Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-07-25
OUR M. C.

Hon. Barbour Lewis endeavors to ex-
cite the sympathies Of his colored con-
stituents by telling them that he has not
been sustained by the press of Memphis
in his herculean labors at Washington.
1t is hardly to be expected that Demo
cratic or Conservative papers would
hasten to the support of such violent
civil rights Radical as Barbour Lewis
because he happened to slip into Con-
gress on the Grant ticket when the oppo-
sition was divided and no square fight
made. Mr.. Lewis has made two regular
set speeches in Congress, both of which
have been published by one or more of
the Memphis papers. The LEDGER has
repeatedly acknowledged the reception
of public documents at his hands, and
takes occasion again to say that we are
much obliged for these small but agree
able favors. No man shall have cause
to say that we are wanting in politeness
or fairness. Personal courtesies re-
ceived in Washington last spring were
very explicitly alluded to at the time.
Mr.. Lewis, however, is very sore to-
ward the papers of Memphis, and we
will take occasion to explain the cause.
In the first place he is a man of very
considerable mind and tact, and is well
educated, well read and capable Of
moving in good society, but in Memphis
has never tried it and never can. The
reasons are obvious to every man, wo-
man and child. Less than two years
ago he awoke one morning to find him
self enthusiastically elected to
Congress. When he went TO Washing
ton the NJ. c. to his name admitted him
to the public society, at least of that
virtuous political metropolis, and he
1ourished as Judge Lewis" and took
special pains to avoid all fashionable and
objectionable colored circles, however
much be may sfect them here. But it
CALLED his pride to have to admit that
there was not single Republican paper
in his district, leaving the inevitable
inference that he was another South
ern carpetbaggeT, elected by ignorant
colored voters. There is where the sting
comes in. Not paper in his district
indorses him, and Republican paper
cannot live in Shelby county, where there
are 5000 or 10000 colored voters, without
large subsidies from the government in
the form Of official patronage, and even
that has utterly failed to keep paper 60
ing. The Judges constituents are better
of without a paper, so far as he is con-
cerned; and if the Democrats continue
TO educate the colored people at the pub
lie schools. The latter will soon become
go well informed and so intelligent that
they will repudiate those who have so
long wilfully misled them and tried to
stir up their prejudices. It just simply
happens that nearly all the lands, houses,
stores, manufactures, steamboats,, rail.
roads, banks, insurance companies, cap
ital, business enterprise and intelligence
Of this district are owned, controlled and
directed by those who were never the
supporters Of Mr.. Lewis, and never in
all probability viii be. BE represents q
constituency that cannot support q
weekly newspaper therefore it is mol
strange that he figures so small in The
papers Of this great commercial metrop
oils, mostly built up by the patronage o
conservative people. We write this no
90 much for the information of Mr.
Lewis, for be knew it before, or his fol