Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-01-14

tofore, the term representative has
been one of honor and dignity; the
agency of an intelligent. and free con-
stituency. Now, however, it is re-
markable fact, that in Middle and West
Tennessee, not single county has
delegate in either branch of the Legisla-
ture, who represents any one but negroes
and few degraded whites that have
lowered themselves to the level of me-
groes because unable to elevate them
selves to the standard of decent white
men. The few worthy exceptions to this
rule do not offset it. We therefore ar
raign the Radicals before the bar Of an
enlightened public opinion, and charge:
/. That by their uuwise and vicious
legislation, during the past four years,
more good citizens have left the State
than have entered it,
2. They have ignored the fundawen
maxim of our government, that it " de-
rives its just powers from the consent OF
the governed;" and have acted upon the
idea that bare minority, accidentally in
power, may perpetuate its rule in any
way, constitutional or not.
2 They have ionored that other noliti-
cal max;m Cherished bv all ;ntell;gent
c;t;zena of aIl conntr;es. mo tayat;on
without renresentat;on. - and having
notb;ng tbsmsalve. for tarat;on thew
cali unon those to sunport the govern
ment Who have M vo;ce in it's Iegisla-
tion.
A Instead of adont;no the generous
n I'd ,;horei srnro.,;onsn nf tha;r Govarnor
and treat;ng he aa rsbel soldiers''
With @ " smcb % Ien;srov s aa wo,nld IJ have made
them acood c;t;yens" and devoted
fr;ends of the govarnmentn thew have
done everyth;no IN make them g Wdiscon-
tsnte5 sub;ectsn and uI;fe-long enemies
~ IL
UnohIo - o,ova,e tho necroes thew
have attan,ntad IN degraGe the white
nan &C ,ho e.. - .be naGroes, level.
and ,bs rasuIt hos bsen that tbonub thew
.bava ;nv;sed oil recas bn, neoroes to
nome bere Tho latter with a few DEGRADED
wb;te "A; .hnnters have been the only
ooness:nns 20 nrr nonnIot;on
e Trha;r Gova-por has assumed the
r;rh, 81 6Il olnos, oIl of;css with his mar
t;san toals whoIlv rega rdless If The right
oe ~ ISL. ,n eli 90. and uban he
Ia % .v ppsob.ndsd psob ,hot b;s own former
n~o un opia.a appr.A ora waor;aJ NTH hi, nsnrna-
s;n,io up ~ ond d;sno.eJ 70 vots ass;nst them
he docs not hesitate N d;sfranchise
oh oIa oornt;es hv declaring their repis-
,.a.;n, uo;d -
In Issi bo said "a tho I,eo;slature
"a long and intimate acquaintance
with affairs in the South has convinced
me that the white and colored people
cannot live together, politically and
socially as eouals;" and that was the
conviction of the great Jefferson and
CLAW. But the Radicals have recklessly
thrown themselves in opposition to this
wise doctrine, and admitted the negroes
of this State to all equality with the
whites.
So odious are their doctrines, and
go unconstitutional and oppressive are
their laws. that thew actually fear they
will not be obeyed unless enforced by an
armed soldiery: and the gallant vol
nnteer State ia the first and only one
in the Union that has a standing army
enrolled. offioered and equipped for such
n nurnose in a pcriod of profound peace.
Q As there are at least one hundred
and eighty thousand white voters in this
State. and az Brownow obtained less
than thirty thousand of these, we charge
that he renresents less than one-Gfth of
his own race, though the true representa-