Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-07-21
aEMPIETS APPEAL
PzRsoS.LIrrEs POLITICS.

PEKssNALITIES IN POLITICS.
An old citizen Of Memphis, always
anxious to have good men elected to
Office. but studiously refusing the use Of
his name As q candidate or TO take any
interest in the nomination and election
O, candidates, addresses Us the following
Communication:
FDIToKs APPEAL-YOu continually
complain that good citizens DO not take
more interest 10 selecting office-hOlders
or become candidates themselves. Do
Won not know that the press is, to some
extent, responsible for this. why q
good many citizens who are IN every
way qualified to. hold office avoid poll
ties and will not permit their names 10
be used in connection herewith IL very
readily explained by the bitter crlmins-
tions Snd determinations which obtain
before and after elections. Few men
wish 10 have their characters blsckened
FOR the sake Of holding, for little while,
Al office. Observsnt PEOPLE know that
mo- only does = political can
yass drag to light all that IS
iustly sSsAilable n mac's
record. but that matters Of no account
are item so distorted and mlsrep :esenteA
Is b. appear Of damning consequence
rer-ops who Icake trade OF politics do
not mind these things, Thor mora
cuticle il a yeritable bucklsr % brass.
They are quick at innuendOes and even
fAIgl at what Is proved But here are
worthy persoLs who are not lnsenslOlo
81 calumny, aud who virtually Withdraw
rom al active participation in polite
rsther than expoee themselves TO mis-
obstruction AID violent abuse. - Is 20
BIS cared that every year the number
q these people will increase, and thai
lot content with resolutely declining
ID hold office, they will even stay away
from the polls altogether.
Such views "a these are unworthy
q man who has successfully fought the
battle Of life. They are efeminste and
unworthy OF vigorous manhood. They
remind US Of the sentimentality OF the
dainty girl who scribbles on perfumed
note-paper. There is as much contact
by the business man with the world as
there is by the politician who becomes
o candidate or interests himself In the
nomination and election Of good men 70
office. Such sensitiveness, il felt by
everybody, would prevent meE joining
the army from q fear OF getting hurt or
coming in contact with common, rough
people. Men cannot perform their du.
ties In life without being occasionally
jostled. Our correspondent does iDjus-
tice to the press. He is evidently one OF
that class of modest, sensitive plants,
who regard the legitimate criticism OF
a newspaper as defamation. Were he
candidate, and the press should antsgo'
mise his views, he would no doubt whine,
In the language Of his communication,
about "calumnyn and his character
blackened" by violent abuse" Every
man worthy Of Office defies criticism
and abuse. Voting in this coun-
try is not 30 much q privil.
eye as duty. The citizen who
fails to go to the polls, or hold office
when his services are demanded, on
cowsrdly pleas, is guilty Of criminal de.
linquency. The good citizen, as duty,
Tushes into battle, and the same reason
should impel his action in elections.
Men who can chatter and higgle with
q hundred men during the day in their
business transactions, need have no fear |
to give one day to securing the election |
OF good men to office. II everybody |
were IS refined in their feelings as this
correspondent seems to be, thieves and |
plunderers would rule and ruin the pee. |
pie. The only practical method Of Inn
proving society, and purifying its politi-
cal life, is through the earnest personal
efforts OF all Its most respectable men,
bers, men who will not countenance dis |
honesty or corruption In the name Of
any party whatsoever. When people |
are too poor in honorable manhood to
produce leaders whose personal qualities |
command universal respect, it will be |
time enough TO talk about that dignity |
ana sensitiveness which drives into OBJ
security the chicken-hesrtedc ravens who /
have such horror FOR Whist they call
cRIumny and abuse. We have
universal suffrage in America, but |
many Of oIr best citizens never
vots. and many others give themselves
no concern upon he subject and vote
for mel Of whom they know nothing, /
aud about whom they care lesa, only .
CONTEXT with the fact that the ticket /
they vote for represents their party and
It's avowed policy. The corruption CT
-he,State, under such circums; ances, is az
4 aturs' ss it is inevitable. Yet good
nan persuSde themselves they deserve
no CeDsurs for The disorders they take no
pans to remedy. Rings, frauds, COR
fupt courts, lobby-legislation, petty
Offices turned into premiums for petty
rsscslities-these, and such like things,
are the evils to which all good citizens
are necessarily subjected by reason Of
their neglect to public affairs. There
are principles, the property Of no single
age or nation, which alone can furnish
a true foundation for q sound political
fabric. Whenever these principles are
the commonwealth is
wronged, and for the shame Of these
things we cannot hold entirely blame
less those who shun politics.
SOUND TALK FROM A RADICAL
The carpetbagger is running the gauut-