Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-18
Radical Harmony and Prescription.


The moral features of the tyrant in al
ages of the world exhibit an unnistakabl,
family likeness. Like the harlot, nj
casual association nor external appare
can conceal the moral prostitution tina
blights and degrades his whole being
The Brownlow oligarchy, consisting o
| Browplow proper and his nearest of kin
with Brownlow's legislative henchmer
and their nearest of kin, will never re-
store this people to the franchise rights
out of which they have robbed ant
cheated them so long as single dis
franchised, peace-loving, respectable me
morialist is left among the unrighteously
prescribed, who will down on his kneeI
and implore the bestowal Of that privi
lege. They will never give, for the ask
ing, what they will be compelled even
tually to surrender, Reluctantly, by the
moral force Of public opinion, by revo-
luton, or by the election of Seymour and
Blair. E.4
There is but one effective mode o.
dealing with these british prescription.
its, and, although we have always beer
outspoken in our condemnation O
political ostracism and prescription in
any shape. we do not hesitate to recon-
mend and advise it now. We have nc
quarrel with the Radical place-hunters
for the paltry Offices they hold and ths
emoluments thereunto pertaining, to say
nothing of the 'stealage'' and perquisites
It is net because this white man or thai
black man is Radical simply that We
propose so to deal with him, but because
he fayors and advocates q policy whict
| deprives us of our inherited rights ol
| citizenship, never before taken from the
| American citizen except in cases of con
viction to the penitentiary for crime.
SO long as we who pay the taxes are
denied the right of representation-sc
| long as the present franchise law re
mains unrepealed upon the statute
books-we advocate an unceasing, uni
ted and steady warfare upon the
parties personally and individually
who are responsible for that outrage.
While that measure disgraces the ad-
ministration of the political affairs of this
State, our people should make no CON-
promise, submit to no intercourse, toler-
ate no alliances, social, commercial OF
political, in any manner, shape or form, MOI
| have anything to do with those who have
/ disfranchised US, and still persistently
and stnbbornly refuse to undo that ini
guilty. Us4et
| No matter what political excuse or
subterfuge they may offer as the reason
why they are afraid yet to intrust the
| franchise to the disfrsnchised-our rea-
sons why they should restore these rights
are of far more serious consideration
than the mere success or perpetuation OF
party. In the withholding of this right,
which has been rudely taken from us by
brute force, is involved our commerce,
our social life and happiness and the
material interests of the community in
which we live, and from which we derive
sustenance for ourselves and families.
The general disquiet and discomfort con.
sequent upon the forcible deprivation OF
the rights of citizenship. not only re-
tard the growth of our villages and towns,
but also checks the extension of our
commerce, terri6es the peaceful immi-
grant from our borders, Injuries our credit
abroad, renders Insecure our habitations
and endangers the lives Of our families.
| 1t is no ordinary grievance, therefore, as
is here abundantly shown, which could
FINALLY force us to resort to the only
peaceful remedy for its removsl--a sys-
TEN of combined, deliberate, studied and
persistent application of prescription
against proscription--agsinst those who
would selfshly prescribe us for their own
aggrandizement
! Ostracise them, would you askf Aye,
by all the rights and ties which men hold
dear upon earth-proscribe them as they
have prescribed and are still prescribing
US, wherever and whenever found at all
hours ofthe day and night; iu every way
conceivable, and in all places. Let the
prescription never cease while they re-
fuse to withhold their prescription, who
are dealing and have dealt BY Us with such
cowardly injustice. Let no respectable
citizen among the disfranehised-or those
who sincerely sympathize with them
ever hold intercourse social, personal or
in any way. with the authors Of this foul
wrong. Let them never receive such
persons beneath their roof, never take
them by the hand, never sit at the same
table, never BY word or deed, IN speech
or act, recognize them, or suffer their
unhallowed touch 10 polluie even 90
much as the hem Of q garment worn BY
a respectable white Tennesseean.
Let them be rendered As odious
as in their very natures they are destests-
bic, and deserve TO be losthed Of all good
men. Let decent meu blush 10 be found
lin their company lsi al respectable
society exclude them everywhere ss they
deserve 10 Dc excluded. We have hu-
inflated ourselves too much already
by intercourse with this despica-
l BE, trescbsroos, covArdly tyranny.