Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-11-29
A MARTYR.

A MAkIIk
Few, indeed, are there IN these later
DAYS who aspire to wear the martyrs
crown or be burned at the stake in the
cause Of truth. But our neighbor is one
who seems determined to immediate HIM
self mon the altar of what he deems cor
rect principles. The persuasions OF past
psrtisan friends will have no avail with
him, and he prepares the faggots tor his
own destruction with as little apparent
heed as if he had been accustomed to die
in this way before.
Then, if thou fallest, 0 Avalanche,
thou falIest blessed martyr to the cause
of Cuffey. This newspaper is apparently
anxious to inform the public beforehand
of its intended demise, and published on
yesterday morning a three column
obituary notice as au editorial. The
editor, in the despair of his abandon
ment, is throwing his tomahawk at the
heads of old friends and former COM
patriots. he is reckless of consequences
since he has made up his mind to burn
on the negro platform, and, if possible,
would bury others in tie same grave, to
keep him company in the political spirit
land to which he must soon depart This
must be the death of all heretics who
depart from the true FIFTH of Democracy
As Radicalism has been severed at the
root by the Democratic battle-sx, the
party must, with its kindred shoot-uni'
versal suffrage-be withered up. This
latter doctrine is the fungus that has
sprung from a morbid desire of the
Republican party to control the
country at all hazards. 1t is the
last evidence of life left in the
defunct party. A few of our friends we're
fooled BY this mushroom excresence into
the belief that it constituted the basis OF
a true settlement of all differences in the
Government 1t was merely the tffort
of the party to live and to carry out Its
damping designs against the liberties Of
our people. The Republicans of the
North we're aware that unless some addi-
ton to their ranks could be made from
some quarter very soon, they must be
overcome again by their old enemy, the
Democratic party. In looking roDnd for
the needed strength, the eye of the party
fell upon the negroes of the South, and
straightway they were elevated to the
standard of citizenship in all OF the States
where it was prudent to eject such with The
bayonet. Tennessee was not compelled
by Federal authority. only indirectly, to
accept the degrading condition of negro
equality. This state OF affairs was foisted
upon us by Brownlow and the advance
wing Of that party in the South. The
backbone of Rspublicsnism has been
broken in this State, and the question is
now Shall We remove the last segment
of its power by depriving the negro OF
the right to vote aud bold Office 2-for
SO long as we keep the blacks in the full
rights Of citizenship, then SO long do We
keep alive the Republican party in the
State to stir up strife and propagate
agrarianism. We shall never forget the
mule aud forty acres Of land promised
to each aud every freedman in the
State il they would vote for Brownlow.
The time will come around again, if the
negroes are permanently enfrsnchised,
when they and their partisans will
clauor for an equal division Of lands
throughout the South. The desire to
become equal with the whites in social
position will not stop until there is an
exact spportionment Of all property
everywhere. II the Yankee can do this
without infringing upon bis own rights OF
property, be sure it will be done. They
have not been deferred heretofore By any
act Of villainy; and they would not, if it
were for the salvation Of their party,
hesitate 10 THE. But some few Of our
friends. in endeavoring to be on the
popular side, have run ahead of the
times. They have reckoned with.
out their host in supposing that the
white man could be brought 10 juxtapo-
sitiou with the highly odoriferous Afr
can. There is q natural antipsthy
between the races that God has placed in
the breast Of each. 1t cannot be removed
at the will of politicians merely. Time
is the only remedy that will remove ths
feeling, and that time must be the wear
ing away of hundreds Of years yet to
come. No man can show when people,
left untrammelei, have acted contrary to
their prejudicss, feelings and convictions
of right. Oar people are not expected 10
act thus in degrading themselves to q
level with the negro to crafty the vhius