Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-01-29
Reasons Given for IL by Colonel
e. II. Baker.

ment OF gratitude and Kindness did l
not reply with that frankness that
your manly letter invites.
1t might be enough for me to say
that | am a professional newspaper
man, and, like the lawyer who de-
tends his client, am not responsible,
except so far as l fail to represent him
faithfully. But | will nothide behind
this defense.
| will first premise that | was born,
raised and educated in the south.
My ancestry for over a hundred years
claim the best blood of the Old Do
miniOn.
No living man loves the south, or
experiences more pride in her sectional
reputation than l.. Norman would de-
fend her from every character of as
sault sooner than |.
When l considered the late war
wicked, cruel, unjusti6able and i'm
polite, | did not hesitate one moment
in casting my destinies with her, and
for four long and weary years l battled
for a separation that my judgment told
me was unwise.
So much fer my personal.
| recognize two germs of destruc-
ton in republican gOvernment-seces-
sion and Capitalization. Either is fatal
to personal liberty.
The lygical sequence Of state rights
is secession; Of war, Capitalization.
When Andrew johnson developed
his policy, and sought by a thousand
methods to rehabilitate the old ante
bellum democratic party, | opposed
the policy in editorials in the COlum-
bus (Miss.) Index, and urged the
south to organize and act as an indie
pendent conservative force. l recog-
nized the fact that it was northern
democrats that had whipped us, and
felt less kindly towards them than
consistent republican. | favored strict
neutrality, because we we're conquered
provinces, aud proposed that we be-
come the allies Of hat party which
would best assist us in our material
development.
Mr.. Johnson's policy, intended for
the best, came rear being fatal to
southern liberty and southern pros
Again, in a sectional contest, | had
no alternative but to cast my lot with
my section, and again | allied myself
with the democratic party. The repub-
lican party had become radicalized
under Mr.. Johason's policy, and as
secession had been crushed out under
the upper and lower milestone of war.
| Joined it to battle against centraliza
Sixteen years have elapsed,
and what does their history teach us?
The danger of Capitalization has
grown less aud less every year, until il
only exists in the minds of the ignor
ant and the Imagination Of the vicious.
The radical element Of the repul licsn
party, with their vices and corruptions
have been retired, and a liberal con-
sentative element taken their place,
that recognizes obedience to the con-
stitution and the law, made in pursu.
ance thereof, as their highest duty.
How is it with the democratic party?
We see the same radical leaders thai
controlled her councils except Mr.
and Mr.. Toombs occupying her
high places and marking out her policy
The conservative forces that were *
Feeted TO influence it after the whie
party ceased 20 exist, have beat down,
or their efforts paralyzed by the south
ern bloody shirt of the old bourbon
leaders.
The leaders of the democratic party
are as %proscriptive and over
bearing as they we're in 1860, when
they bulldozed the south into a war
for separation.
/ have striven since the war to OBJ
literate all sectional feeling. | was an
original Greeley mau, because / re-
garded his election as the Inauguration
Of a new era Of f~raternal unity. For
supporting Mr.. Greeley, l was de-
nounced ds a traitor to the party du-
ring the interim Of bis nomination al
Cincinnati and Baltimore. When he
became galyinized by the Baltimore
nomination, | was regarded as an ally
and not as a partisan democrat.
Wherein does the republican party
to-day, either in principle or practice,
differ from the Greeley party that
nominated him at Cincinnati ?
Have | deserted the democratic
party, or has the democratic party de-
serted me2
1t is a well known fact that | took
no stock In Samuel j. Tilden, and that
between he and Mr.. Hayes | was in
different. | published 10 the world
that between Mr.. Tilden and even
General Grant that l would support
the latter.
What is our highest duty to the
the section Of our birth and
the inspiration Of every noble, manly,
patriotic impulse?
1t is not to align her with the spirit
Of the age tobuild up her waste places,
develop her immense and i~nexhausti-
bic material resources-yes, to place
her in the vanguard Of progress and
make her as she was before the war
the happiest, wealthiest and most pros.
porous section on the globe.
This is the highest duty Of her
statesmen and her patriots.
Ii the democratic party would, it is
powerless to do it. The ~prcudices
existing against its very name will,
during this and generations to come
after, keep it in the minority. The
prejudices existing among its leaders
will prevent them from advocating the
necessary policies that will lead to Ibis
were they TO got into power.
Ii is simply an obstruction party,
and MS long as it obstructed centraliza-
ton | gave it my hearty support. But
shall / cling 10 and attempt 10 climb