Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-11-01
A LAST WORD.

the head of our columns until the day
of election. This has been done in {
straightforward, consistent and fear
less manner, but without bitterness Oh
offensive personalities. The main is
sue made was that of submission tC
the people, which is really the corner.
stone of democracy and of free gov
ornment. We hold that the people
not only have the right to instruct
representatives how to vote upon
any question, but to require
any important measure to be refer
red back to them, that they may de-
termine whether it shall be enacted
into a law or not. Upon this issue we
have made the fight. When the people
by any act of theirs surrender this pre-
rOgatiye, they confess that they are not
fit to be trusted, and justify the hopes
and aims Of the political tricksters
who are in the service of the money
power and the corporations that seek
to control this country. Having given
up this God-giyen, inherent right, it
would be an easy matter to yield the
election Representatives and rulers to
some oligarchy or central organiza
ton. Eternal vigilance is the price
Of liberty, now even as ever before.
At the beginning of this canvass we
said "When conventions, organized
for special purpose, assume to be
above the people, it is time for the
masses to be heard from. To them,
as the highest tribunal on earth, an
appeal has been carried In the dis
cussions by the press and on the
stump many immaterial matters, such
as the private character or financial
standing Of individuals, have
been lugged in and made
to attract large share Of
public attention, whilst the real ques-
tions and principles involved were
overlooked or evaded. We have con.
tended for principle that will live
long after the state debt question is
finally determined, The self styled
state credit men have conducted their
canvass with singular ferocity and ar
rogance, assuming to represent all the
honesty, intelligence and respectable
ity of the state. This feeling showed
itself in the convention at Nashville,
a body of men whoUtterly repudiated
the most important plank in the plat
form adopted in 1873, and upon which
the united party without protest
made the canvass and elect
ed a governor and legislature
that year. This feeling has ex-
pressed itself in terms of bitter denun.
citation all through the canvass, to say
nothing of the grossest misrepresenta-
tions. Those who were forced to with
draw and who nominated Mr.. Wilson
werc characterized as a small, insight
icant. Gisreputable lot Of soreheads,
malcontents and ofice-seekers whose
absence would be a happy riddance
Those who fell into line for Wilson
were held up to sCOrn as repudiators,
dishonest men, agragarians, commu-
nists. The press Of the state seemed
to be nearly all on one side, and with it
all tbe machinery of an ancient, q
wealthy, and a powerful organization.
Notwithstanding it was constantly
represented by some forty or fifty or
Sans and hundred orators on the
stump that Wilson represented no
body and that Wright had been con-
stantly gaining. strength at all points,
after more excitement, hard work and
money spending by the high tax wing
than was ever before thrown into a
aubernatonal canvass in Tennessee,
one of the central organs had to ad
init last Saturday that Wilson would
probably receive 66,525 votes 1t is
tod late for calculations to have any
effect. Rumors Of changes
from Wilson to Wright are
Jumped up at the last moment to in
aucnce undecided or lame voters-a
weak invention of the enemy 1t will
be demonstrated tomorrow that the
honest, untrammeled citizens Of the
old volunteer state cannot be deceived
by such devices, and that they will not
surrender the birthright Of freemen
without more desperate strugglethan
this. When the passions Of the hour
have subsidized there will be an effort
to bring The party together and to eR-
"a 4 Il