Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-11

scale, this time, in favor of the Republics
party, and who must be looked to hereafte
to keep it in power. In voting to sustain
the reconstruction acts, against the mao
designs of the reaetionisis, they have nO
decided against a change in those acts, buI
quite the contrary. They desire an imms-
date amelioration of them in their most
offensive features. The Acknowledgement
Of any class, or the exclusion Of any State,
for acts done in the rebellion, never wise,
has grown to be simply stupid. The
limited Acknowledgement imposed has
done harm and only harm. It has rot as
sured the control of a single State in the
loyal hands. 1t has lifted the disfraa-
chised into undue and unsafe Importance,
and given them title Of respect among
their fellow-citizens. Towards the general
government it has simply served TO annoy
ana exasperate all classes, and make YlO-
lence and Experimentation seem some.
tnlng like fair reprisal. Unqualified negro
suffrage ls another feature that will not
bear examination, and must eventually be
modlned; but the circumstances Of the
situation are so dific1lt and peculiar, that
40 immediate change is not practicable.
All that can be done hereafter, all, indeed,
that is desirable 10 be done, is to introduce
throughout the country an educational
Test, impartial with respect TO color and
sex, by which the suffrage will be limited
70 persons of some intelligence, whether
black, white, red or yellow.
But It ID IN matters Of revenue and ex-
Penditure that the sense of the country is
most positive, and its resolution taken. 1t
Is difficult thing TO get the country back
from the abnormal condition of war to that
of peace. Bot somebody has got TO DO it
to exhibit the courage and skill to return
the nation to a financial state, in which all
will not be as now continual waste-in
which the distribution Of wealth shall again
become fair and natural-and as a c1use-
quence extravaganza and wanton luxury
will be rebuked and corrected. We cannot
60 on as We are. The country is losing
strength too fast, and the poor are be-
coming too thoroughly impoverished.
Whether rightly or wrongly, the people
accuse the party in power of those evils.
the causes Of which they may not see, buzz
the effects Of which they can most bitterly
feel Mr.. Seymour was right-the financial
issue is to be pressed and the Republican
party must meet it with courage and in
telligence.
And it is also hard, but yet something
that must be done, to get back from the ex-
traVsgant notions Of war expenditure to
the simple and frugal habits Of peace. The
two sessions Of Congress before the last we're
marked By much wrongful special legisla-
ton and the spirit Of robbery and corrup'
ton was bold, shameless and arrogant.
During the last session, this rather held
up, IN view Of the responsibility Of the ma
jority (rather than Of individual members)
to the people at the coming election. Now
that It IS past, there Is great danger of an
Ubiquitous revival Of the two hundred mil
lions of jobbing schemes put over BY the
election, not to speak Of new devices for
bleeding the treasury and the people at
every vein. This cannot happen and the
Republican party remain in power. The
country was no more resolved that the
established order at the South should not
be broken up, than it is that retrenchment,
general and severe, shall be inaugurated al
Washington.
And not only is it necessary that every
thing like plumber and wastefulnesl should
cease, but the means Of relieving the people
and saving expenditure must be carefully
aud honestly searched after; and the party
that would keep IN power must not only be
honest in seeking such, but must be pretty
bright about II, and calculate 10 have good
luck. The government has got To do a. q
man does when he finds his expenses
greater than his income iustiGss-to with
out great many things that are nice %
have, and right and reasonable in them
selves, bnt which We C5Inot afford. The
country feels poor; the burden Of t1Zalioa
presses severely on the people. Oar in
dustries need rest and help. Il is for the
Republican party to decide whether it will
DO this for the nation OF give the job up 10
other hands
Our President IS all that can be asked
earnestly devoted 10 peace, thoroughly bent
on having a good administration, with a
great liking for honest men and an IN
stinctiye rspugulHcs 10 disorder and M
faithfGlness in service. 1. rests with the
Republican majority 10 Congress, nov hap
PLY reduced below tw5-,hirls, 81 say
whether they wall follow Grant or b leil
behiud. The country is going ahead
those who want to keep up must keep
moving