constantly
being thiuned out by immigration across
the waters. Nor is this all, we have
raised and placed at his disposal funds
to defray all expenses ofinaugurating an
immigration scheme, aud when this shall
have been exhausted, | am confident
more will be raised quite as promptly
and easily. We are bound to give white
labor such q test as will put all further
questions as to its practicabiliiy to an
end. win Shelby and other counties
Join US in the work ? If so, our united
efforts will revolutionize the system of
labor in Tennessee in single year, to
say nothing of the metamorphosis Of our
political condition, which will be bound
to follow Dispense with negro labor
and we will dispense with negro votes.
Introduce white industry and Tennessee
will pass from under the dominion Of
Brownlow into an era ofihrift, prosperity
and domestic peace and harmony such
as we have never before realized.
The crops throughout the county are
very promising, and oil are sauguine of
an unusually large yield. The corn, es-
pecially, looks fine, and most fields are
past injury. WnIrE LABOR