Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-09-27
SHARP AND INCIsIVR.
Matthew BrambIe and the HOwards
Acting President.

sufferers, WITHOUT regard TO friendship
or social position. The intended ap-
plication of the funds received was
but indifferently carried out in the
bestOwal Of gold medals, gold watches
and silver sets, with accompanying
saturnalias, Of last year, and the three
nurses to one patient, with the dis
elimination in the issuance of supplies
in this. That there are good, true
men among them none will deny; but,
like poor dog Tray, they are in but
indifferent company. Now, a chain
can be no stronger than its weakest |
links; and when these links 60 the
chain is next to useless. Just SO the
good the Howards could do has been
marred and mutilated by scottish visit
ors and tipping nurses. Then it
must be conceded that l had not only
right but it became a duty to give the
acting president hint of what was GO
ing on. But it looks as if Gen. Smith
can take neither joke nor hint; he got
angry, and, fee ia fum," declared his
intention of having "for his meat
any one who made direct charge.
My letter contained no direct
charge" 1t said, so and so is cur
rently reported and generally be-
lieved" Out of this he contriyes a
neat little pitfall and hastily steps into
it, thereby showing a lack of prudence
and complete want of business fore
sight Having made blunder number
one he proceeds to make another by
sending out committee of that body,
appointed by himself, who upon
superficial examination fippantly de-
clare all to be false. Happily the
report is in print, and can be referred
to at any time, Those who believe
such shutting to be either trial or
acquittal are very few. Give to the
greatest criminal in the land the ad-
vantage Of selecting his own judge,
jury and witnesses, and he will come
forth as innocent as an angel. Under
such circumstances who dare have the
hardihood to utter complaint? By
such action a great wrong was com
mitted. Cloaking the accused, and
doing injustice to the accuser is not
the best way to get and retain public
confidence and esteem. 1t but dis
plays an incapacity which would
be ridiculous were it not like
| ly to be disastrous. And if
anything were wanting to confirm the
opinion of the generals incompetency
to manage public matters, it is found
in his resolution in the executive of
the safety committee, where he pro-
posed to stop the rations on every
male over twelve years of age. Think
of the duplicity which would have
been practiced had his wish been
carried out. Nothing would be done
for the suffering people until they
went to camp, and when there, rations
we're to be stopped unless they fell in
with the generals whim, and wan
dered off to certain starvation in the
cotton fields. With what arrogance
a little position fills an empty pate.
In Ainging away his paint-pot and
dusting brush, has he also thrown
aside the remembrance of the trials
and suAerings incident to the check
cred life of those who depend on their
labor for a living, and crushed from
his heart the last spark of that cheap
philanthropy which he has obtained
by endeavoring to drive men, his
equals in every way, to the misery Of
a lingering death at cotton picking
Did he ever think of or care for the
consequences of the enactment of such
a decree? Is the being poor so great a
crime, in his lofty judgment, that it
should be visited with such punish
ment? Are human beings become so
degraded that they can be driven like
cattle from post to pillar at his high
behest? No; the result would have
been that they would have focked
into the city again, to become victims
of the fever; or, perchanee. be forced
by want and despair to provide for
themselves and famishing families
from the store of others more fortu-
nately situated. Riot and bloodshed
could be the only result of the heart.
less action which that resolution pro-
poses. Such an unwise and cruel
proposition-indorsed though it be by
a minister of the gospel(9, savors so
strongly Of insanity that that can be
the only plea to preserve its author
and abettor from merited contempt
and oblivion.
Another great feature of the gener-
ais ability is his facility in imputing
motives-he certain sign of narrow
mind, which, being unable to reason,
ascribes to others the meanness that
is found in itself. When he says that
l had any other motive in beginning
to write than desire to have Topped