Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-07-23
Some Free Thinking and Free Talking

Some FREQ Thinking and Free Talking.
EDIToRs LEDGER: AS former North
ern Democrat, / have been somewhat
interested in the illusions of :" Free
Thinker" l. Aattered myself that |
would learn som ething of the true senti'
ments and feelings of one Southern man
at least; for, since the question of new
President is fairly before US, consider
the succession chiefly, if not wholly, de-
pendent on the sentiments and actions
of the Southern people. | cant say
that have learned any thing important
from "Free Thinkers" communities
tions, except his ingratitude and effront'
cry. And these qualities ! wish to indi
cate and exeoriate as they deserve. II
all the Southern people entertained the
sentiments Of his communication of the
10th inst, then it would be high time
indeed, to vote for Grant, or anybody
who is presumptuous enough to think he
could unite the discordant elements oi
the country. .L
A Free Thinker" INDUCES in this
splash of efrontery and falsehOod, in
speaking Of the Northern Democratic
party: ,... % s....
Butler and Logan and Sickles are o.
that party, and the New York Worlld
the great central organ of the party, du
ring the war was the fercest enemy o.
the South. The very best of our North
ern friends induced us to secede, and
then horrible pack Of knaves con
tented themselves with paying taxes
that we might be overwhelmed.
The above is so brazen that l hardly
have the heart to deny it. A Free
Thinker" is either ignorant of the facts
or wilfully false, when he says Butler
Logan and Sickles are Of the Democratic
party. They did formerly pretend to be
members of it, and while SO, were NAL
contents of the most insidious character
Perhaps Free Thinker has forgot
ten, or did not knew, that Butler was
delegate to the Charleston Convention
and that he voted ffty-seven times fol
Jefferson Davis for the nomination fo
President; and that he was one OF th'
most inyeterate disturbers in that Con
vention-and 10 firing the Southern
heart" was quite the peer of the bril-
liant, erratic Yancey. And he and Cush
ing Canother Massachusetts, Yankee), ant
a few other graceless Northern apostate
-nine.tenths Of whom, l will venture t
say. are now Radicals, Butler, Logal
and Sickles sre--by collusion with tn
Southern FIRE eaters, seeded and brok
up the Convention which cowardly ant
IN, Democratic act received the warn
commendation Of the Northern Aboli
ton party, and their press and orator
became the devoted champions of tn
South against the Northern Democracy
f'The Abolitionisis were faithful eolpor
teurs to the Breckenridge faction at tn
North, and both parties went hand-in
hand against the Democracy and tn
peoples choice in 1860.
The Abolition party hooted at us whei
we expressed fears of war and destruo
ton Of the Union in the event Of Lin
oola's election; they seoffed at ns whei
we regarded the Southern States seees
sion from the Charleston Convention a
a preliminary, if not an equivalent, Z
secession from the Union. The Abolition
party advocated secession as warmly a
/ the Breckinridge party and / eoui'
ouots extracts and sentiments enough 4
1 sll the LED6ER four times over to prov
that both extremists Fere laboring 70
the same end. e, the defeat Of III
Democratic party, and dissolution Of th
Union. Horace Greeiey-Whoma Ere
/ T1s-I-u -. ~ rnurh rezuert for