The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1868-08-14
Correspondenoe
/ .a Hsss3 58 5s's sss.

your paper to address the people Of Giles
county. on the political issues Of the day
and let me assure your readers that I am
prompted 70 this, more for the purpose of
elieiting inquiry. thereby hoping to secure
unity of action amoug our unfortunate eoun-
trymen. Who like myself, are living under
the ban Of political prescription, than from
any vain desire to bring myself before the
public. It ia oh 5ious to the most casual
observer that the political stains Of the
mass Of enlightened white men -osthis State
is any thing Unsatisfactory they are not
only dissatis6ed. but are becoming more
restless every day while those who ara in
vested with the exclusive control of public
affairs, seem wholly unconscious Of the dam
ger which threatens al. classes Of our peo-
PIE, or they are Wilfully reckless as to the
consequ nces that may ensue, while the in
telllgens white people Of Tennessee have
botns with Spartan fortitude. for three
long years, all the Indignation and injuries
al ignorant and yindiotiTe set Of partisans
could heap upon them, ia the vain hope that
tbeirv tfaducers would become convinced Of
the siusereity Of their Professions Of peace
and restore To- them those privileges and
immunities of which they had been 50 an
Justly deprived but, alas! history has on
\ Iy been repeated in this case = that.no peo-
4 pie ever ebtained mitigation Of them OPP
Pressions By a serFiles aoquiesceaees in the
behests ola desp0t.1 .sg8 Els75 z
Not that I wish to charge the people Of
this State with servility, for know ihem
too well, but 1 feel confident that their IN
complaining submission to all the odious
exaetions that have been made. upon them
by demented and syFannieal Governor,
| through a veBal and corrupt Legislature
has been construed BY the. latter as Oonelu-
sively good evidence Of a lack Of courage
On the Fart Of the former, to resist any en-
eroaehmeRt ont their rights Whateyer. Blu:
let me say to those of this faith, deceive not
| yourselves, for there is a point beyond
which forbearance ceases to be q virtue ;
and when the white men Of this State be-
come wholly convinced that psaeeabls
measures are Intellectual, they will surely
take the matter into their own hands, and
if it comes to this the evil doors may well
quake with fear and trembling, for the ret
ribution will be terrible. But desire to
come directly to the consideration of the
measures of which we complain, and then
to suggest, if possible, aremedy:
| ls6 The main cause of all our political
troubles in this State, is the disfFanchise-
ment Of intelligent white men, and the en-
reimbursement of the ignorant African, thus
placing the entire control of public affairs
in the hands Of an irresponsible party. who
have nothing to lose, no taxes to pay, and
nothing to pay with. while the whole burden
of the State Goyernment.restso on the shoul-
ders of those who have no vOioein the eoun-
ellis of the State. .
Now to suppose that any considerable
number of intelligent men in this country
viii submit to a government for any length
of time, that thus. overrides and tramples
under loot those fundamental principles up
on which eli free governments are based,
is to my mind SO absurd as to create AUST
doubt as to the sanity of those protesting
To believe it. The people cannot nor will
they submit much longer. The political
horizon portends threatening storms. The
people have demonstrated, petitioned and
implored the rulers Of the State for re-
dress Of their grievances. The latter have
not only failed to mako any concessions,
but have refused to treat the memorials and
petitions Though couched in the most res
pectful language with even common re-
speets this Is adding insult to injury, and
clearly sdmonishes US that other means
must bs'used before We eanrsas oDably hope
for our political redemption. What these
means shall be, is q question Of paramount
Importance at this time. / have waited
| ahxiously and hopefully for a solution Of
this most difficult problem. The people
have been looking % our distinguished
statesmen end patriots for some plan BY
which our deliverence from misrule can be
effected, but they have looked ip vain. The
mass of the people, in fact, seem to be in
advance Of those to whom they have here.
tofore been accustomed to look for advice
and counsel in times Of public distress
They demand that s netting shall be done
and viii not listen, much longer, to thOst
who counsel an unconditional submission
to the peapest ideePotism that ever dis
graced any age or country, - 10 -r.
In making any suggestions as to the
means accessory to aeOOmPlish the ends il
view, know / shall subject myself to The
imputation of dislOyalty, and all those nice
phrases. such as rebel. traitor 90, which
make up the radical vocabulary, but to this
feel perfectly indifferent, and am ready a
80 f;r,o 70 rIaaJ r,v;lty Thu obieos n