Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-07-18

THIS is denominated an age of in
ventiOn and progress. And the most
rapid progress is likely to be at the
times Of greatest leisure from Ordi-
nary pursuits. Congress now having
adjourned, it is expected a voting
machine will be prepared ready for
the next session. 1t is believed it
will do the work of the members
better than they have hitherto been
able to do it by the natural process,
and make less noise. We regret the
ingenious inventor had not turned
his attention to a talking instead of
4 voting machine as the first necessi-
ty. An enthusiastic contemporary
says: "The perfection to which me-
chaRism has been brought within the
past few years, and the marvellous
results accomplished by it in the
performance Of work which the most
skillful artisan could not elaborate by
hand, encourages US to believe that
the work of accepting or rejecting
bills could be done as well, if not bet
ter, by machinery than if the in
telligence of our representatives were
applied to the task. That wonder
tul mechanical mystery, the Babbage
Calculator, works out problems which
the ablest mathematician of the day
would hesitate to attempt as an ordi-
nary weeks work, and the complicat-
ed ~type-setting machines are far more
intelligent, when properly adjusted,
than the average of our representa-
tives in the State and Nati1nal Legis-
l~atures; and we have no doubt that a
machine could be constructed by some
inventive genius that would work out
results more nearly in accordance
with the requirements of the country
than r now arrivedat by calling the
roll and recording the ayes and noes.
IL it were also possible TO invent a
talking-machine, arranged with a
series Of bellows and roe Ataauaa
stops, and operated with a crank on
the principle off barrel organ, it might
grind out better ideas and more ofthem
than + now reported in the Globe
THE telegraph brings us inteIli-
gence of the death, at his home in
Bradley county, of A. ]. FLETcHER,
late Secretary of State. Mr.. Fletcher
has been prominently before the peO-
pie of Tennessee ever since 1865, when
he participated in the Convention for
the reconstruction of the State under
RroWnlOw. He was a decided Union
man, and lent himself with fervor to
the purposes Of the Union and Radi-
cal parties. As Secretary of
State under Brownlow and
Senter he was for the most
part characterized by the partizan
bias which distinguished his co-adiu-
tors of the State government. For a
While-tOwards the close of Brown
lows race as GOvernor-it was hoped
that Fletcher, in asserting his indie
pendence Of that cantankerous per-
sonage would go the whole length
and assist in a fair adjustment of
Our political difficulties. But he
permitted the opportunity to pass and
upon the advent of the present Con-
sentative Legislature, he fell into dis
esteem with the public to a greater
extent than ever, and upon his re-
lease from the cares of Office,
by the desertion of his
party friends and hurt by
the Investigations Of the Leg
islatnre into the management of
his office, he retired to his home,
where he rapidly sunk, and died on
Saturday. Mr.. Fletcher was a man
Of more than ordinary attachments as
a politician, but utterly lacked the
wisdom of craftsmanship, and could
have risen to the prominence
he enjoyed save by accident OF as a
Of the great upheaval ocea-
by the war between the States.
"JoE" LANE isa candidate for Sem
afor fro,u Aroooo Ginoo "