Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-06-03
Wendell Phillips on the Republican Ticket
and Platform. an r


and Platform. sn r
From the Anti-Slavery Standard a.
Chicago has nominated Grant and Col
fax for President and Vice President.
That is, the meu who wish 10 get posses
sion of the Government without being
definitely pledged to anything, have
ayailed themselves Of Gen. Grants popu.
lafity to effect their object. Hence our
Preside ntial candidate. For the Vice
Presidency, Mr.. Justice Chase and his
seven conspirators have nominated Col
fax. A repentant nation, sadly mindful
of the cheat practiced on it and Hamlin
in 1864, would gladly have atoned for
that sin by putting his honored name
there. A nation indignant at the
treachery of two weeks ago-a treachery
dictated by spite against Mr.. Wade
would have been proud to fare its fierce
rebuke in the faces of Trumbull and Fes-
sender by lifting Waje's name on the
party banner. But the party had neither
nobility nor the courage enough for
either course. 1t stood cap in hand to
its traitors, and begged to know how
they could be concilated 1t was this
policy OF cancellation which betrayed
Hamlin once before, and went down to
the grocery corners" of Tennessee to
dig up this drunken nightmare which
rides us to-day. We commend the his
torical reminiscence to MIR. Colfax's
attention.
Both ominations-Granta and Colfax-
are defended on the ground of availa-
bility; fear that more Radical men
could not succeed. We deny it; unless
the dry-rot of Ross, Trumbull and Fes-
senden has spread through the party
much further than its friends are willing
to allow. zoos.
The second clause in the Chicago plat
form, relative to suffrage, means some.
thing or nothing, according to circu m
stances. There is nothing in the lives or
characters of Grant and Colfax to give
it any meaning If, by any marvellous
chance, the Democratic party should at
tempt to outbid its rival on that point,
the words Of the clause will become vital
things, not shadows. If party need
shall make the black vote as indispensa.
BILE next fall and the coming year as the
black rifle was in 1864 and 1865, reluc'
tant politicians now, like reluctant SOL
diers then, will sell their prejudices for
success. A rich black lobby will so
auoint Senatorial eyes, that none will
mistake the Democratic side of the
Chamber for the Republican side, as
seven men did two weeks ago. A negro
holding Offices Of trust, and specially Of
pro6t, in his gift, will make Trnmbull
and Fessenden masquerade as states
men for a month or more, But until
that milleunial period, the responsibility,
rests on us, the loyal masses, to give ell
the meaning we can to these empty
words We have never gained anything
from the Justice of the party. SO much
the more need that we take every ad-
vantage Of its fears.
The pledge we ought to have had
should have been constitutional amend
ment, securing TO the negro ballot, edr-
cation. land. Without this last, seven or
ten years will put him SO much in the
mower OF the rebel landholder that oRe or
two things must happen. Either the
whole labor system of the South Will re-
main disIocated and in anarchy, causing
starvation and blighting those ten States;
or the white landlords coercing labor into
submission, viii create sn aristocratlc,
malignant aud rebel power TO take the
plaee and carry cut, II possible, the plots
OF the defeated slave power,
The disavowal Of repudintion sounds
we'll. But the word always reminds US
that Mr.. Fessenden's modesty has led
him 40 allow Pendleton and Vallandig-
ham 10 steal his laurels- As veracious
anpaisis we hasten 20 put back this civic
crown on the right brow. The first great
American repudiatOr in national srena,
"a william Piu FessendenL To be sure,
.pnIike Jefferson Davis, Of \, Mississippi,
he prac,iced il only on a safe, because
veak. object. Davis cheated foreign
bopdholders, Who. If they could not right
tbemseives. could make bis name IN
famous the world over. Fessenden,
sharper peddlef, came down on = few
negroes, the Msssschuseits fiitY-iourth
and Flity-6fth regiments Il was enough
for them 70 be allowed 70 fight for Maine
laryers and their cousins. Presnmpfn.
ous in saeh fellows 20 ask for tbeir pay
We can save some hAf nillioa, and the
London 7fmes VII never bear OF ~
The Epenfng Post can be Influenced 70