Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-08

vass the State with that irrepresslble
Duncan letter in one hand, and that oath
of yours in the other, and read them, par
apraph and sentences together, and we
shall see who had most need or pardon
He saws he had never opposed Northern
man coming into Tennessee. Why is II
necessary to make such explanation
WHY also, when men with the uniforms
upon their backs seeking his aid at wash
ington, and they always found W. b.
Stokes against them2 he was not only
faithIess to whites, but blacks, who bad
not such need of pardon as himself. He
undertook to reprove Northern men for
aspiring to Office here, VIXEN that is the
privilege of every. American citizen,
wherever he goes, and that too, when by
his own acknowledgement. he had been
enjoying the emoluments of office Tor
thirty years. Why, then, should he COM
plain of fellowA Americans claiming a
small share of these loaves and tshes
| He challenged them to find in the Legs
latiye or Congressional record of his
competitor to find the first bill he had
ever introduced or helped to carry
through for the real benefit of the people.
He taunts me with having electors. Well,
can't help it If the friends of myself and
of my cause are enthusiastic enough to
speak and talk in behalf of that cause.
| Yet want to know if he has not his cleo
tors. as he styles them, as well2 l wish
10 know if he, the bald eagle Of the noun
tains. did not meet in midnight con-
claye with the grizzly wolf of Hamilton
N commas mu destruction He would
| inst nut him on his oath and answer yea
or nav. if he dared. He states that he
knows have been loyal. He could not
have stated to the contrary, and he knows
II When he says | voted with the rebel
Legislature. would remind him that it
| voted for an appropriation to give
blankets to rebels to shelter them from
the rigors of winter, they were the sons
of Unien men he (Stokes) had induced
to enter the rebel service. My friend
Stokes would make it appear that he was
a warrior bold, yet in the thickest OF the
fight he was generally found falling back
TO hunt up stragglers. He appeals TO the
colored men on the ground that he had a
colored regiment Hnder his command.
Did any of you ever hear of bis leading a
colored regiment in action One OF his
chief nenchmen in the convention, Rod
erick Random Butler, the red fox, was at
one time in favor of ENGRAVING upon the
constitution measure to the effect that
no man should vote or testify In court
who had negro blood in his veins bis
competitor in one of his canvasses tor
| Congress with j. R Hood character zed
| the negro as having cracks in his heels
vide enough to hide bolt Of calico.
In that treaohefous conclave there was
nothing said against Senter personally,
but the Republican Banner, by instinct,
seemed to learn, and so related, that
Stokes was at the bottom of the con-
spiracy. Cate was put forward to deny
II. which he did 10 the Bdnner, but
| Stokes, meanwhile, had written to Sharp
acknowledging his completely in effect.
He would iesEn this little question OF
veracity with the bald eagle OF the noun
tains and the grizzly wolf of Hamilton.
lie says be refused to cast the vote Tor
| Liueolu, az the elector, because he was
colonel IN the Federal aEmy, yet he had
| no scruples on the score OF having written
the Duncan letter. His self-respect
did not prevent the author of that letter
from an cath, with that offense still un-
hardened. / would just ask him to state
here and roy ybether he is q candidate
for Governor or for Senator OF the United
S.atcs2
Stokes-Do you want to knowf
Senter-I do.
gtokes-I expect to take lick ct both
of EN-.
The speaker resumed With an anecdote
to the effect that his competitors greed
| iness-holding one Office and seeking
two mose--remlnded him Of the fellow
who went out hunting, but had but one
load in his gun. lie saw a turkey in the
top of a tree and deer at the roots, and
in trying to hit both with the load he
missed both.
Mr.. Stokes came into the convention
surrounded and supported by men who
we're his personal enemies, including the
red fox Roderick Random. the grizzly
wolf of Hamilton, and Hamilton the
sugar-to.gs. But | ask him to put his
finger on the supporter of my cause in
that convention, who had not fought
longer and better for the Union than he
had ever done. Before he was done with
| him in this canvass, he would skin him
cleaner than the qusrter-horse Ariel, he
loved to boast about, and would show
him before it was over that this was no
ousrter-race business now. Whether he
| did or not, did cast the electoral vote
for Grant, and / have never heard it
questioned by the great Republican par
ty of the nation. He claims to have
secured nv pardon. have heard that
claim so often that ] scarcely know how
many dsinterested friends | shall have
to get down on my knees to, to thank for
relieving me, who first relieved them
selves Of disabilities by their own oaihs.
In his structures upon the financial mis-
management of the State, his competitor
had made the direct assault upon every
member of the Republican Legislatures.
| stand here upon the platform Of inter-
nal improvements, the safety Of the pub
lie credit, and public schools for white
and black.
Ny competitor, it seems, is not OPP
posed to this school law, bnt to the
superintendents under the law, Let him
point ont better system. He talks
about the exhorbitaHt salaries men re=
eeived when he drew $4,000 from the
Treasury for only thirty days service
more than ever drew in lifetime. BE
sets out in this canvass on q salary Of
$4,000 to begin with. / am not here to
defend the wrongs perpetrated in the
school system, but to protect those who
may be upjustly accused. He makes the
charge that certain men are dishonest
under the present system. Than why
does be not, in his Congressional wis
H., ,.eaanf N kaffar rattan, for ne He