Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-12-01


En,ropa LEDGER: In view OF security
n he "peace. happiness and prosperity,
Of Tennessee, and, indeed, to our wno's
country, is it not o most starting apo
terrible proposition to Incorporate 70 'ne
elements of political power the '4Jrtcds,,
yaee " upon the basis Of equal rights and
sr;r;lsoss7 What have we come to that
he ueoro. because broken from rs az
nroneriy uuder the law, and no longer
claimed by us as slave, is all at once
considered the peer of the white man.
esd 10 be elevated aud invested by the
sunreme law of the State with equal
mower and PRIVILEGE And 10 it not just
as certain as night follows day, that the
establishment Of such policy would
hiring ON cor fict and war between the
roces--ruinous to the white aud destruct-
i've 10 the black mau? Sarely it IL he
mart Of wisdom and sound statevmanship
10 guard against such state OF things,
and found in the Constitution OF the
State no such fruitful source OF trouble
II ia due alike to both races that the iund-
amental law be wisely and ssgaciousiy
framed to the security OF peace ana
friendship between them, which can only
he done by retaining forever the reins OF
government in the hands Of the whites
the true and exclusive masters OF the
country. This is the only course that
will settle permanently the great quees-
tion. and put an end to the irrepress'-
HE conflict" now disturbing the whole
country. For certain it is, that until the
negro Is cleared from his present ianat'
clam, and convinced that his hopes and
calculations are delusive and false; until,
nositiyely. he realizes in failure the van
iIy and folly Of his aspirations and
mill he ia made to see and feel that he ia
coutending against the very DEGREES OF
God, his Creator, in his struggle. for
enuality with the white man until all
this is Inevitable and plain to his own
senses, he will continue to disturb and
keep up an eternal cause OF irritation
and trouble.
And. upon the other hand, it is i'm
nossible to content the white man under
q government of political equality with
the black. There is no use TO talk about
Il. or TO make Constitution upon the
bssis of aeqro equality, or political
yiqhts and privilegesl Every, white
man, however he may degrade himself
with black one, feels and knows in
tuitiyely that the Almighty endowed him
with superiority; and the Government
that makes no distinction and puts then
upon 3D. equality would be repugoant to
his true sentiments, and fail to command
his patriotic support. To frame and
establish q Constitution with negro suf-
frsgs would, therefore, be no. only pro-
duc,ivs Of trouble continuously with the
ne gro, cut repugnant to ell opr ideas
and instincts. Il is true maxim that
governments must rest upon the conn J.
dence ard affection of the people; and
they are the true people, who can derive
their title from the great founders OF the
Government of the United States, and
not the black people introduced into
Tennessee by Andrew Johnson from the
state of bondage.
1t is refreshing and encouraging to see
that such men as J. B. Heiskell and VIM
81. Stephens are prominent for delegates
to the Constitutional Convention. They
are both men Of strong heada and true
sentiments. Heiskell is one of the ab!est
men in the State, and Stephens-every-
body here knows him. Let the County
Convention nominate them, and they
will 20. We will rest oontenled with
them in the Convention. As YOU may
hear sgain from me, let this suftice for
the present. EIGHTH DISTRICT.