Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-07-22
AuGusr ELECTION.

The first Thursday in August is rap
idly approaching, when the Radical party
of Shelby will make its last stand against
the freedom of our people. If our friends
are successful now, we may reasonably
expect never again to be annoyed With
the disgusting presence of this enemy.
We have suffered untold miseriesin mind
and pocket already from like infiiction
upon the county of such office.holders.
II is time to get entirely rid of then.
and to do SO our people must come out
to the polls on election day and vote
the straight Democratic ticket. The
Executive Committee and the party
organs may exert themselves to the ut
termost to carry the election, but unless
Democrats will come and deposit their
ballots for themselves no good will come
of our efforts. We promise to do our
whole duty, and let the people do
theirs, and afterward we warrant
no ground of complaint can be
found against any one. 1t is the
disposition of some to hold the Ex-
ecutive Committee responsible for
everything whatsoever in the way of a
mishap to the party. In a majority OF
instances great injustice is done to the
gentlemen composing this committee, as
the fault lies with the people themselves.
If our majority is ascertained to be small
after the votes have been counted from the
bailot-box, at once some thick-skulled in
dividual is ready to declare that the Com
mittee was the cause Of its not being
much larger
The best arrangements that could be
Thought of and put in use goes for naught
unless the members of our party will ex-
ereise interest enough in the election 10
come to the polls and vote when the day
arrives for so doing. 1t is by voting that
political victories are won, and each man
in the community is required to do his
share of it or our success is thus far i'm
paired. The Democratic press is urgent
and persuasive to the people 10 exercise
their privileges in electing the officers
of the county, and the committee is Wig
liant and laborious in supplying the re-
quisite means, and if we are not success
full the failure must be attributable TO
those only who have the power Of voting
We can declare with great truth that a
better ticket was never presented for the
consideration Of the people of Shelby
county than was selected g few days
since by the Democratic Convention
which sat in Memphis Another induce
ment for the people to come to the polls is
the election of Magistrates in the differ
ent districts Of the county. These are
the officers who control and constitute
the County Court, and with them rests
the entire management OF our local
affairs. 1t is thought by the Radical
party to place as many negroes upon
this bench as may possibly be elected,
and if it can be accomplished, to
elect a majority of such cattle. who after
wards will throw US under q desPOtism
more grinding than that from which We
have escaped. while Lewis, Shaw and
others of like stamp had their hands in
our pockets. At no time in the history
Of this people has it occurred where a
more wide spread and universal interest
should be felt and taken in an election
than is now the case. We hope, and
confidently expect to carry the county
byanincreased and much larger majority
than was ever before done. What say
the people, for with them rests the issue!