Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-02-20
Southern LoYalists.

The gentlemen who have been elected
in the Southern States to reconstruct the
governments appear in many instances
to have characters which will not bear
investigation. At Richmond Charles.
ton, Atlanta, Montgomery and Jackson,
the conventions have embraced some of
the most precious scoundrels left outside
of the penitentiary. 1t was only last
week that special Radical pet, the
negro lawyer, j. Alpeoria Bradley, whom
Ben Wade elevated in the United States
Senate as witness against one of the
most worthy officers in South Carolina,
was expelled from the Georgia Copven-
ton. The most remarkable fact con-
nected with the expulsion is that it was
occasioned by his insubordinate
and insulting department. The
Radical majority composing the
Convention do not seem to have re-
garded Bradley as unfit to be member
| of the Convention OR their associate,
though proved to be a great scoundrel.
| A committee was appointed to investigate
certain charges made against him. They
discharged their duties in this behalf and
made report to the Convention, which
| is published in full in the Georgia papers.
| They reported that they had a certified
copy of the records of the City Court
of Brooklyn, New York, showing that
Bradley, born near Augusta, Maine,
was, on the 18th day of June, 1851,
convicted of grave offense and SEN
fenced to imprisonment for two years in
the penitentiary. They also report that
by a certified copy of the records of the
Superior Court of the county Of Suffolk,
/ Massachusetts,, it appears that Bradley
was, on the 4th of October, 1856, stricken
from the roll of attorneys and removed
from practice in any court in Massa-
chusetts for contempt of court and mall
practice. A minority of the committee
recommended that he be expelled for
criminal conduct. But majority of
the committee made report in which
they enter into some special pleading,
stating that there is no law fixing the
qualifications of members, except the
act of Congress of March 2, 1867, and
that act makes but one qualification, that
is, conformity to the third section of the
proposed constitutional amendment.
| They say: ut appears to us that this
Convention would be adopting dan
gerous rule to prescribe guilty of any Of
| tense disqualification for seat" They
close their report thus: This Conven-
ton has, without doubt, poyer to ex-
pei member, guilty OF serious crime
whilst member, but wo are not clear
that it can, within the scope Of its, pow
ers, examine into the history of one Of its
members, and, finding it grossly immoral,
or criminal, 90 behind the vote of the
people and expel him. We, therefore,
report the facts and ask to be dis
charged" And this negro lawyer and
precious Radical was not expelled on the
ground of the report showing him to be
a penitentisry bird, for, so far as that is
concerned, his Radical associates do not
seem to have been disturbed by his
presence. But they afterward expelled
him for insolenee of demeanor and con-
tempt Of the Convention, much graver
offense, in Radical estimation, than
those proved by the report
In the South Carolina Convention it is
charged that among the white members
is one now under indictment for stealing
a COW; a second was lately fined $4,000
for a violation of the Internal Revenue
law; a third was indicted for illicit dis
tillation Of whisky; fourth hoisted the
: Confederate flag over Sumter after its sur
render to Beauregsrd, and fifth is q
preacher who used to pray that the Yam.
: kee feet in front Of Charleston might be
, sunk into the bottomless pit.
A pamphlet of half a score Of pages
was published, with court records, show
ing that one Of the loyalists of the Ala
bama Convention was felon. He wal
a nominee in some meetings for Gov
ernor. He is now dead, and out of re
r gard to his bones we refrain from naming
him. Instances Of this kind show VIVA
sort Of material Radicalism uses as it
instruments, and they show, too, whs
: must be the chsractss Of the constitu
E sncy which elects sub representatives
. Missouri Republican.