Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-07
our LITTLE KOsRs

There is q rift in the clouds and sun,
shine in the hearts OF the dear people.
The refusal some time ago of thst stern
patriot, Johnny League, to run the third
time for Mayor threw the whole com
munity into the slough of dependency.
They could scarcely believe mat be
meant to desert thsui in the adtr %
greatest trial. Squads Of them waited
on him at his Office and asked hiE 20 re-
consider, platoons confronted INN as
he came out Of an evening" companies
waylaid him as he went for bis morning
and his moor cocktail, and whole regi-
ments besought him daily with tears in
their eyes to run. But be wouldn't. He
said he had served the public long
enough and was tired of the cares of
state. BE was in favor Of economy and
reform, but had never succeeded in re-
ducing his salary below $4,000 per
anuum, which hs' knew was more than
he was worth. and therefore be feared
be could not conscieRtiously take it
much longer, MY friends" said he.
very few Of you get more than two dol
lars a day, yet here am |, no bet
ter than the rest Of you. and forced
BY an unwise Council to take nearly $lS
for each week day Of the year" His
heart rebelled against such extortion,
and he went his way. All appeals we're
in vain; the good and great man knew
his business and kept his own couusels.
For once he was deaf to the COZ popBli,
although they sherssd themselves hoarse
to make him hear. But yesterday q sort
Of committee Of public safety INST in the
Office Of the other good man. Barbour
Lewis, and took the matter in hand.
They sent for League, and be was not
hard to find. 1t was a solemn conclsve;
like the famous Continental Congress
which met at Philadelphia one hundred
years ago on q momentous occasion, they
sat with a closed door. Patrick Nc
Winters was there; /. NJ. Hill, a reported
supporter OF Flippin, answered at the
roll call Of the faithful; Ed Shaw, the
tall Wiuuebago Wharfmaster, conde-
Scendea to make a talk; Furbush, the
editor Of the Planet, was on hand to
take q few notes, il any we're offered,
and enough Of similar spirits, black, blue
and gray, to make up a quorum. The
spirits materiaIizfd Red Face, who.
lost nc time in sayiHg that Chief
League had to run for Mayor or
lose his political nose wash Mr..
League protested that be had suffered
nJugh that way already, and that to run
vas but TO repeat an old misery. But
Bed Face told him to e. ahead, aud Hat
Chef Grant " uld make Il AL right.
But what will the LEDGER saya' INFER
possd League. Never MUD that"
said Red Face; you must suffer, like
Chief Watson, for the cause Of righteous
ness, nud, like him, great will be your
reward" After a long and free con,er-
encs, near consentinR, he consented"
The circle Joined hands, and the blush
ing candidate made his political salam
to each brother present. Then it broke
Ip and the gentle-heArted brethren eau
tiously came down stairs and quickly
dispersed. A LEDGER reporter awaited
them and kindly took down each name.
The potent influences OF that seance
transformed the retiring League into a
very MosesAo lead the people out Of the
financial wilderness. and in our columns
to-day he tells them what he is going to
do. That card will bear study and analy.
sis. 1t contains the sweet promises of
hope and assurance that the good
work commenced ia the last term
will be finished up next time. A few
statements from the C~Omptroller's books
would now be in order. We will produce
them another day, as the hanging takes
up SO much space in this issue. The
ambition manifested by this patriotic
public servant TO serve his felIow.citi-
zens two years longer at the same old
price is truly ~ennobliHg, and should be
held up as an example to the people Of
the land. 1t reminds us Of the
palmiest days Of Andrew johnson or of
Cincinnatus, when called from the
plow'handleS to save Rome. The
people are delighted to End a man
who can see wherein the city debt has
been diminished, aside from ora little
Judgment, and who credits himself some.
what with lesseniug taxation and lifting
Rrisvous burdens from their shoulders.
We had an idea before that the new
charter reduced and limited the rate Of
taxation; perhaps that vas all q dream.
We beg leave to remind the people once
more that there will be sn election next
Thursday, the 18th instant, and that, in
the language Of the Appeal, We now
know who We have to beat"
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