Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-04-19
SENATOR KY nNnR MORE.

MeWpfttS 0cuyof.
We find the above quotation al
the head of an even column of care.
fully written editorial in the Knox
vile Tribune Of the 10th inst, and
may be pardoned for a little pro.
tessional vanity at being able to fur.
nish a text for such an editorial in
the Tribune. We would like to
publish the article entire, as it is in
the main fair-minded, but can only
indulge in a few extracts:
We had hoped it possible for our
Western contemporaries, whose nerves
we're so shocked by the speech OF Sena-
tor Key, to recover their natural COM
posure within q reasonable time. But it
seems the affection becomes daily more
aggravated. Senator Key forms the
STAPLE Of journalistic literature in and
about Memphis just nov. The Tribune,
too, comes in for its share of attention,
and one not favored with 3 daily sight OF
our columns might reasonably infer that
to " endorse Senator Key" is the chief
end and daily occupation Of this jour
nal. We announced, days ago, that we
had no intention Of entering into q cen.
troversy with our party friends upon the
merits Of Senator Keys speech and
-oto ond ,nIa.a hara and ehara fhara
be some local aspiration to be promoted,
we cannot, for the life of US, see what
there was in the speech or vote Of Sena-
tor Key to call forth such an outcry
against him. Even admitting that he
made q great mistake in both speech and
vote, it must be admitted that he erred
on the side Of fraternity and in behalf Of
his own people. No one can read his
remarks without being impressed with
the e%arnestness, the honesty aud the
business Of the man.
The Tribune must have had some
other paper than the LEDGER in its
mind when the above was penned.
We dissented from Senator Keys
vote rather than his speech, though
the latter seemed to be ~accusatory
toward the South and more apollo
getic toward the ~insolent Boutwell,
than necessary, consistent with the
facts, or becoming in the speaker.
We expressed our views of the case
plainly, but c~ourteously, in one or
two issues and dropped the subject,
save now and then a random para
graph like the one quoted. We have
not questioned Senator Keys pa
triotism or good intentions, having
learned long since that errors of the
judgment do not always constitute
errors of the heart. We hope, for
the sake Of the press which has
criticized the Senator, hat no one
has been moved to do SO to promote
the chances of some other aspirant,
The man who climbs up by putting
others down will not get very high
or stay there long, and a paper in
spired by such motives could not
expect to be permanently useful OF
influential. But further on the
Tribune becomes almost dramatic
Who are the masters Of Tennessee
opinion, and by what authority is q
Democratic Senator pronounced q "trsi-
tor and accommodated for having
dared, upon his conscience, to do what
he believed to be the very best thing
possible for the welfare Of his own PEG,
ple2, This compulsory and expulsory
process has gone far enough. II has
gone about as far as an enlightened PEG.
pie will tolerate it; spdif a few men who
assume to be Democratic oracles aud
ringmasters in Tennessee shall succeed
in establishing their DEGREES Of excom.
munication as authoritative in the coun.
ellis of the party, they may lock, and
Justly look, to find themselves, with all
their party machinery, stranded on q
lee-shore.
This cannot apply to the LEDGER
We have not pronounced the Sena
tor a "traitor," or consideredhim on,
merely because we had to differ will
him. If daring to differ with sucl
well-meaning gentleman as MI
Key constitutes oracleship, then W,
are in for the title. The Demo
cratic press is divided on this ques
ton, but we hope the party viii
not be stranded on a lee shore" A
light craft like the LEDGER might
get ahoat again, but the turreted
monsters Of the deep would settle
down into the charities sands o.
hal fathomless shore. Let us hav,
no more of this scene. Down will
the curtain.
But we have drifted from our or,gina
purpose, which was to beg our good irlenC
OF the LEDGER to be certain OF accuracy
IN atating our position. The Tribune
did commend aud does still commend
the spirit and policy Of Senator Key
speech, Il was patriotic, magnanimous
and conciliatory. But We expressly de.
MED, and do deny, the right Of either
branch Of CongreSs-except possibly for
determining the qualifications OF It,
members--to investigate the local cleo.
tons Of q State, and with this view v,
ooNld not have voted for Mortopis Miss.
issippi resolution. And, indeed. va AVE-
frank to say that we have regarded San.
ator Keys vote as q o sequitur Of his
apaanh We could have preferrad 49,