Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-06-16
The Centennial Ledger


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Ths prOpristOr Of the Daily and Weekly
Memphis PuntIo IEDoEH announces with
pleasure and condolences that this paper en-
tiers upOpths Centennial year of our National
sIistsnSs withKbrishtsr prospects as q nv
Democrats and Conservative Family New
paper than at any former period.
We an Supplied with tho best modern ia
oiutiss for Publishing a newspaper and oach
a larger number Of readers than ever before.
The people are aroused 70 tho Importance of
the sv1ue uo~- ranDDirins, . veil Is those
that happened a hundred year, ago. Tho
unusual spectacle is presented u the country
Of tho upper and lower Houses in Congress
being controlled respectively By opposite pO-
HtieaI parties. For the drst time since 1860
the Democrats and Conservatives control one
branch OfqOngress. and the Able't modern
statesmen arc playing q bold and desperate
game for the political control Of the Govern
mont. Within the year two candidates will
DO nominated for the Presidency, and the
people, in their sovereign capacity, will elect
q President and Vice President. and in many
Of the States, as in Tennessee. elect a Cove
nor. oonEressmen, members Of the General
Assembly and important local officers. The
ablost talent Of the nation will DO arrayed on
both sides. Every intelligent citizen. white
and colofed, will desire to be informed from
day to day and week to week Of what is going
on. The Centennial Of our independence will
be inauEuratsd with imposing ceremonies at
Philadelphia. on the Fourth of July. in tho
presence Of thousands Of people from every
State IN the Union and Representatives Of the
principal nations on earth, 1t will be a year
] fall Of stirring eyOnt. an upheaval and com
minsllnE Of the masses mot to be witnessed
again for a life time.
The LEDeER viii keep abreast of tho times,
and its readers will soc tho daily history Of
the world "hold up to the mirror" The
latest news from all quarters will bo presented
in a condensed form and such comment
thereon as an intelligent view Of the subject
3. may suggest. The LEDGER is of the people
and for the people, and in full sympathy with
the labOrins and tax paying MASSES. Their
Judgment and their instructive conclusions
= when ascortained will be accepted in prefer
ence to the dictum of politicians or the wis
dom Of statesmen. We hold to the old
II. fashioned ~theory-that the people are the
sovOreigns. and all ofice-holders public SER
wants. to be rewarded only for a faithful per-
formance Of duty within prescribed limits,
and condemned for breach of trust or abuse
Of delegated powers. In future. as in the
past. the LEDGER will be bold. independent
Democratic journal, standing BY its party
when right. but ever ready to condemn up-
worthy men or measures. An earnest en-.
deavor will DO made during the present year
to correct abuses in public places, to bring
about as strict and careful management Of
the peoples money as in a successful private
business. To this end we shall continue to
labor. urging economy and reform at every
possible point without positive injury to the
public service.
Issues of grave Importance will be decided
this year. Men and parties will be made and
unmade, and precedents set up that will have
a great bearing upon the future political his.
% tory Of the country. AS a nation of Unitet
States we have made great progress. bur
whether we have preserved intact the priD
ciplss Of our ancient Constitution is a cues
ton yet to DO decided at the balIot.box
Whether we really govern ourselves or ar
governed by party. will be better know
when the voice of the people is heard mex
10 November. 1t will avail US little that we ha,
a Washington, a Jefferson and a jackson
the Government passes once mere into tn,
hands Of a purely partisan and ~sectiOpa
administration.
In our columns win always be- found
choice variety Of original and selected mat
tor adapted to the general reader and tn
family circle, and it is needless to say tba
nothing will appear to offend tho taste of tn
most cultivated and refined. The sovors
departments of the paper will be conduote
by experienced Journalists who follow Ii
profession because thoy are in love with il
and who appreciate public tastes and publ
sensibilities. The LEDGER is Democratic. bu
eminently conservative, and is ever ready t