Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-07-27
GET OUT YOUR PAPERS.

Memphis is made up of mixed, ho-
mogeneous population, representing, in
addition to native born Americans,
nearly all the nations of Europe. Ours
is cosmopolitan place, as much SO as
New York. But hundreds Of foreign
born residents, who are closely identified
through business and social relations
with Memphis, have been Indifferent to
politics and have never taken out natu-
ralization papers. Especially is this so
of our Jewish and German friends.
They are law abiding in every sense,
prompt tax payers and citizens in every
way except the mere form of taking out
their naturalization papers. So little
interest have they taken in the elections
that they felt no necessity for this step,
the only one required to perfect their
citizenship. We beg this class, whether
from ireland, Scotland, England, Belgi-
nm, France, Holland, Prussia, Switzer.
land, or elsewhere, to consider the i'm
portanee Of this election aud take out
their papers at once. Application can
be made to the Clerk of the First Cir
cult Court whe will furnish blanks
and give all necessary information.
We feel perfectly assured that nearly
all so applying are opposed to negro
rule, and will vote the Bartlett ticket.
They are opposed to such a state OF
affairs as exist in Mississippi, where the
whites are at the mercy of the blacks,
the law overridden, the rights Of per-
sonal property disregarded and the
owners Of the land taxed to death to en-
rich a set of plunderers. Take DeSoto
county, for instance. The Sheriff is a
colored man, the negroes down there be-
ing sharp enough to demand a share of
the Offices for their votes. This Sheriff
is defaulter in the sum Of $4,000; yet
he holds the office, collects the taxes,
and the people cannot help themselves.
We have had taste Of Radical rule
here, when Barbour Lewis and his board
plunged the county into vast debt,
which the honest white people have been
struggling to pay ever since. Those
who come from beyond the sea, as well
as older citizens, would do well to look
this question squarely in the face if they
hope to remain here in peace and &C.
quire homes and property. Radical
rule means general ruin and doubled
taxes; it means virtually confscation
of what property is left and the
downfall of Memphis commercially, as
with New Orleans, fair city bGghted
by the touch Of the plunderer AID politi-
cal vagrant. We would save Memphis
and our homes from such fate by con-
signing to oblivion the civil rights ticket.
The possession Of the Sheriff Office by
that hungry set involves sooner or later
the possession Of the County Court, and
the success Of the same party two years
hence when Sheriff, Tax Collector and
Trustee will be elected again. Once in
possession of all this greatspower, they
would control and handle all the vast
revenues of this county, and sad day
it would be for Shelby county. Hordes
of negroes would flock over from Mis-
sissippi and Arkansas, and the time
would come again when the doors and
stairway of the courthouse would be
blockaded BY idle gangs talking
politics and offending every passer-
By with their loud and indecent re-
marks. We are too apt to forget these
things and be lulled into a sense Of