Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-02-04

But no says thht N past anu thht now
whom all desire peace, We are met with q
proposal for manhood suffrage In
order TO prevent Il aud carry the ends Of
few pArtisans, Who would place the
young men of Tennessee, the flower Of
the land, the defendants Of Hugh Law
son White. John Williams, and the other
pairisls who have rendered East Tonnes
see glorious 10 history. felled our forests
and founded our liberties, under the heel
Of the African negro. With the voice Of
a true patriotism which is beginning to
ring through the whole State he calls for
organization Of all democrats and con-
ssrvatives, and joins In the call fora
State Convention. We copy as follows
1t we're worse than folly to say that
nothing can be done. IL were base
surrender Of our manhood to proclaim
that Brownlow is king, and the people Of
Tennessee are his subjects. For the time
being, il is true, he does exercise kingly
power. He became invested with the
power under peculiar circumstances
such as can never precisely occur again.
He rose into power on the wave OF a
martial triumph, from which, although
not an active hero therein, he drew sub
stantial profits. He became king Of
Tennessee at time when, under the
awful influence OF the hour, personal
safety, rather than popular liberty,
was the paramount object Of patri-
otto desire. But il is not so now.
The times and the indications for the
future have changed. The people Of
Tennessee-the white people, we mean
never have consented that they and
their children shall pay tribute to un-
welcome masters. They neon to be
free, as their God made them. They
are the lawful soveroigns Of the soil, and
that sovereignty they mean to assert.
The time for their action is now. They
cannot achieve everything at once, but
they can take action now, which will re-
suit inevitably in all that is desired.
Let there be no dissension on this sub
ject Let there be no mere partisan
grumhling. There are many of us who
call ourselves " Conservatives" There
are many ofus who call ourselves Dam
ocrats." These mere conventional de-
signations now amount to nothing
they really mean nothing. Tie ques-
ton now before US should be approached
by us like men Of earnest business.
1t is manifest now that THE party
or rather the great popular organ
ization that is TO overthrow the Radical
usufpers and disorganizers-is to be ar
rayed under the name Of Democracy. In
this view all Conservatives are Demo-
crats-all Democrats are Conservatives.
There need be no talk of two organiza-
tons on these separate basis. The De-
mocracy-the people who are determined
to restore this Government upon the
basis of equal liberty under the Consti-
tution-will constitute the party or or
ganization in which all lovers of popular
and constitutional liberty will find them
selves enlisted in the impending contest.
We, therefore, earnestly recommend
that thetwo Central Committees Of Ten
nessee-" Conservative and Demo-
cratic "-at once unite in call for a
State Convention to perfect our State
organization, and to appoint delegates
to the National Democratic Convention |
for the nomination of Presidential and |
Vice Presidential candidates.
What say the white people of Ten
nessee?