Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-08-06
SHELBY COUNTY POLITICS.


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SHELBY COUNTY POLITICs.
The politics of Shelby county are in
strange muddle-a chaotic state which may
: possibly result in forming new combinations
The breach in the Republican party is wide
deep, impossible, and there seems to be nc
possibility of shaking hands across tbs
bloody chasm. Ire vote of Thursday last fur.
nishes no correct test of the relative strength
of the two parties. The Democrats tri.
umphed, but it was not such victory as
they expected. In view of the divisions in
the Republican party, the majority for the
Democrats ought to have been sweeping
This can be attributed TO several causes, but
the most prominent among these was the
small vote cast. In the election two years
ago about 16, 600 votes were cast for sheriff. On
Thursday last only 1900 votes were polled
"a falling off in the total vote of the
county of about 1000. Two years ago the
Democrats cast 1854 votes for Athy; on Thurs
! day they gave him only 5457 votes-31o7 less
than they polled two years ago. Two years
ago the Republicans cast 1884 votes for
sheriff; on Thursday they polled for the
| same Office 6519. Many Irish Democrats and
Greenbackers voted for Deveny and McMa-
hon. thus it will be seen that while the
Republicans have increased their vote only
S35, there were 2272 Democrats in Shelby
| county who did not vote on Thursday. Add
these 2272 votes to that cast for Athy on
Thursday last and his aggregate vote would
be 1929 votes and his majority would be
1910, sixty more than his majority two years
ago. Whatever disappointment may have
been occssioned by the result on Thursday
last, it can be attributed to the 2272 Demo-
Gratis who failed to vote. The two political
parties are nearly evenly balanced
in Shelby county. The Low-tax Re-
publicans will hold the balance OF
power in the November election and will no
doubt make themselves felt in the canvass.
They are in perfect accord with the Bate
Democrats on the State debt question, and il
is highly possible that the election in Novem-
Der will develop strange alliances. The
splitin the Republican party of Shelby county
ia favorable omen. 1t shows that the col
ored people have cut loose from the white
ofiice-seeking ring, and intend to think and
act for themselves. A few years since the
colored Democrats were chased over this city
by their own race, and the cry went all
along the line "Crucify themp The colored
man who voted contrary TO the orders of the
Federal ring was execrated by his race
The result was the negroes combined and
seemed to take delight in hurting solid
vote against the whites. But things have
changed In The city elections last January
the whites voted for and elected a colored
man as commissioner on the Police Board.
And the vote on Thursday develops the
gratifying fact that 1000 negroes have
severed themselves from the Federal ring and
set up for themselves. This spirit of indie
pendence is not confined to Shelby county
In all the Southern States the blacks have
announced their determination TO free them
selves from the humiliation of being made
the "hewers of wood and drawers of water"
for the white ofice-holders. In Virginia the
blacks have refused 10 obey the orders of the
white Republicans and the Federal rings 10
vote for white Readjuster as candidate for
Congress for the State at large, and have
held convention and nominated Dawson,
a colored minister, and they are rallying to
his support. The same spirit of independence
has developed itself in Alabama. In Georgia
the blacks have struck for liberty. They have |
in that State the game fight we have here be-
tween the colored people and the Federal |
ring. The Atlanta Constitution shows that |
the successful issue made by the colored men |
with the white ofdce-holders in the recent |
convention has been the occasion of much |
bitterness on the part of the white Repub- |
licans, who were quick to perceive that |
if they lost their influence with TIE negroes |
or their control of the negro, vote, then APP |
plications for offices for themselves and their |
friends would meet with no sort of consider
alton at Washington. Hence there was a
great stir and fluIter among them when the
more intelligent negroes laid hold of their
own political affairs with firm hand and
proceeded to officer and manage the Repub-
lican party of Georgia. The white Repub-
up sort of protesting mass-meeting. Some
of them were mad enough 10 speak their
mind. They said that the negro had drawn
the color line in the Republican party and
upon his head be the consequence; and Mr..
Norcross, the veteran Republican leader |
said, in the midst of the most tumultuous |
applause-if the applause. of few white
office holders can be called tumultuous-that
there were 10000 white Republicans in
Georgia who refused to go TO the
polls because they were averse to
coming in contact with the negroes. Ex-
ran high for few days, and then
the whole matter was forgotten except by the
few interested white ofice-holders and proc
pective Office holders, who Immediately be-
gan to put in motion the political machinery
furnished by their patronage for the purpose
Of reversing the action taken by the colored
leaders. The truth is, the white Republican
ofice-holders have not been engaged in max
ing war on the Democratic party; they know
hat would be useless expenditure of their
resources, but they have organized serious |
against the idea of the colored
eaders that negroes shall control party
composed of negroes. The idea does great
.redit to the intelligence and ambition of
he colored men, but 1t doesn't suit The
White ofice-holders, whose politics are ,
Il the bread and-butter variety. Those who
axe a genuine interest IN the progress | :
md Improvement OF the negroes will
Tatch the result of this conflict between
people that is beginning TO have ideas Of :
ts own, and a eet of ofice-holders who have J
attened and thrived on their claim that
hey can control the negroes under any and
IL circumstances. There is no interest at i
II In any nomination or recommendations
hey may choose to make. The only ques- :
ion is, have a few white ofice-holders been I
bic to rout and conquer the disposition of
he coIored men to take charge of their own !;
arty Affairs. The coIored people furnish !
Re vote of the party in the South. But the !
hites reap all the spoils and honors of l
ice. The triumph Of the Low-tax Repub-
cans in Shelby county has been sweet re-
,nge. After being kicked out of the State
invention, the Shaw delegates stopped at
e door which they had been ordered to
Ike, and hurting defiant look at those who fe
I'd outraged them, said: you viii hear 81
ON US in the next elections" And they "
ave been heard from, as the vote on Thurs | Of
az last will show. 1t is difficult to predict | W
hat the future will bring forth. One thing e,
certain, the onlx way TO break solid In
)emosrnfic South d to dissde the solid Re a
milo negro Yyte in tkx ,uth. - I!