Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-07-11
ED SHAW.

The present pet OF the Tennessee
machine is Ed. Shaw, the notorious
and disreputable negro politician oil
Memphis. He has a record which the
Nashville American has pronounced
AN Outrageous performance" to show
up, but believing that the public will
be interested in the history Of this
prominent colored citizen" whom
the machine delights to honor, we
will venture to tell what we know
about him in spite of the organs pro-
hibitiOn.
What has recently made Mr.. Shaw
a subject for discussion is the fol-
loving telegram:
To Hon. JOS ali Patterson MEMPHIS,
TENN See Rawlings and find out il
he will accept clerkship under Ed
Shaw. Wire Harris.
JOHN T. HILLsMAN
Washington d. c., July 4th-
The Rawlings herein referred to is
one of the oldest and most respected
white citizens of Memphis. He was
a candidate for Surveyor of Customs
at Memphis and Shaw was an appli-
cant for the same place. Hillsman
has since denied that he or Senator
Harris was urging Shaw's appoint
ment, but the above dispatch is con
elusive proof that they would have
agreed to it.
Shaw is negro politician OF the
lowest type. In reconstruction days
he was noted for his violent declaml-
tons against the white people, ex-
pressing the hope that the ex-rebelS
should always be DISTINGUISHED. In
these harangues, and in similar
speeches IN late years, he made re-
marks about white women that it is a
wonder did not cause him to be
lynched. lie was the henchman of
Barbour Lewis and the most radical
of all the scallawag politicians that
infested Memphis.
When he was nominated by the
Republican party for sheriff of Shelby
county, the decent white men in the
party, like Judge VIM. NJ. Smith, re-
fused to support him on account OF
his bad personal character.
At the Republican congressional
convention for the tenth district, held
at LAGRANGE in 1850, Shaw bolted the
nomination of VIM. r. Moore and
with faction that followed him nomi-
mated Sugar" Hamilton. He was
accused 10y his party of being bribed
into this action and from that time
lost all influence with the Republicans.
Two years afterwards the congress
iOnal convention was held in Somer
vile. Shaw was present and tried to
repeat the game he played at La
Grange, but he was summary kicked
out and another delegate from the
Memphis ward he claimed to repre-
sent seated in the convention.
A very short time after this he was
heard from as claiming to be Re
publican in politics but in favor of the
5O-3 debt settlement and for that
reason urging the election of Gov.
Bate.
After the election he applied to the
governor for the office of coal oil in
spector at Memphis and his petition
was signed by a number of profess
ioual politicians and members of the
legislature whom he had helped to
elect The governor declined to APP
point him.
We had never heard that he claim
ed to be a Democrat until he made
application for the place of Surveyor
of Customs.
There is not more Objectionable
character in Tennessee than Ed Shaw.
During the yellow fever epidemics
in Memphis the people We're at one
time apprehensive ON account of his
conduct that he would take advantage
of the defenseless condition of the
CITY TO create race riot for the pur-
nose of pilIage. He is dangerous and
seditious and it ia unpardonabie in
senator Harris that he should for an
instant have thought OF saucaoning
his appointment over aclever and re-
liable white man.
Tn what limit will 4hm machine n@h