Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-18
These l consider to be their respective

plleQ.
Negro suffrage, for instance, which is
really one of the widest CULTS between
the parties to-day. Brown left this out
as much as possible, for it is pet law
of the United States, known as the Fif-
teenth Amendment to the Constitution,
and he had to take it as gracefully as
possible until by legislative action it can
be abrogated."
"Hold, one momentl" interrupted my
questioner in an excited voice, am
at loss to comprehend you. DO you
mean to say that slaves have been given
the power to vote at elections in this
State2"
"Yes, sir. But let me correct you
with regard to slaves. There are no
colored slaves in any State now, as you
are well aware"
"Well aware! Never heard of it
before. Why were they freed
"Mr. Jackson" | replied, you as
tonish me. An event Of such import
ance, and the subject of so many pray
ers beforehand and thanksgivlngs after
ward, surely should have reached you
four years ago. But excuse my imper-
tinent suggestion, that you are possibly
located in the wrong place.
"HoI How many spirit worlds do you
fancy to exist? But you are after the
manner of your generation doubtless, so
let il pass. Proceed with your reply.
1.-The slaves were freed" ] continued,
because, because-why, let me think.
Well really / can give no loyal rea-
son, such as the rights of humanity, ETC.,
and believe they were freed by the
United States just to spite and ruin their
masters"
The spirit within must have worked
gigantically to produce sueh fierce,
stern expression on the hard marble that
now rested there. 1t was undeniably
wild and awful looking as the voice said:
"Sol all our property is swept away
from our OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES we toiled
for and cared for so much-anI now that
unfortunate race is doomed In a state
of savage freedom, away from the vices
that invariably increase with civilization,
they could exist in comfort and compar-
ative prosperity; but free, in an enlight-
ened community, from whom they bor-
row and cultivate tenfold every vice,
omitting every virtue, they must decay
and wither into hideous, proHigate de-
generacy and nothingness. Worse than
the poor Red man, they will decay with
in three generations-objects of aversion
and doom. Yet in all that day of their
darkness, even until they vanish from
this continent, their best friend will be
the hand that fed them in slavery. which
they have since bitten and abused.
The strange voice paused. | have not
reproduced its exact words, for they
shaped themselves into strange song,
never to be forgotten by hearer. In a
moment it went on:
"Tell me what is the policy of the
President? What is his name? And
how do the people feel toward him, as
far as you can judgeY'
why, sirl" | commenced, "you as
tonish me more than ever Not know our
Presidents name Surely, the potential
name of His Excellency Ulysses S.
Grant cannot be unfamiliar to the
Spirits of just menl' "
ooh, Grant, That is the name is It'll
Grant! Yes" rehectively replied the
voice, have heard it repeated afar off,
There is a great gulf fixed - but you
know nothing of the matter. Tell me
Of his administration as rapidly as you
can.
"A very easy thing to do" | replied.
"0n being elected he quietly took pos
session of the White House, and, report
hath it, lit his cigar from one of its fires,
which, like the sacred fire of the Pagan
mythology, he has never allowed to
quench since. For fourteen hours daily,
personally, he keeps it alive-the re-
naming ten Of the twenty four his ven
erable parent and biographer and one
or other of his estimable relatives in
Office, sacredly keep the sacred trust
During the existence of this sacred fire
he sincerely believes he will continue
President, Meanwhile he receives pres
ents, appoints any officers suggested by
his friends, careless Of expense; for the
public are to pay. He says little, for he
really has nothing to say. Up to the
present he has done nothing of import
ance, one way or the other, except to
allow his wire-pullers to raise negro mi
litia and deputy marshals to oppress cit
izens and coerce voters. 1t would
appear, at present, as if he had an idea
to raise an imperial guard of negro bay
onets to be employed for future pur-
poses, Half million Turcos Of this
stamp would be powerful argument on
an occasion, but if this got abroad it
might really be pointing out too much
to some brainless advisers of his. 1t
NAV come to something of that kind,
however; for as said the old Roman,
Quos Des cult perdere, prius demeH-
tant: Whom the gods desire to destroy
they first set mad
Enough" responded my interroga-
tor land now listen to me. The casual
return to a medium of earthly inter
course, even imperfect as this, restores
in some measure earthly ideas which, in
spiritual state, for want of such, are
absent; for in that state we cannot IN
any degree exercise the remotest infiu-
ence on earthly objects So, in return
for your information, ! desire to give
You advice that will benefit you materl-
ally through life, and you shall meet me
here at the same hour and day next
year, to let me know your success. At
tend This city contains-ahl good
byel'
| looked up, and there saw faint
moonbeam cleaning on the marble
head. The life expression was gone.
The voice, as it said goodbye, softly,
seemed to die away in the vast distance,
like the peal Of far-of bell. My valu-
able information was lost, doubtless for
ever. All exciting hope few seconds
ago, my mind resumed its morbid
course; my thoughts Of sudden fortune
we're dissipated, and with a perplexed
mind | left the Square, revolving my
strange adventure with what the He
krews would term the Bathcol," or
a T..,.l.o,..' af tba Wo;ca -