Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-05-14


be again enfranchised and suffered L
control the country, we do not believe
And we found our opinion upon common
sense and good reason; and it is SIMPLY
this: The Radicals in this State know
full we'll that the day on which th'
m asses of intelligence are permitted t.
90 to the ballot box and vote for the mel
| Of their choice, that then will be thu
end of all Radical rule in Tennessee
But our neighbor of the Avalanche says
"Hush. don't talk in that way
you viii spring the trap before
your game is fairly in 1t; for"
says he, II am in favor of uni
yersal suffrage, and when enabled to vote,
then we can talk of turning radicals and
| negroes out of Office. Wait, sir, until
have slipped upon the game, and bagged
it, by the use Of the decoy, universal
suffrage, and then oar friends will
wallow in fatness." But is it not
sensible to presume that the Radi-
Gals of this State possess some de-
gree of shrewdness, and is it not likely
they see the disadvantage they are to be
placed in BY enfranchising the whites ?
Then If is not to their interest to do right
by us, will they give us the ballot? They
have not already, and we do not see why
they should, from corrupt Radical stand
point In our opinion, this people will
never live to see the day when rebels, as
we are termed, shall be enfranchised by
the carpet-bsggers and scalawags now in
power. These men have no use for the
country, as they have proclaimed, unless
they can controlit. They will never give
up their power willingly-mark what we
say. Then what is left us but change
to some form Of government, under
which the people may cease to mourn,
and get relief from the oppression OF our
carpet-bag tyrants. Then this new form
of government, per Sc, is not oppressive,
az the Avalanche would make the public
believe-uot by any manner of means.
The people, from whom all power is
drawn, can say what form the Govern
ment may adopt and how much power
shall be delegated to the Emperor as
safe depositor. The government may be
constitutional empire, framed by the
source of all power, with the right to re-
form or abolish whenever the people see
Git to do SO. The few timid are only
frightened by q name after all. There
was, in fact, little difference between our
old Government and the French Empire.
The powers Of President we're about
equivalent to those of an Emperor. The
laws in France are made by the Senate
and House Of Deputies, which correspond
with the Senate and House of Represen-
tatiyes of the United States. The Legis-
leture in both countries are elected by
the people, who, after all, control the
Governments. The Emperor of France
and his Legislature are controlled by a
written constitution, as we were previous
to the war. The only difference is, the
French now have freedom and few annoy
ances from Government, while in this
sham republic of ours we are taxed to
death and oppressed in every conceivable
form. There is nothing iE name, after
all. But, then, our contemporary would
like to know how we would bring
about this sslutary change spoken
Of. We reply by al uphesving
of the masses, both North and South,
which act will forever bury, with the old
republic, our past sectional hates and bit
terness. The people have the right and
by the power of the bsyopet can say |
to these csrpet-baggers, abdicate your
power aud flee from the country. Then
will new era Of peace and prosperity |
dawn upoE orr land and that, too,
under a government Shich extends its
arms from the Atlantic to the Pacific, |
and from the Kennebec to the Rio Grande. !
Shall we prefer this, as wise people, or
should we be content 10 live under the |
present negro government of the souih2 |
We have made cur choice and proclaim
i.