Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-12-22
GOODS FOR THE
- % IL u ID n Y
WELLS & COILS.

endeavored to place him in false posi-
tiens-positions which no fair construc-
ton Of the language Of either his oral or
written statements would justify. For
example, and to give one of many in
stances, Col. Tate comes forward and
makes proposition, which he believes,
and 80 declares, if accepted, will prove
highly beneficial to Memphis as well as
profitable to the association he repre-
sents, and straightway all these Louis
Vile claqxers, as if prompted and pulled
by the same string, sneeringly sing out,
"Oh, no! here is man who wants to
pull wool over our eyes, by telling US
that his proposition will inure solely to
the benefit Of Memphis-thet, indeed,
his love for Memphis is so great, he is
willing to treacberously sacrifice the in.
terests of his company, in order to do us
good and himself and company harm
Such mode of argument, or rather OF
downright misrepresentation, is utterly
unworthy of the gentlemen who adopt IT.,
and an insult to the intelligence of the
community for which they assume to
speak.
Another point that strikes me as very
noticeable in this controversy, is the
fact that the heading editors of the Mem
phis morning papers, while professin
the profound est respect and admiration
for the high and stainless character OF
Col. Tate, and owning themselves under
heavy oblig ations to him, have, never
theless, suffered their correspondents
and "locs.l editors" to "pitch into "
and, by iuuendo, abuse him without
stint Ore day, for instance, in one
morning ,paper, he is portrayed in terms
of the most glowing panegeric-he
is everyt hing that is noble, generous,
chivalrous and magnanimous he has q
warm hea rt, o matchless energy, and q
native intellect of colossal proportions" "
The very next day, and perhaps for sew
eral days afterwar d, in the same paper, 1t
is insinuated by q correspondent, or by
some one on the local side" that he is
the veriest trickster and self-seeker that
ever attempted to oamboozle credulous
and too confding people One day he
is represented as q lifelong benefactor OF
Memphis collectively and of young men
individually; and tine very next he is
insiduously charged with scheming to
dry up all the sources of Memphis
wealth and power, to write lchabod :
on all her edifces, public and private
her palaces, temples and towers--and to
make them the hiding places of bats and
owls. Which of these representations
are we to believe? Which dslineation OF
character shall we take for the true one
The generous outburst of warm-hearted,
grateful eulogy, or the "sly digs" the
measured utterances, and the artful In
situations and downright animadver-
sions, prompted by outside Influences that
we can only guess at, but which are be-
lieved to come from certain interested
quarter. For one, shall take leave to
adopt and believe the former; because l
knew that Col. Tate comes far nearer
filing that bill than he does the other |;
and for the further reason that am NOR
ally certain Memphis has everything to
gain and nothing to lose by accepting the
proposition she invited him to make, and
which vast majority of her property
holders and Taxpayers, isho are the city,
have indorsed.
The communication of "a B. c."
in Saturdays appeal, is one of
ments on the Louisville side of this
question that has yet appeared. That
writer does not squsrely meet q single
point in Col. Tate's card. Instead of at
tempting to controvert that card, be fails
to notice it at all, aud goes off to criticise
the communication of some supositious
friend of Col. Tate, who had and could
have had no authority to speak for that
gentleman. Why did be not las would
have been most natural and legltimate)
take up Col Tate's card and criticise or
take issue with that2 Why not reply, or
attempt to reply, to what Col. Tate says
in that card (which covers the whole
ground), rather than to what some sup
posed friend says for him The card
was the document to go to for Col. Tate
true position. Not having done so, the
evidence is inevitable that he did not dare
to meet the real issues involved as au-
thoritatively stated in that card. And
not daring to do so, he has not only quite
ignored it, but has gone on to make state
ments Of facts directly at variance with
it, and attributed positions 70 Col. Tate
which be must have known be has never
assumed. For instance, "a. B. c." says:
"Instesd Of studying the interest ofthe
road be ia paid to serve, Col. Tate
appears in Memphis and proposes to
build q Tirdl line to that of his lessees,
and publicly declares in print that his
associates, the lessees, know nothing
about his plans, and have no part in his
negotiations"
II "A. B. C." had exsrted himself to
the utmost he could not have made two
statements - particularly the latter =
more untrue. or more az variance with
the facts and rifh fke record for, in his
card, Col Tate speaks to both these
points distinctly where be says, speaking
Of bis statement before the City Council
"Istafed that represented fhs South
crH Railroad Associafi0n-nea ef large
capital, Who had leased the Mississippi
Central railroad; that II they could pur-
chase q snfscient interest in this the
Mississippi and TENNESSEE road to en-
able them 70 control Il, il would Be an
induceueut to them 10 aid 10 making this
a great through line 10 The NorthEest.
Tat II the Paducab lne and Grenada
line vas Concentrated il The hands or er-