Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-09-23

MEMPHIS. September Y. 1870.
EprroRs ApPEAL In your paper OF the
goth instant you reproduce an editorial
taken from the Upton Record, news
paper conducted by Mr.. Rose, one OF the
candidates for the nomination for
Floater, which reads as follows:
"a citizen of this county writes a very
severe (too severe for publication) letter
about Mr. w. H. Stephens of Memphis.
saving he, as attorney for the Mississippi
river railroad, packed the Memphis. del
eeation for Harris. We hardly believe
the gentleman would be guilty OF such q
thing. - Corington Record.
Now the use of my name in that para
graph is a matter Of no consequence
either to the public or to me. But IN as
much as any imputations against the
convention which nominated Mr.. Harris
for Joint representative Of Upton, ia
yette and Shelby are calculated to inJure
him. to endanger the success OF the Dem
ocratic ticket, and to do injustice to the
people of Shelby county, ! may be par
doned for coming before the public with
statement of my participation IN the
proceedings referred to-,
was absent on visit to distant
State when the Shelby mass meeting,
which appointed delegates to the DIS
trict Convention, was held. j had never
been consulted in regard to such meet
inc. and was somewhat surprised to lind,
on nv return, that it had appointed me
n delegate. / did not feel at liberty,
however, TO withhold my poor services
when called for mass meeting OF my
county. ! had no agency whatever IN
the selection OF any one OF the dele
gates. | had never ascertalned the
views of Mr.. Harris upon any question
of local legislation. am not sufficiently
acquainted with the affairs of the Missis-
sippi river railroad to know whether any
legislation is to be had in regard to 1t,
nor have i the slightest information as
TO what would be the course OF Mr.. Har-
ris in such contingency.
When the preliminary meeting Of the
Shelby delegation was held. preparatory
to going into the District Convention,
was chosen the Chairman of that dele
CATION. On the production of the pa
pers, it appeared that the mass meeting
had appointed committee OF ten, who
reported the names of thirty-hve dele,
gates, that hersport was confirmed, and
that thereupon the names OF the ten COM
mittee-men were added as supeFnumer-
aries; and that the delegation. by another
resolution, were authorized to fill all va
caneies. At the preliminary meeting
referred to, Col. Fl. Clay King and Col.
W. IL. Carroll appeared as proxies for
Colonel Avery and Captain Miller, who
were members of the thiriy-fve, but were
absent. A resolution was passed that
the ten supernumeraries should be used
in filling vacancies. Being in the chair,
I did not vote on this resolution.
After we went into the Convention,
of two from each county was
appointed to report upon the credentials
Of members. was appointed upon that
We took the original list of
thirty-fve and reported all who were
present twenty-seven in number; then
added to them the names of Colonies
King and Carroll, and then took six OF
the ten committeeman TO make the
thirty-fye. -Four OF the committee were
absent. So that In fact every man ap-
pointed by the mass meeting who was in
attendance, as well of the thirty-fve. or
of the committee, took his seat IN the
Convention, and to, make up our thirty
FIVE delegates we used the names OF Coils.
King aud Carroll. / mention this to
show that no single delegate selected by
the county meeting was refused bis seat,
and that the only two who were not ap-
pointed at that meeting had proxies
from absent members. and were recog-
nized as members BY the delegation I'M
der power expressly conferred upon then.
by the mass mssting.
That it may be seen what class Of men
composed the delegation, will give the
names Of the original thirty-hve, and of
the committee Of ten who reported them
to the mass meeting,