Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-26
TO ACT OR NOT TO ACT.
VIII the Southern whites Attempt 90
Carry their Own states?

OWh SAteNCs
From the New York World, June D.
We continue to receive from the South
ern press responses, regretful or indignant,
to our recent articles on negro suffrage.
We cannot 6 nd it in our hearts TO COM
plain Of our censors or to Tetort their oc-
casional severity. That the South should
resent the wrongs inflicted by Radical
tyranny is the most natural thing in the
world. We do not wonder that the idea Of
submitting to negro suffrage, even after re-
sistance is hopeless, seems intolerSble to
men smarting under a sense Of injury. But
no amount Of righteous indignation can
alter the fact that the electoral votes Of the
Southern States will be counted in the Pre-
sidential election. The Southern Presi-
Dental electors will be chosen under the
direction Of the new State governments.
By the very act of voting (if they vote at
alb Southern citizens will recognize those
governments. The question which we have
discussed is, at the bottom and practically,
whether the indignant Southern whites
will let their States go to the Radicals
by default, or, by a vigorous effort, seize
and reverse the enemy's guns.
We sincerely wish that the Southern
Mult6h COuil VOC lOE u EcHl0tUt
and Democratic Congressman without rec
ognizing the negro governments. But
things have reached pass where that is
impossible. Whether those governments
are valid or not, they will have de facto
control Of the States Democratic electors
can be chosen only through them. Now,
the question which we present to the
Southern whites is, whether the Demo-
cratic party shall start in the Presidential
race handicapped by the weight of those
ten Slates2 We submit that they are de-
Gliding il in quite too summary a manner
that il is better TO recognize the new gov
ernments and get control Of them than 10
stand aloof and permit them TO be used as
engines of further oppression.
We have merely contended, in our for
mer articles, that this is not question for
the Democratic National Convention, but
for the white citizens Of the Southern
States. Seeing that they cannot choose
Presidential electors at all, nor even
their own domestic rulers, except through
the machinery provided Big the new
governments, we think that as a choice
/ Of eUas, they had better take the
tesi-oath and vote. But We conceive
| that it would be out Of place for the Dem.
| ocratic National Convention TO tell them
that they ought TO do il, or that they ought
not II they do not vote, Radical electors
| will certainly be chosen by the negroes, and
their votes will certainly be couuted by the
present Radical Congress. II il shall turn
| out that Radical President is chosen in
consequence of the inaction Of the South
ern whites, they will have themselves to
! thank for the result.
The Southern journals reason and protest
as il the Democratic party of the North
we're already in 30 large majority that il
| can eject the next President with the oppo-
site scale weighted by the electoral vote Of
of the South, and in spite Of any platform
the party might think it 10 adopt. We
wish we could take the same sanguine
view. But al the last elections the Demo
cratic party Of the Northern States was a
minority minority rapidly growing IN
deed towards majority, but, as the election
returns showed, not having yet reached II.
By discretion and vigor We can easily wipe
out the narrow margin which separates as
from success but the contest Is to be toe
close to Justify much vapOriDg or gsscouade
=----ss---
GRASsHoFPERs.-Fesrs are entertained
that the grasshopper will inhics consider
able damage upon the late corn this season
- -. - 4 IL. -.