Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-07-29
IMpoRrANr ELECTION.


to the people of this State and county
is deemed the greatest that viii occur
for years to come. For the State Su-
preme Judiciary is to be elected who
will have power over our lives, liberty
and property. SO much was it regarded
as matter of paramount importance
to have selected the right sort Of men
for this position, that the people from
all over the State, few weeks since,
met in convention, and looking to the
whole Bar of the State, chose from the
number six names of gentlemen who
were thought worthy to wear thejudicial
ermine, and into whose hands the rights
of our people might be confded. There
is more depending upon this court than
perhaps any other department Of the
State Government The Legislature
may be composed Of corrupt partisans,
and pass laws the most unjust, but
but when these shall be adjudged
by this conrt, the highest in authority,
they must be sanctioned by the Consti-
tuition, and not be in conflict with the nat
ural rights Of man. Under the protecting
agis of this tribunal the citizen protects
himself from the unjust assaults of ty-
ranhy and wrong doing 1t Is, then, in
cumbent upon us to see that We elect
men to this Office who are fully qualified
for its duties, and have the honesty TO
discharge them. The ticket pre-
scented by the Nashville Convention
is, perhaps, as good as could
be made up from the State. No better
men could be found who would so com
pletely satisfy all classes of citizens. We
would urge our friends to heartily en-
dorse every name on this ticket, and vote
for them on the day of election. Aside
from Supreme Judges to be voted for,
our county officers are to be elected, and
with these we are more Immediately in
terested. We might survive an obnox-
ious Supreme Court, but court with
local jurisdiction, intent on a partisan
course such as the Radicals have hereto
fore constituted in this county would
be intolerable; it would rob our peo-
pie Of their taxes, and with fendish
malignity throw into prison citizens who
might be bold enough to express an
honest opinion as to the enormities Of
such a court. These things have all
occurred in Shelby county since the war,
under carpet-bag rule, backed with Fede-
raj bayonets and the power Of Brown
lows militia The County Court, com
posed of the magistrates Of the different
districts, should by all means be secured
by our friends who are the tax-paying
part of the community. II is
this court that makes appropria-
tons from the county treasury and
names the amount Of taxes to
be assessed, and with a general supervi-
sion controls the affairs of the county.
The white people in the districts must
organize and see to it that good men for
Magistrates are chosen on the day Of
election. The Office of Probate Judge is
not inferior to any in the county, and no
more suitable man than J. Z. r. Ray
could be found to gil it. The Attorney
Generalship Of the Bartlett Court and
Register for the county are also en-
titled to just need Of consideration,
and should awaken an additional interest
in the election to come off We hope 70
see such a majority for the Democracy
on next Thursday as was never before
given in Shelby county. The candidates
and the Executive Committee are hard
81 work, but their efforts viii all 60 for