Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-08-16

nent ''dea,i," have been reminded
af cOHplet have read somewher
IL believe it i ia one of Beaumont
and FietcheT's plays.) in which 8
noted pugilist chides his comrade
FOR contriviug to strike his adver.
>ary when he is down.
''What st.lke a man when hc's down, again
By the flst Of my fatherl blush for thee, Ben"
There is one thing connected with
this movement which we of the con-
ventiOn regarded as
STRANGE,
and which |, for one, frankly admit
caused me regret and pain. l refer
10 the cOnjOint assault of the press
OF Memphis against the convention
and the purpose Of its assemblage.
Ii the able, high-ioned and usually
dlgniea press of Memphis occupies
the standpoint of instructing, and
moulding aud directing public opin-
ion (the position which, in my esti-
nation, the newspaper press should
occupy,) then its so happening that
they should all honestly and con-
seleniiously believe the new State
movement 10 be wrong, is cause of
deep regret to its friends. Still. we
have no cause to complain as long as
The opposition is urged in calm aud
dignified language and in terms re-
speetful to the authors of the move
ment. If, on the other hand, the
press of Memphis occupies the diff
ierent standpoint of following, ex-
pressing and denOting public oDin-
ION, then with all due Difference to
the able and worthy conductors aud
authorities of said press, l must say
that L think they mistake and mis-
understand public opinion in the
CITY u N, ,nipiIIs Oil the subject
With great respect and Difference
say this, considering their immeas--
ably superior advantages and oppor-
tunities for judging of public opin-
ion. lave heard the matter dis
cussed by and before many promi-
nent citizens of Memphis, and never
heard opposition expressed to il by
sSsingle man, bat, on the contrary,
have always heard it spoken of with
approval.
THE CHARACTER OF THE MEETING
HELD IN MEMPHIS
to appoint delegates to the conVen-
tion, and of the thirty delegates ap-
pointed, is such as should have saw
ed the convention and the enterprise /
it was Designed to foster from any
thing like ridicule or belittlement.
Among the thirty gentlemen select
ed were many OF the ablest. most |
prominent, useful and influential
citizens OF Memphis. / have said
haf haa r1nAnnzffanna ,f,.or
Memphis press was a cause of pain 1
and regret. II was. The pride which /
the new State, If ever created, /
would feel in her great and growing
city of Memphis, with the bright |
future before her-the pleasure it /
would have taken in fostering and /
building up and developing her re-
sources and power-haS beena mat
ter much talked of. We had hoped /
that from Memphis, as focal point, |
would radiate an influence based on |
intellect, enterprise, commercial |
power aud wealth that would pene- /
trate throughout the three States /
recOnciling differences and I
concentrating energy and public |
spirit la favor of the future State. |
may be mistaken, but if this /
is ''dead" at its funeral /
Memphis should be chief-mourner. |
1t may be that Memphis may have /
to reflect with pain that she was
wounded with a shaft feathered |
from her own wing. Great she is,
and still greater she is defined to be;
but as the favored and fostered /
of the proposed new State,
an impetus would be given to her
prosperity, energy, and pride, that /
weuld soon enable her to overcome /
the only obstacles that can prevent /
her becoming the greatest city in
the southwest. 1 am sure 1 speak |
the common feeling of the jackson /
when / say we were
SURPRISED AND PANIED
when we saw the demonstration of /
the Memphis press. But we have
no reeriminatiOn to indulge in.
Our feelings are too much like those
of surprise and pain Experienced
by Cesar when he felt the dagger
of Brutus) for us to utter the Ian
guage of reproach. From other
quarters we might have expected
the blow, but we did not think we
should have to say-''and you, too,
city of Memphis P' On behalf of
the members of the convention, l
appeal to the generosity and mag
Of these journals, which
have, through misapprehension,
done injustice to the jackson con-
and the new State move
ment, and request them to publish
this communication.
KENNETH RAYNER.