Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-21
TIE Blue AND TUE GRAY


diers' Meeting Yesferday-A Gallant
Talk from the Gallant Col. Frank
j p. CAhiII- Resolutions and Determ
nations.
The Soldiers Democratic Club mel, pur-
suant to the cali of the Committee on Per-
maheht Organization, at Esquire PohPs
Office on yesterday evening, at four O'Clock
The Chairman pro tenn, Frank T. Reid,
introduced to the meeting their permanent
President, Colonel Frank T. CahiH, saying
that he doubted not bat that all their ex-
pectatiOns, extraVagant though they might
be, would more than be fulfilled by the gal
lani officer whom they bad chosen TO pre-
side over their future meetings. Colonel
Cahill said .i,s5. -. b. ri
COLONEL CAHiLLls SPEECH. .rG
| Gentlemen: Permit ne to tender you my
| heartfelt thanks for the honor you have
done me in electing me your President.
Believe me, L will leave no effort untried
TO render your iabors successful in the
present political campaign, relying i'm.
plicitly on your courtesy, forbearance and
| aid in the discharge Of the duties of the
position which your partially has assigned
me. '''- t..'
Allow me at this time to make a few re-
marks Of personal nature. I am not
politician, and not candidate for Office,
and wish to be understood as acting solely
az a citizen who is DESTROYS of doing his
best to produce change for the better in
national affairs. This change az a business
I -. al
sary to save the country from destruction,
and such change can only be effected by
turning out the present party in power and
placing in their stead men of integrity,
patriotism and craftsmanship. ifany apol-
ogy is required from business men for en-
gagng in this work, it can readily be found
in the fact that none see clearer than they,
that while commerce, manufactures and
agriculture are taxed TO their utmost limit,
the nation is growing deeper and deeper in
debt, through the gross mismanagenent Of
those by whom we are governed.
Over one Thousand millions Of dollars of
taxes have been wrung from the people
since the close of the war. OF this euor-
nous sum four hundred millions have been
expended hpaying interest on bonds which
are not subject to taxation. What has be-
come of the six hundred millions remain
ing, our rulers do not tell us; but no doubt
large amount of it has been spent in sup
porting Freedmen's Bureau, conducting
an impeachment trial, or filling the pockets
Of immaculate Revenue Collectors Of the
Callicot stripe But whatever has become
of it, one thing is certain, none Of it seems
to. have been applied to reduction Of the
public debt, for that has continued to In
crease with remarkable steadiness and enor-
NOUS volume. ....4
The business men of the country, look
ing at these facts, naturally desire The af-
fairs Of the nation to be entrusted 10 new
hands in the hope of reform. Our oppo- |
nents may say that new hands will not do /
any better. We do not know this and |
have at least hope to urge us to make |
change. We do know, however, that they |
cannot DO any worse. We do know that |
they can do better, and it will be our pro-
vince to see that they do it.
So much, gentlemen, for the reasons /
which induce business men to unite yigor-
ously in the present campaign.
This Soldiers Democratic Club presents /
some admirable features. Composed, as it
is, of ex-Confederate and exFederaI sol
diers, il gives TO the country the very best
assurance that those who bore the bruut of
the late war on both sides are determined |
to bury past issues, and TO unite heart and i
hand in promoting the prosperity OF the
nation. 1t shows that the soldiers, appre- /
ciating the trials, priVations and dangers
through which they have passed, are ready |
10 give credit, each to the other, for the ]
sincerity Of the motives which nerved them
TO endure the trials, suffer the priyalions
and brave those dangers; and that, forget
ting all past differences, they are now ready
TO &c forward together 10 meet and con-
quer at the ballOt-box more insidious and
dangerous foe than they formerly encoun-
tered on the field Of actual war. Ia,
This is practical union. II is union such
as our opponents cannot offer and will not
accept. Ii is born Of magnanimity, nur.
tured by mutual respect, and will be fos-
tered and cherished by every good and
brave soldier everywhere until it is
crowned with success throughout the land.
The soldiers who belong to this club be- !
lieve in differentiation. They willingly re-
cognize bravery wherever it has been ex
bibited, and of brave men would make
band of brothers. They believe in restor-
ing peace aud union 10 our whole country
under free, paternal aud enlightened gov
eminent and this belief they will carry
into practice in every legal and constitu-
uonal way, leaving to their opponents the
bad eminence Of resorting to force to carry
ont laws entirely beyond the pale Of the
Constitution. ...-.. ........
We belong, and so solemnly avoW our
selves, to the party of law and order, and
mol to the party of force.
While we are thus banded together in
union converted by ties Of respect, good
M lives and paternal regard, throwing the
mantle of charity over the errors of the
past, and unitedly raising the standard of
hope for the future, thus paving the way
to an universal and glorious national
peace, those who oppose ms are engaged in
a work the opposite of all this.
They are bringing into antagonism the
very worst passions OF the people-ar0us-
ing prejudices the most bitter and to be
endangering the safety Of
the State by rendering imminent a conflict
Of races. They trample under foot the
dearest privileges of a free people, and in
the name Of reconstruction ignore the very
Of republicanism by denying
where they impose taxation.
They blot out Of existence ten States Of
1
itsry relationships. They impeach the
President for exercising a constitutional
right, and threaten the Chief Justice be-
cause he does not lend his high Office to an
infamous conviction. They bully the jnr
dietary, brow-beat Witnesses, and invade
the sanctuary of private correspondence.
They abolish trial by jury and substitute for
itmili tary commission. And all this in |
the name of liberty and in time of pro.
found peace. rI $3.50 .a-L H.al t.sH
While the ex- Confederate soldier feels
himself oppressed by this malignant legis-
lation, the ex-Federal soldier may well ask
himself, Is this what we fought for An
swering for this class, Major General Thos
Ewing, Jr., of Kansas, one Of the brsyest
officers, the worthy son Of a noble sire,
says that Of the five hundred thousand
dead, whose bones lie between the waters
of the Atlantic and the Gulf, not one would |
have died for such purpose, while of the /
fifteen hundred thousand surviving soldiers
not one would now risk his life in such a |
cause ND ..f. "