Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-01-16
THE BALLOT FOR UNITED STATES SEN
ATOR.


ATOR.
EDITORS APPEAL-Is it not time for
those who voted for the members elect
to the present legislature to begin to
speak out in regard to the election OF a
United States senator? II they do not
there is danger that the voice of q mi
uority OF the voters in this senatorial
and representative district will control,
and an election be made to which the
majority are utterly and uncOmprOmis
ingly opposed. We had two distinct
sels of candidates before us at the last
election, one favoring and the other Op-
posed to the election OF EX-President
johnson to the United States senate.
Those opposed to him were elected, and
this result was in part produced by the
known fact that they were opposed to
him. Yet, under the Ex-Pre >ident's
dictation, side play was enacted. A
bRllOt-bOX, unknown to our election
laws, was opened in order to give par
ties an opportunity of expressing in this
informal manner their personal prefer
ences for United States senator, i'll and
through which, according to the decla
ration made, majority Uf the votes SO
polled were for Mr.. Johnson, and it is
said that that farce-for it is entitled to
no higher appellation-will cOntrul the
votes of our senators and representa-
tives. Can this TumOr, Messrs. Editors,
be true? There was no legal authority for
the holding OF such an election, and con-
sequently no obligation on any one to
vote therein, and no restriction upon the
right Of suffrage. One man (or woman,
if you please), had as much right to vote
in this pretended election as any other.
The voter could, and, in the main, it is
believed, did vote for the opponents of
the ticket elected, and yet vote on the
question Of United States senator; and
in this way, while he was defeated in
the election Of members to the legisla-
ture, he succeeded in controlling their
votes in the important matter of elect
ing United States senator. How is it
that the members elect attempt to ig-
more the claims of their political and
party friends, and carry out the wishes
and behests Of their political opponents?
These gentlemen must know that the
mass OF the voters did not regard this
by-play as obligatory upon them, and
that therefore they took no part in it;
and it is nothing but fraud upon the
law, and upon their just expectations,
for the members elect to permit them
selves to be controlled by mere politi-
cal trick. Que of the great evils of "this
day and generation" is The want OF
nerve in public men. The minority
constituting the Johnson men hereabout
are exacting and demonstrative,
while the other side have been
comparatively acquiescent, and willing
to leave their representatives free to act
in the matter Of electing a senator las
well as in the discharge of other legisla-
tive duties) upon their own judgment and
official responsibilities. But is there not
some danger from this cause? May not
one representative be led by the per-
sistency OF one class, and the apparent
indifference of the other, 10 mistake the
noise Of the minority for the voice of the
majority OF their constituents, thereby
turning their defeat into triumph? In
deed, it seems that our members are
more concerned in concili2ting the
support Of those who voted against
them than they are to execute the
wishes of their friends who elected
them. hope the people and the press
will speak out boldly upon this ques-
ton, and If our trusted representatives
shall permit themselves to listen to the
voice Of strangers and permit them
selves to be driven by the contemplate
farce OF an unauthorized and pretended
expression Of public opinion, to support
man known to be unacceptable TO
their friends who elected them, they
ought to be made to do so with full
knowledge that they will each and
every one OF them be held to the most
rigid accountability for their action in
the matter. SHELBY.
WHY GOVERNOR BROWN SHOULD BE
ELECTED SENATOR.
EDITORS APPBAL-Piease publish the
following from the Brownsville Bee, as
the embodiment Of the views OF %