Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-30
A Reply 20 Justice" ON che Negro
and street Car Question.
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EplroR LEDGER: Your correspondent
Justice" yesterday (29th), rather ia
coherently attacks the Street Railroa
Company and it's Superintendent for al
lswing negroes to ride in the street cars
He says: "In many instances ! hav
known ladies' to have to stand up Will
negroes occupied seats" What name
of man is "Justice" that he stood pa
tiently by and saw this without interior
ing, and yet now comes ENORMOUSLY com
planning in print because the Street Ca
Company does not prevent negroes from
riding altogether
His Indignation must have become
fatigued physically, or he would have
made the negroes rise and give the ladies
the seats. Then, in case of refusal and
consequent collision with them, the fracas
would not have had the appearance Of q
political matter at ell, and the right OF
q gentleman to make any one of the male
sex yield a seat to lady would have been
recognized by any court or jury, had
"Justice," in case of serious lermina-
ton Of the affair, been compelled to APP
pear before them.
We wonld remind Justice that the
street railroad officials are neither ubiqui-
tous nor all powerful. They cannot alter
or amend the State laws; they can no
more prevent a negro from riding than
they can from voting. The common car
rier act exacts a penalty of one hundred
dollars for each time that they or their
employees put negro off of the cars.
No such penalty attaches 10 the
stranger or passenger, who would only
have to pay the ordinary fine for assault.
So pitch in Justice" justice without
courage is like water without soap-it
will never cleanse the very much be-
smeared body polite.
Justice must be good, quiet old
Deacon Sobersides, or a selfish and cyni-
cal Young man whose FIRE is out, or he
certainly would have interfered for the
benefit of the ladies in the case men
toned.
Over a year ago the conductors then
on the road tried earnestly to keep the
negroes from riding Several frscases
occurred about the matter, and for some
time the negroes were deferred from
riding except on the platforms; but
gradually the drivers, finding themselves
unsupported in their resistance oy the
white puolic, succumbed to Old Abe's
&" inexorable logic Of events" aud con-
cluded that they could stand African
odor much better on their airy perch in
front than the passengers on the inside,
especially as they we're fined one hun
dren dollars for refusing a sniff Of the
essence of polecat, while the passengers
stood ii all quietly rather than pay FIVE
or ten. The pot should not call the
kettle black. In justices statement
about the occurrence on race week of
negro breaking a car window, and shoot
ing conductor ~ through the hand
for demanding pay for the same, we are at
a loss to know what he is aiming at
whether be intends to censure that mig
GER" or the African race generally, or
the railroad company, or the conductor,
for being shot, we cannot tell but finally
the topmost impression is that the con-
ductor should be severely reprimanded
for endangering the lives of the passen-
gers and injecting a sensation into the
tranquil feelinks of Justice" by being
shot near the car. he ought certainly to
have,,stepped to one side-eyen clear out
of hearing of the report of the pistol,
would probably have been more satisfac.
tory to "Justice." Will Mr.. Hicks re.
collect this the next time be ia about
being shot by a negro. Now as to "Jus-
tees public meeting" business he
might as well call public meeting to
consider the question of abandoning the
city entirely because the negroes make
night hideous by their drumming and
fling and yelling.
The Street Railroad, it seems, is a
fruitful subject for the tongue and pen of
every complainer. Jocoss locals take it
for their text and thereupon air their
threadbare wit aud simulate ghastly
ordinations; but we venture to say
that compared with other corporations
and with individuals, they have stood the
test of the past three hard years better
than most, and its directors have sccu-
INFLATED fund of experience. If nothing
else, which In the not very distant future
will begin to tell by an improvement in
number and alteration in size of cars, by
more rapid locomotion and better d.
vision OF routes, and finally BY a reduc-
ton In fare Whenever ii can be made
without their paying in part for the pub
lie riding
The directors and controllers are
Southern gentlemen and citizens OF Mem
phis, and they do the very best they can
with their road. They have been bothered
by the mud, hsmpered by lawsuit, per-
secuted by the city, and decried by the
press-but they still live and preserve
equable tempers. They are always glad
to receive suggestions, for n multitude
of councils there ia wisdom; but TO blame
without cause and point out evils with.
out remedy shows either malice or want
of common sense. When Justice
calls his public meeting lot il be resolved
" That every man knows how TO run
street railroad better than every other
man or STOCKHOLDERS"
Meeting of the shelby County Dem
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