Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-06-13
Yours very respectfully. ETC.,
Jouu w LEFTwICB

President OF the state COhVeutioni 10
gentleman far above .reproach. %
Yours very respectfully, etc., si g.
JOHN w. LEFTwIoH,
OF the Committee on Resolutions.
We were not aware until now that DIR.
Leftwioh was so the especial guardian
in-chief of the interests of Mr.. johnson
in this quarter as to make it necessary
for him to flourish trumpet, over his
own signature, through the Appeal,
when he we'll knew be might have OBJ
tanned correction by the LEDGER itself,
if in any point of fact a mistake had
been made. 1t was due to us to act on
that presumption, unless it was OF great
Importance to Mr.. Johnson's interests, or
to those of the Doctor himself, that
he should become conspicuous as 1.-THE
Presidents champion, when he really
had no enemies But as that may be a
mere matter of taste, and is of no conse-
ouence as to any issue involved, we only
allude to it by way of excuse for neglect
ing explanations to which, until this
morning, our attention had not been
called.
In our issue Of Thursday we stated that
"the johnson resolution as it stood was
adopted on vote by districts, four to
four, if adopted at all" So we under
stood it at the time. And our recollec-
ton is that on a tie vote being cast, the
President of the Convention took il upon
himself to declare that the original reso.
lutions stood adopted, according to strict
parliamentary usage, in consequence of
the fact that the motion to reconsider
them failed to carry. And so on our re-
turn home from convention in which
the particular delegates authorized TO
vote were unknown to the bedy, and
from some little noise and confusion
consequent upon want of proper
organization, and before we had
seen any published proceedings, we
declared the facts to be as we understood
them. Upon consultation with one of
the Secretaries of the body, this morning,
who was near the chair, and therefore
better informed than we were, where it
required quick ears to hear, we find that
the motion to reconsider failed as stated
by DR.. Leftwich, five to tbrees instead OF
four to four as stated by us. But our
statement was correct, nevertheless,
as to the four to four vote, and the de-
cision of the President amounting to a
casting vote. The explanation is this,
that the vote Of the Seventh district was
changed from aye to no, which we did
not hear, making the vote stand FIVE to
three. 1t is not strange, under the cir
cumstanoes, that a mistake should be
made even as to very material particu-
lars. But there will be found to be no
mistake about this, that there was no
majority in that Convention in favor of
iustructing delegates. If the delegates
of the Seventh district represented the
people when they voted to reconsider,
did they also represent them when, one
moment after, they voted the contrary
As to the President Of the Convention
we have intended no disrespect Our
allusion to him was written very par
liamentary mauipulations and printed
"very supplementary" etc. Inas-
much, however. IS bis particular friend,
DR.. Leftvich, charges Us with doing him
- gross injustice" still meaning no per-
soual disssspect 70 him as gentleman,
we will say that though his decisions As
made we're in accordance with pArlia-
Gentary usage, the impression made on
many minds gas that with DR., Lstwich
be was for Andrew johnson fra and the
Democratic party afterwards The diEi'
sion, when called for 10 the srsi instance
Of q vote on the resolutions, should have
besa granted By bin, aud be sbould have
seen to il that no ground Of complaint
should exist on The par Of any delegates
that they we're unable TO hear and under
stand the busisess before the Convex
tion. We.otieci not in thsleast 10 gsu-
tlemsu acting in aco0rdance 9TH theil
ouu views 81 duty, ssve coDcede thes'