Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-08-04
THE COLOR LINE.

The Radicals of this county have pro-
scribed the white people ever since the
war. The Republican party OF Shelby
is simply negro party led by white and
black leaders, but mostly by whites.
This negro party diseriminates against
the white man at every election when 1t
stands any chance of success. 1t asks
no questions, and wants to know moth
ing more against man than that he is
Democrat, and on their own side they
vote solidly as ordered by their leaders.
They are actaated by the blindest preju-
dice, and no argument, appeal or libe-
rality toward them has the slightest ap-
parent effect. Over $1,000 was spent
among them one canvass, and only sew
enty colored votes were cast on the Con-
servative side. This state of affairs is
known to all men. 1t has been going
on these ten years, and at last
we have organized, in sheer self
defense, a white mans party. And
what a holy groan of horror goes
up from the pious lips of Barbour Lewis.
How he rolls up his eyes and clasps his
hands across his heaviug bosom as his
noble heart bleeds at the thought Of pro-
scription. With all Of Barbour's expe-
rience he never thought there could be
such depths of human deprayity, such
tyranny and outrage. He fastened to
Zien Hall On his return from Philadel-
phia, to comfort the children Of Zion,
and to take counsel against the wicked
Philistines who organized the Bartlett
movement without his consent. On one
occasion he told them that il any of
them went astrsy so far as to vote the
Bartlett ticket, they would be voting on
their handouts, and putting in power
JEFF Davis, or somebody no better, who
would apply the lash to their backs.
This kind Of srgumsnt reached the hearts
of his hearers, although their minds were
made up before. They will vote almost
unanimously for the civil rights ticket,
and as usual against the white man.
This is not prescription in them, bat it
is outrageous for white men to vote for
the protection Of their property, their
lives and their hearthstones. The sue
cess Of this negro party now means con-
tirued success until they control all the
important offices, including the Quar-.
terly Cont, and when once in power
they will stay there for years, and all
property values viii decline at an alarm
ing rate. The Radicals have only
touched the South to blight. In every
State and county where they have gained
control taxes have been piled up, the
owners of the soil oppressed, white la
Dor driven out, and the people have been
pIunderedto the verge of bankruptcy and
beggary. Shelby county incurred a
heavy debt under the Barbour Lewis
commissioners, and county taxes we're
laid on the people without mercy.
The County Court has since
diminished taxation end at the same
time paid of much Of this Radical debt.
II IA to keep out this same kind Of NAL
ADMINISTRATION that we are called upon
70 max e a united effort on the 9th Of
August. It is a serious question, and
one which we believe the people fully
understand They are aroused to a full
sense of the calamity that is impending
and will rout The black and tan party
Thursday into u e most demoralized host
that was ever seen in Tennessee, not
excepting the time Whe Q the whites we're