Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-03-07
rn. E,.e,lon COR county omeerr.

sach good and faithful work Is beng
done by Conservative in the election
which Is progressiue to-day, IthAt We
should feel entirely cOniideut Of ! favor
able result. but for one fact, and thaiis a
positive certainty that the registration
has been unfair, Obstacles hive been
thrown IL the way ofwhite voters obtain.
ing their certificates, while negroes have
been aidsdto the utmost; and so many
whites have been excluded by the rush OF
the crowd, the limited time given, aud
the diiliculty, attending che procurement
Of certificates by gentlemen from the
country, that il will DO o, miracle If the
Conservatives succeed. We confess
frankly il is more than we expect The
action Of Brownlow and the Legislature
was not to prevent frauds, nor was it
because frauds had been practiced,
as was pretended, but Il was for the ex.
press purpose Of rendering It possible to
control the election by frauds, obstacles
difficulties, and all the circumstances
and chances new registration could be
made to give. This being the evident
design, IL is reasonable to suppose the
proper agents have been selected by
Brownlow to effect his purpose. And 1t
will indeed be strange II that purpose is
not accomplished. "''
If there was any cause OF complaint
Of the old registration, by Mr. Davis, 1t
was that he was too rigidly exaciing as
to all Conservative applicants, and too
little so as to the Radical claimants for
certificates. But there was too much
honesty in the sturdy old man to allow OF
his refusing certificates to those who
could make a satisfactory showing,
and he would not limit the days OF
registration 50 as'to shut ont Intention
ally any man fairly entitled to vote by
the terms of the DISTINGUISHING law of
Tennessee. He gave all fair chance,
so far as he could. But that did not suit
the Radical ringleaders, and new reg
istrar was selected, who was doubtless
believed to be better suited fortheir pur-
poses, and who seems to us to have am
ply realized their expectations. |
Think of undertaking to register ten
thousand names in four days, with four
more added Unexpectedly and by special
request, and this with personal scrutiny |
and the administration of oaths; and all |
this done with the utmost delibsration
and leisurely slowness, in five or SIX
hours of the day, in small rooms, con-
tinually crowded and jamued by
three, four or FIVE hundred men at time.
The effect has been precisely such as
was intended. A large portion of the
white voters of the city have given up
the effort in despair, old men in their
eager determination to retain if possible
the great right of freemen, have stood
and suffered for hours and days in the
pressing throngs until they tainted in
their tracks, and the white citizens of
the county at large seeing the difficulties
which barred the way to residents
of the city, wherein only certificates
could be had, have not undertaken the
herculean task of securing certificates at
great additional expense of time and
money. So great wrong was never be-
fore practiced on and endured by any
freemen of this country. We have only |
limited at some of the sickening details.
They render infamous every man en-
gagged in originating and carrying them
put The game undertaken at such a
shameless cost Of every appearance OF
decency will not fail for want of any su-
peradded yilliany which may be neces-
sary to its Accomplishment. 30 3