Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-08-06
THE TRIUMPH OF JUSTICE, DECENCY
AND INTELLIGENCE.

THE TRIUMPH OF JUSTICE, DECENcY
AND INTELLIGENCE.
The fifth of August, 1880, will long
be remembered in the annals of Mem
phis and Shelby county. The better
elements of society were aroused as
they had not been in many years be-
fore, The impending danger was full
ly understood. 1t was not an ordinary
election involving merely party sue
cess, or the triumph of one worthy
and competent candidate over
another. The leaders of the
republican party saw fit to place at the
head of their ticket bold, bad man,
notoriously unfit to be sheriff, a dis
turber of the peace, an agitator, a
bowling ward hummer. This was to
catch the colored vote; but it failed in
a great measure and led to an
ignominious defeat. Then to
give the ticket respectability, they
nominated Colonel Eaton, man
who has acquired property here
aud was supposed by most dem
oerats to have out-lived tho bitter
prejudices be brought with him fifteen
years ago. This was another mistake.
He waved the bloody shirt to colored
crowds with the energy, but not the
grace and ability, of Barbour Lewis,
And there is where he made the mis-
take of his life; for he failed
TO fool the colored people, and
lost much Of that good will among
the respectable people, which most
men would highly prize. Colonel
KatOn did not want the Office he said,
but simply for to give tone and aid to
the ticket. lie will not be troubled
about giving the bond or appointing
deputies The venerable ex-Judge
Bigclow, leading lawyer" late Ct
Michigan, was, doubtless, placed
on the ticket to give it an
appearance of sanctity and pioty. to
satisfy the religious element in tbe
colored societies and make up for Ed
Shaw moral deficiencies. Inasmuch
as no democrat can hold Office in
Michigan, so he says, it may possibly
dawn upon his massive mind, that a
republican, from Michigan, who
brings only his little satchel, cannot
always walk into the frst office that
suits his fancy in Tennessee. The
trouble is, that these ungodly demo
Gratis have taxed themselves for ten or
twelve years to keep up coloFed
schools, and that the colored people
begi2 to know almost as much about
their own interests as an ordinary
wood-choppsr in Michigan, or any
other republican state. Judge
Horrigan seems to have been
nominated without opposition and was
alike acceptable TO both parties. His
nane, however, did not strengthen
the rest any more than Eaton helped
Shaw H,,rrigan stood on his own
merits, and NOV in line with any party
The election of Shaw would have been
calamity, and the people rose up IN
their strength and mOjesty and SAID
it should never be. 1t should
not Le forgotten that fully
one thousand eOlorcd men voluntarily
and openly voted for Captain Athy
for sheriff The most Of these are
men Of fair intelligence, who think for
themse, yes, and have concluded to
make use o. theiE right 10 act and vote
for themselves They should be re-
membered in the future, and learn
to understand that they will
be protected if necessary, and
that they have more to
gain by allying themselves with the
democrats than by following the Office
seekers, who assume to lead and vote
them like SO many cattle. We met
the enemy and he is ours The elec-
ton was q fair, square expression Of
the public will. The republican lead.
ers worked desperately, but long be-
fore the polls closed they say then
last chance Of controlling the county
or city indefinitely postponed Tor
number Of years. Itwas quiet cleo
tion. but full test of strength IL
which the republican cohorts were
badly worsted. II was a glorious trl
nmph. The demoaratic party nomi
mated the best ticket possible, made
straieht fight ard committed n'