Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-12-23

YOUNG NOON histl uiust thVu hVe hO"i
OLD CooS-Ayl as 'twere the mingled voice
OF night-owls screech and cocks morning
crow,
OF bull loud below, and cows gentle low.
YouNG CoON-Stop. daddy, stopl hearst thou
not the rustic
In our old gum tree Of lively hustle.
As if Head Possum were about TO speak?
Do listen. dad, and let us hear his squeak.
shakespeare on the rampage.
Hearken, 0 people, unto my words:
Plying your blindness and long
cropping in ignorance, ! have, in the
kindness that ruales through my whole
being as the breeze does through my
favorite tree, bestowed on you great gift
"a gift to see as clearly through the
opacity of granite as others through the
transparency of crystal-to solve pro-
blems the most profound as easily as
others can jump off a log, to burst wide
open the door Of craftsmanship as readl-
ly as one swings garden gate upon its
hinges, to enter the arena OF govern
mental policy and know all about how
to do 'iust the thing" by uttering, in an
oracular open sesame way, so and so
should be so and so, and if so, and so
amt SC and so, Just put me in so and so s
place, and-presto, change-yOu IL see,
like lightning dancing on tepmast, the
most brilliant scintillations and flashes
of genius darting hither and thither and
eoruscating around that ever was seen
in public life. Yes! good, kind, be-
nighted, thoughtless people, ignorant but
harmless, you shall no longer be imposed
on. A great a wonderful gift is now
bestowed on you, and that's me.
You may, perhaps, have heard OF the
pearl of great price. / am more than
its synonym. am the gift below price.
The pearl, though offered without cost
to all, has, unfortunately, been often
rejected by many; in that respect am
like it. have obtruded myself on your
notice. have proclaimed myselfin various
ways, held myself before You dogmati-
cally on all sorts of subjects, trod boldly
the path of assertion where men of mere
science and skill were cautiously feeling
the way on the road of demonstration to
the goal that needs but hop skip and
Jump Of the gift you now have to reach.
And now, o people, listen. There s
an election coming on by and by, You
have at former elections acted feelingly.
You could not, though, act otherwise, for
you saw only dimly-even through the
clearest glass, then only dlmly-and you
were ignorant and foolish. You elected
bad men to office; bad in the way OF
being ignorant like yourselves, or
corrupt and selfish. They didn't
know what they were about or else thev
went to work eating all the oysters tioal
ing about on the political sea, leaving
YOU but the shells. won't name names
won't show yon the precise oysters
they eat-won't say who atolidly refused
to do their duty; but I've stripped for
the fight" and with the battle cry OF
Reform" the iHs out and reform me
and my friends in, and you'll see what
we'll do, to.wit:
|. Memphis credit shall be so good
that her bonds shall be disposed of to
any amount we can issue, for any price
they'll bring, il not more even than
twenty. five cents on dollar; and ell
make the taxpayers foot the bill as fast
as we can, and "let the devil take the
hindmost." -,
2. Wen give the Board of Health
greater powers than the city has, and let
lis members "go it blind y without limit
8. The city shall be drained of every
dollar in its treasury ali the time, and
the taxpayers be forced to reRlenieh It,
. 4. If you can catch US stealing, hsng
rs: but remember, catching before
hanging" is sound law.
:. Don't be humbugged by any officer
you my elect. though he be even man
of wonderful gifts.
Finale-Every man Ia Nemphis can
rally "on to this platform, and i he
dou't, he may 90 to thnnder.
POssUM UP A Gun TREE.