The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1867-03-16
Communicated.
Tho Tactics for Conservatism.

communicated
Tho Tactics for Conservatism.
Mr.. EDITOR: -
| have not been n careless or Indifferent
observer of events as they have TRANSFERRED
during the last year or two ofonr political
bondage. l have, however, felt that 1t Is
better to be Il silent observer than to clamor
for lost rights when there arc no hopes for
recovering them. The Conservative press
~ofTcnnessec has kept up a constant bonn
bardmcnt upon the Radical camp during
this time, and " Cui Bono" Has a SIN
glc right been saved? Has a single prin-
ciple been indicated? Not so. All is
lost that has been contended tor. Our en-
emies become more and more embittcred
every day. Csurpation succeeds usurpa-
ton, until Hope is nearly lost to us. Ian,
crty certainly is gone III Tennessee, and
| only one chance remains to us to recover
it-and that is the election in August. we
must not get up excitement in tho country
about it. | do not write this to arouse the
people of Tennessee to action IN that con-
test, But this The present nominee for
Governor 1--WE all know him. is supported
by u military force to carry his election, ar
he sees fit so to employ it, and has theor-
binary. amount of human nature III nm,
he will not keep his power idle and unem-
ployed when he can secure success n.y. It's
exercise. Then, what are we to do? 1T Is
absolutely necessary to be calm. consistent
with ourselves, and act with manly firm
ness and dignity in cur tactics. We must
submit to the laws pilssc,l for our govern
mcnt, for this is nothing more than we are
bound to do under the decision of arms.
BY this, | mean that we must accept the
issue. What is the issue ?--''thcre Is the
rub" If We had no cause to go TO war III
1861 if we rebclled against "the hest 4ov-
eminent the world ever saw without a
cause, should we complain that our con-
qucrors take from us the power to rule or
ruin that government? | think, surely
no.. Some of our people tell Us in every
speech they make that we had no cause to
rebel, or sccedc from the union of States.
They say this to the ears of their Radical
masters, and, at the same time. ask for
equal rights in the participation ofgovern-
mcnt with these Radical rulers. For my
self, ] am not at all disappointed ut the
consequences that follow the defeat Of the
Southern cause. | have always thought.
and always so eXprcsscd myself, that when
the abolition party got into power we
would be oppressed just as We are, II it
was the fear of this oppression that caused
me to join the secession movement. yo-
ted for separation to escape the cvlls.Which
we are now neutrality-suspicious. lcgisla-
ton in Congress and base pandcring in
our OWL section to the political supremacy
of the North. We strove against the
growing ~dcspotism in the forum and in
the field. We left it to the arbitramcnt Of
arms, and Mars decided against Us. We
have only to accept the issue, and not pre-
tend to be astonisIed at the dcspotism OF a
party that has always openly avowed its
principle to bcjust what its practices are,
when it has obtained the powerto exercise
that usurpation which has threatened US
for halfa century. We must looks facts in
the face. think for ourselves, and not fol-
low leaders who are continually telling you
to follow their thing to-day,
and another thing Tomorrow. DO not lis
ten to IL man who will tell you that You
ought to fight to regain that which was
not worth fighting for to retain. IT it was
wrong to fight for a right that You had,
surely when the right is lost it is wrongto
fight for its recovery. Yet, | hear some
men talk that way, and say 1t is cowardlce
to submit to the laws. Such counsellors
are dangerous. Politicians are the most
Nv LII L"o "oiA"' ~ Nv
man trust them.". We have been defeated.
but we need not raise the craven cry
"Peccdri." We can maintain cur sclf-rcs-
pcct and be consistent with ourselves and
our duty, and think our cause Just, yet
lost; give it up like men, and pOiuttO the
present to Justify our former prediction.
Then submitting with dignity to the powers
that be, il their acts are disgraccful We are
not aslIamcd-'If Rome falls We are inno-
cent" Let our tactics in the coming cleo
ton be in accordance with these views.
We can act firmly without being stimula-
ted by excitement. We can debate with
out Iuarrels, and vote for our candidate
reproducing Others for doing the
If we acknowledge that we once
wicked traitors to q good Govern
mcnt. the Radicals are no worse than wc;
md to-day, could | believe that they hon t
.stly think we plunged the country into. u
var, long. bloody and unjust, l could for
give them their oppressive enactments.
There are men IN our country who once
wore they would not he dragged out Of (
he Union by the tail of South Carolina, =
the war unjust, &C., yet voted for :
separation, and called on Others to do so {
rhcn 1t became popular. What dragged t
hem out! Now. in nearly every speech
hey make, they take occasion to say we
ad no cause fOr. the war Of 81, and at the {
anne time say it is cowardly to submit to Z
he doings of Congress. Where do such '
len stand? nobody knows, and let nobody
are. OF course Radicals sheer at their &
and mock at their arguments. !
ct us talk sensibly to the freedmen about c
he election, without vitupcration or cX-
remain quiet, yet determined;
o to the ballot-boX and vote the ConscE- c
alive ticket-all who are allowed by law =,
, to do. We must cease our nnmanly y
rangling with Radicals, because it is UNI
folly to do so. Then, Mt the +
time, let us nominate our candidate 6
nd vote for him. MI. !