Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-06-18
THE BARTLETT MOVEMENT.
What a Memphis Correspondent Of a
Nashville Paper has to Say
About il.
Its Origin and OTlginatOrs-Is it a Put
up-JOb, and viii it Win ?-Wil
1t Miscarry ?-Ete.

MEMPHIS, June IA, IS7 Memphis
is great city, full Of energy, of won
derful recuperatIve power, able to pros
per even now-after an ice-gorge, the
epizooty, the cholera, and the terrible
epidemic of yellow-fever, coupled with
8 financial crisis, all inside of a year.
But while her merchants, bankers and
lawyers stand high, aid ale noted for
their energy, enterprise, discretion and
learning, they are entirely overshadowed
by her professional politicians, who have
long ago, in conclaTe, sOlemnly re-
solved-fiTst, that sll the offices belong
to the saints; second, that they are the
saints. Elect one of them to an office,
and he becomes a fixture for life, or a
vampire upon the body-politic forever
afterward. The approaching election
for county officers is the all-absOrbing
topic among this class, who, under the
rallying cry of "RefOrm," have man
aged heretofore to keep in office, no
M after how kings, crowns and parties
might crumble. But as so many of
them had ridden every political hack,
the honest masses were becoming rest
less under such official phlebotemy, and
it became necessary to have a new de.
parture. / will, as briefly as possible,
give you the history of that new depart
ure, which has been cristened the Chart
lett movement as l learn it from
q few friends who are posted in
regard to it and matters generally.
For years "Pinch,n as it is called, has
controlled all the politics of the city and
county, and no matter what complica-
tions have arisen, she has always been
on the winning side, even if cOmbina-
ton with the I'D nigger' was neces-
ssry TO carry her through successfully.
To such an extent had this been car
ried that a.! decent nOn-officehOlders
had become disgusted, and the patriots
who serve the country in good fat offices
became alarmed. The grangers were
assuming threatening proportions, and
it was found necessary to propitaie
them also. So the cunning old foxes,
who have long labored under the hallu-
cination that the people were extremely
anxious to have them fill the important
offices, conceived the idea of holding a
meeting at Bartlett, little village on
the Louisville railroad, some twelve
miles from the Bluff City, and where
noisy Pinch could not control its action.
Gentle breeZes, blowing over the mead
ows, would dispel all ideas OF competi-
ton in this meeting, which was to give
tone and direction to the political COM
plexion Of the next election. Well, the
wire was laid, the programme mapped
out, and but for the prepOnderance Of
chronic office-ssekeTs at the rural feast,
everything would have been lovely.
The large attendance of this class, and
their officiousness, has given rise to
grave suspicious that it was ''put-up
iob,U and though most of them, after
waiting until the last moment possible,
hSye announced themselves as candi-
dates. "subject to the Bartlett conven-
tion.1 vet there IL great unhappi-
ness among them lest the great
IRefornu labor should miscarry.
JJpon the surface of this movement there
was fairness, frankness, and, for the first
time in many long years, sincerity; Tor
the leaders in il cared but little for the
fieshpots of August, compared TO the
garlends of November, and consequent
" they promised a fair apportionment
OF the offices among all classes. The
Irish, the Germans, and the graDgeTs,
were invited to put forward represent
alive man for position. For quite while
All seemed satisfied. The Germans select
ed q representative from among them
selves, the grangers named their men te
the number of q score, and the Irish in-
dicated the candidates for whom they
had q preference. Last OF all, the jews
selected Mr.. A. K. Frankiand to run fol
the important position of county tax.
collector, and promptly notified him that
the bond, amounting to almost half q
million dollars, would be forthcoming
So Franklsnd, who is competent foi
any Office, announced himself, subject
TO Bartlett, also. Neither he nor the
champion Of Fatberland will be able to
cone with the ole set, even With the
promised assistance Of several Demo:
cratic leaders. They will be defeated
before the convention, aud the Germans
andJews viii agsin be lost 10 Democra-
CIV. The apportionment Of places which
ySas nronnised at the outsetSf this mGye
Ioert, was to have been fair and equita
! 6le'7T All classes of voters were to bt
represehted; but their success
| looked almost impossible. The eoali