Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-05-25
sast Ap nj

FELLow-CIrIzENs This is the last
time we shall have an opportunity Of ad
dressing You, prior to the exercise of the
most inestimable privilege Of freemen
We shall be brief but most earnest. The
crisis demands that we should avail our
selves of every possible chance to urge
Won TO Be true to yourselves and your
country. Tomorrow VIII be q day OF
peril until the sun seeks the forest
fringed West, and it becomes fixed fact
that Radicalism and its shameless allies
are nut entirely hors de combat-'routed
horse. foot and dragoon" See that you
do your duty, and contribute 10 the great
anthem of freedom which should swell
upon the evening breeze when the day 6
toll is over.
Hypocrisy and corruptionl These are
the prevailing principles of Radicalism.
Examine the high and the low--take
them from the nati7ity of the so-called
party to the present hour, and il will be
found the same. From the time that
Salmon P. Chase was the high priest of
Abolitionism, and Ohio was among the
first battle-ields, till now, when he is
PLAYING game for higher stake, decep-
hon has been the shibboleth with which
they alarmed or cajoled the people. Ii
is not necessary to follow the devious
windings of the tortuous serpent, and
eliminate the rascalities and usurpations
practiced and siezed in the name of lib
erty. When was Radicalism otherwise
than corrupt and hypocritical? In what
has it ever shown straightforwardness
and truth? When has it ceased to be
obsequious and fawning while in minor
ity, or, having obtained power, has not
manifested its turbulence and tyranny?
What are its promises? Its denials? Is
not its whole history monstrous false
hood? What party has ever exhibited
one-tithe of its proscriptiveness; and yet
wherever it is found with broken beak or
clipped wings, it is the tamest fowl i'm
aginable. The cry is of"no party "-"let
there be no prescription for opinions
sake -" select your best men irrespec-
tive of former political opinions That's
the cry now; and baser set of hypo-
critics never clamored in the public ear.
What should be thought of men who
having heretofore associated and acted
with the Democratic party, and now be-
cause, forsooth, the Radicals promise to
support them for office, are suddenly
seized with holy horror of politics, and
claim to have cut loose flor the occasion)
from party ties, influences, and allegi-
ance? Look at them--at their attain
ments--their fitness for judicial station
their Characteristic length of time
they have been among us--their social
weight and influence Examine if they
are not infnitesimally small in every at
tribute but meanness, contrasted with
the gentlemen in opposition to whom
they have brought themselves out, with
the sneaking hope that with Radical aid
they may secure the coveted prize. We
do not address--have not addressed, our
selves to the Radicals per Sc. If there
be any who maintain selfrespect-who
aim at propitiating the respect of others
they will not throw away their votes
upon judicial aspirants, who have here
tofore shown that they have no political
principles in common with them, and
more recently, no principles at all--at
least not worth speaking of. They may
vote for the carpet-bag Radicals, because
such have been acting with their party,
at least few years, while the scalawags
who have just discovered that they are
Democrats but not partisans, have never
acted with them, and are with Them now
only to divide the loaves and fishes.
We appeal to our eountrymen of what
ever nationality to support the Demo
cratic ticket. 1t is composed of good
and true meiI-of men of integrity prin-