Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-07-01

The Shoe Pinches. =,
1t is matter Of no little consequence
to the Radical party to carry the South
ern States. on which all hope Of the cleo
ton Of Grant will depend. Without that
they see the handwriting on the wall, an'
that there is not chance Of carrying thu
Northern States. And hence no mean
Of fraud or force is likely TO be left I'M
tried. And as beginning, and 70 give
an excuse for throwing out votes Of coun'
ties, SO as to carry the election in theil
own favor, or for setting aside the pres
ent and ordering new election, If the
msiorities are too great for that to be done
on prelenses sufficiently plausible in the
case of Mississippi, the Bulleffn, this
morning, sounds the keynote. II states
it has "had many accounts Of rebel in
timidation and violence, which 60 to IL
lustrate how the people have been pre-
vented from voting as they would have
done if they could have had adequate
protection to shield them from rebel
wrath and prescription, in absence OF
which i, is easy to imagine the influence
brought to bear upon the colored voters"
What pitiable case is this, when the
people being in the majority, and hav-
ing the aid of the Freedmen's Bureau
and of thousands of United States
troops dispersed all over a State which
is in complete subsection to military
rule, aud when all the judges, agents
and officers to carry on the election are
appointed and controlled by the military
power, cannot vote as they please II
they cannot do it now, when can they do
ii? Will the addition Of ten thousand
more troops answer the purpose of fore
ing a Radical vote where there is fifteen
or twenty thousand majority the
other way as the case stands 7
The Bulletins information and pro-
.
to the contrary notwith-
we believe the advantage of
I" intimidation and violence " has been
on the Radical side. We pre-
dict that when the facts come to be par
ascertained from all the coun-
ties, it will appear that nothing beyond
the ordinary peaceful influences and ex-
ertions common to all elections were used
in any one single instance in Missis-
sippi. We believe that will be con.
ceded and affirmed by the conservative
voters among the freedmen. To charge
an attempt at coercion on the whites OF
under such circumstances,
would be to charge them with an act OF
folly impossible to a people having COM
mon sense. That they might be so weak
and indiscreet is doubtless very much
desired by the Bulletin and other Radi-
cal leaders. But it will fall short OF
making the fact appear, even to the
very limited extent which il has es-
sayed to do. If the Bulletin has any
more honorable excuse in their acts
for calling the white race of Mississippi
an INSCRIPTIONS and lawless minority
than it would have for charging them
with being all rogues aud outlaws, we
are at loss to see what it can be. The
wish is father to the thought. 1t would
have the whites all rebels, and prove on
them rebel violence, with great pleasure,
no doubt. For that would furnish q
pretext for continuing to Cypress them
for the benefit OF the Radical party. But
the fact that the people Of that State have
been, in an eminent degree, both
law. abiding and forbearing, makes
the proof difficult. And that
is apt to throw our neighbor into
a rage. We would not be surprised if it
should foam at the mouth SO as TO over
flow the marshal's Office, drown the tax
titles, and keep Jefferson street wet with
tears and the drippings from its Grant
and Colfax flag, which hangs Haunting
lie with its pretended stars and stripes
outside Of the Constitution an insult 10
the Union of the States.
That the exertions made by the white
race of Mississippi we're extraordinary
we have not a doubt And well and cred
itably they might be. But we will wager
the Bulletin another hundred for the
Fanny Thurston charitable fund that
il does not make evident by fair
proof that one hundred colored
voters were kept from the polls, or
prevented by violence from voting
precisely as they chose in the whole
State during the recent election. 1t will
not succeed in making any political CAPT
tai this way. Aud we would advise it TO
20 back to advocating its old hobby OF
the Memphis and Ohio railroad, immigra'
ton, peace societies and the Chamber Of
Commerce. Advice gratis.