Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-04-21
DEMOCRATIC JUDICIAL TICKET
CHRONIC oFFIcE.sEEKERs.


Moses that the land of Egypt was at a
time visited with plaques of frogs, flies
and lice, for the reason that King Pha-
raoh held the Isrealites in bondage, and
would not let them go according to d.
vine direction. These visitations were
not sufficient to persuade the wicked
ruler to obey the heavenly command, and
other and greater Affections were sent
upon the country, and then only reluc-
tant consent was drawn forth permitting
the departure of these favored children
of the most high. Now, it would be
sacrilege to think of making a sugges-
ton to t. e all-wise Father, but we cant
help thinking if the experiment had
been made of sending swarm of chronic
ofiice-seekers to afflict these people, that
Pharaoh would have surrendered at dis
cretion The game, at any rate, would
have been worth the candle. We judge
this from the unceasing annoyance that
our peopleare compelledto undergo from
the very class of expectants alluded to.
Some men assume in their manner to
think that they were designed to FIJI pub
lie Offices, and that the people owe them
living. What was ever accomplished
for the good of the general public by
these fellows has as yet not been found
out They evidently set higher appre-
citation upon themselves and the small
merit they possess than do their neigh
bors. But like Pharaoh, their necks are
stifFened by pride, and they are unable to
appreciate the wishes of the vox populi,
uttered by the mouths of properly au-
thorized agents. An individual of this
class, we now have in our minds eye,
is one P. T. Scruggs, who is well
known to the people of Shelby county.
He has never seen the day, that we know
of, when, in a moments warning, he
would not start on race for office He
is thorough copper-bottomed indiYid-
nal, with cast-iron legs that never
wear out, and can run up or down
hill all day without seeming to tire. 1t is
not question with him whether he has
any hackers or not, for such things are
beneath his dignity. With figure and
form like that of heather god, he can
be observed to stand on the streets with
red bandanna in hand wiping from his
brow the perspiration that runs down
like the oil on Aaron's beard, while he
talks politics with as much volubility
end uncertainty as the words of any or
acle. The only way, We think, to
get rid of this public nuisance is to give
the gentleman an Office of some. kind,
and let him 60 1t makes little differ
ence what it is, as he would be satisfied
with any one in the range from dog
pelter up to Judge of the Circuit Court.
But before the ex-Judge is elevated to
the bench, and that under the new Con
stitution, would it not be well to inform
the public whether or not he is eli
gible as citizen of five years res
idence in the State? Our informant
states that this same aspirant vas
regarded as a citizen Of Mexico for tao
years after the war had ended, declaring
bis intention to take up a residence in
that country. If such is a fact, then
Phineas could not Of the people were so
iisposed) be allowed to sit upon the
bench Of this State; at least, for the pres
INT As to his scruples about accepting
he nomination for the Office at the hands
IF the Democratic Convention. we
lave our own opinion We have
leard Of a little fellow by the name
n Jack, who would not eat his
upper poor fellowi) because it was rot
,ffered him. This may be the ike con-
.ition with that Of our friend Phineas 7. I
,cruggs, who would have taken the
omination for Circuit Judge If he could
ave gotten H.
A=d again: this watchdog Of public Z
iorals is very mnch afraid that the pres-
nt system Of nominating judicial officers
IN in the end lead to corruption and
ldicial prostitution, which is said nov