Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-21
The Address Of the Democratic Exec
mssvo Commftfee. .l

Ibis ali important canvass for the Presi'
depcy. involving the very life Of liberty
in the perpetuation Of republican institu'
tons in their designed and original in
tsrrity. And now, after some eleven
weeks have been spent in anxious
deliberation aud consultation" the Dem
ocratic Central Executive Committee
has at last launched forth us
portentous thunder, and on such
sgouizing reflection, stripped 'o'
the contest, they "lock shields" and are
about TO "march shoulder TO shoulder
and hip to hip" They are in a hurry
about il, and now very properly hurry
everybody up. They have not waited
Ito their credit be it spoken) quite to
the eleventh hour. but have come in al
the ninth. We welcome them as new
recruits, and shall look for valiant SER
vice for the unexpired portion Of time in
which they now share the risk OF the
pending and impending conflict May
their shadows never grow less.
But now that the battle is so far I'D
vanced, we trust they will not press too
far a change of plan already existing,
and in the inception aud modification OF
wh;cb. IN their own fastidious notions,
they might haveshared. 1t is rather late
to make or change plans Of battle after
the conflict has commenced, and when
the clashing arms of great contendipg
hosts are already resoundipg over a wide
spread continent. The plan which was
matured at Newly rk will do we'll enough.
No reason is now apparent which did not
exist then Why we should not stake
the result spon it. If every division
of the grand army of Democratic free
men is to change its plan at will, bar
mony and concert will be destroyed, and
every division viii be demoralized at
once, in the midst of characterization
which 10 as competent and harmless to
ell as to one.
The issue made up is carpet bag and
negro supremacy against the white gov
ernment of the Constitution. Our peo-
pie cannot be united to change that
issue, while to fight under and according
to il they can. Is it not wisest then to
. let well enough alone p The attempt
By the committee to control the canvass
for Tennessee in accordance with lido
,yneracies of its individual members
and q newly devised plan of its own
comes too late, whether good or evil,and
will be con sequently impotent We have
no objection to their lead, if they will
but work in the harness where they
belong, as we'll as we. In the very acme
If the conflict and in the rage of battle,
which reverberates now from shore to
,hore over the broadland, we shall not
top with them to kick out of the traces
The issue defined at New York
IS the real one, and cannot be
,haDged if we would. And why,
{ we could, should we make any
changes? Is it for strategic purposes
Then the strategem is worse than the evil
4 seeks to avoid, and will prove as effec
i've as the concealment practiced by the |
ostrich, which only exposes its purpose |
more conspicuously to view. 1t is very |
Ineffective strategy which is all patent to |
IN adversary. What the country intends
8 the original government as our fathers
made it, with life, liberty, property and
protection to all well meaning citizens,
lack and white--nothing more and
Iothing less. And the attempt to
ain votes by Offering Acknowledgement
o those who know neither how to value
or to use the franchise so as to promote
heir own interests, is no boon to them,
Ihile it portends injury to Us. 1t is a
me of strategy which is all the more GER
ain to be prejudicial because it is of ne
essity imbecile. We tell the blacks that
hey shall not be re-enslaved, vote as they
nay. We promise kindness on no con-
ition hut that they choose to be good
itizens, aud receive it as friends. We
SIX them TO vote with ne, because
is for their interest as well
8 our own that they should do
o. We tell them that vote to aid our
nemies in keeping us disfranchised 10
unity to ourselves, aud that we cannot
Import and aid them to our own injury.
Ind thus by that candor, which wins as
Tell as deserves respect and confidence
mong men, we expect to gain their
God will and the cooperation Of
II who have the franchise and
Ike interest with ourselves. II we can
ot do this on the platform laid down by
be Democratic party at New York, we
iced not expect it by resorting to the lit
lie strategem adopted by the committee
t Nashville, which in this represents the
eminent of the State about as fairly as
be President of the Convention did
Ehen be conteDded for the obligatory eff
ect Of certain complimentary resolu-
ion.
r. -.