Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-05-04

| N
WoRKrxGMEN: You are now beginning
to feel the pleasure of looking calmly
upon the seething and surging Of the par
ty cesspools; to enjoy the advantage o.
watching the bubbles as they rise from
the troubled waters, and see how empty,
how like the school boys soap-bubbles
they are, and just as easily burst. Rad
icalism, Conservatism, Empire ! for even
this emptiest of all BUBBLES is paraded in
all the tawdry trappings Of spoiled
child's doll, as tho panacea for national
evils. Each partisan is so intent upon
the consummation of his own little Croft
chet, like the Indian Fakir gazing at the
point of his nose, that be believes there
is no other subject worth contemplating,
and that all which is great, glorious and
good, here and hereafter, is centred in
his particular point of study. Radical
ism duping and debauching colored
ignorance, that it may keep in subjec-
ton and trB mple upon white intelligence.
Conservatism, narrow-minded, blind and
vicious, struggling for return to its
old aesbpots-power and peace-turning
and growing like bear in a cage,
without strength to break its trammels
or sense to be quiet; and Empire taking
advantage of the chaos, like an ill-omen-
ed bird of prey gloating over the antici-
pated victim, presents its cadaverous
phiz, and, certain Of hearty welcome,
pertly exclaims, take me while I'm in
the humor." Quacks they are, unscru-
pulous auacks, dead beats" all. They
only seek the welfare of portion of the
people, the aggrandisement of their par
ty; and to that end politics, the science
of government, is prostituted, vice court
ed and encouraged, and labor, the pro
Queer of all wealth, made the beast Of
burden that supports the rotten fabric.
They have been 10 successful by chicane-
~ and meanness that they fancy such
weapons must win forever. They can
not realize the fact that their beast Of
burden has become FESTIVE, and few
vigorous aings would land leaders and
autocrat lovers all 10 the ditch. The par
ty oracles are ne wiser than their
leaders. One, you remember, not
long since threatened to flash" the
poor patient animal back to the traces
another thought it showed bad spirit to
refuse being ridden to death, or even
show signs Of fatigue; and shortly after
displays its rare wisdom and profound
thought by psrsding the expression of q
Mississippi orator, who was inducing
capital to locate 10 his section because
the workiSgmsn's family could 90 with
out shoes eight months of the year.
This might be great encouragement for
capital, but not q very strong inducement
for the workingmsn. This was endorsing
Imperialism with vengeance, for it is
the condition to which labor has been
reduced in monarchical countries. The
Imperialist is the mostoutspoken Of the
three, as becomes the protector Of coup
dstdt He would sponge foreigners out
of all right in the new dominion. But
that was not all he meant, although
naming observation-disclosures, being ac-
customed to kicks and cuffs, they would
mind it least-he meant every man who
labors for subsistence, as without the
degradation and enslavement of labor
no monarchy could exist Thus out of
their own mouths they are condemned
they ignore you, workingmen they
know nothing about you, and care
less. You are only useful to
them at election times, when they
acknowledge you have a right to
vote for their select men. 10 such case
your duty lie plain-ignore them; attend
to your own and employers interests by
staying at work your wages will be bet
ter in your pockets than losing time run
ming after politicians who would barter
your welfare any day TO forward their
own, who cannot assist you If they
would, their necessities being paramount;
and, putting that point aside, their at
tempting to aid would retard your pro-
gross, as they have not yet shown more
knowledge of your wants, or Of the just
relations OF capital and labor, than my
coachmsn, who is an imaginary person
age. Their mental vision is so obscured
by party catsracts that they cannot see
the proper path to the welfare Of the
whole community; before they do, it
will require to be couched, and that
operation will be best performed by you.
Your letting them fight their own battles
will make them feel their weakness, and
see how powerless they are; already they
have got glimmering OF that; already
are they making overtures for your re-
turn to the trammels, to which, short
time ago, they we're to lash you.
| Be firm in your determination to
repudiste their dictatorship. All over
the country your cause is prospecting. Ia
the Eastern cities labor is organized, and
demanding recognition Of its rights and
rewards. 1t has got fooihold in the
Senate, and its powerful voice will soon
echo over the Alleehanies, so that you
should now see to it, and be prepared to
take mp the glad sound, and assist in
spreading it over the whole land Here
in your midst employers are beginning
TO feel that paying enormous taxation to
support party leeches is not the way to
make trade and manufacturers prosper,
and they are with you. 0ne Indignantly
refused to be made spesch-making tool
at the late ovation to A. j.; another
would not allow his name to remain on
a committee which is attempting TO gal
vsnize defBnct party that wiser men
were willing to let die in decency. Many
others are ready 10 assist Hnn hv connsel