Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-09-02
THE NEW RADICAL DEnAND

thing which the leaders of the
Radical party may say or do, since
the measures they in augurated to
continue the war after it ceased in
the field, but the efforts of leading
politicians in that party to reverse
the popular decision of the ballot
box in Tennessee and Virginia, is a
startling indication of the direction
in which republicanism is drifting
In this country. And the respect
full hearing which these men are &C.
corded by the authorities at Wash
ington, as well as the manner in
which their cause is championed by
many of the leading Radical presses
of the North, shows by what a
slender tenure the people of the
States now hold their liberties. For
If Tennessee be remanded to a
territorial condition, with military
government and a satrap as dicta-
tor, what assurance have the people
Of Ohio and Pennsylvania that, in
the event they should elect the
Democratic ticket, the administra-
ton or Congress will not seriously
consider the question of the reduc-
ton of their States to a similar con-
dition? Iffor defeating the Radi-
cal candidate for Governor by an
overwhelming majority and electing
Legislature almost unanimously
anti Radical, the people of Tennes-
see shall be deprived of their rights
and liberties, and their State
placed under the domin-
ion of military satrap,
have the people of Ohio and Penn
sylvania any assurance that, for a
similar crime, they will not share
like fate? We are drifting rapidly
toward a centralized government
when such demands as are made by
Radical politicians in regard to
Tennessee and Virginia are treated
with even common courtesy. Eff
forts by disappointed politicians to
reverse the results of elections,
when the decision has been made
by avery small majority, have been
common for many years. But, says
the Chicago Times, ''when, as in
the case Of Virginia and Tennessee,
the decision has been rendered by
majority overwhelming in num-
bers, it has remained to the present
era of reconstruction for the de-
feated minority to set about over
turning the decision of the success
full majority. The old habit was
bad enough, and damaging enough
in its effect on public morals. The
new habit is one that strikes at the
foundation, not only Of public NOR
ality, but of the existence of re
publican government.
The old habit found an excuse in
the pretence of vindicating the pu-
rity of the ballot box. The new
one can find no such excuse. Any
pretenco that the decision in Vir-
ginia by forty thousand majority,
or in Tennessee by seventy thou
sand, was obtained by fraud, would
be absurdly preposterOus. The
disappointed politicians who de-
sire to overturn those decision, and
who are now importuning the fede-
eral power to that end, do not set
up any such pretence. In Vir-
is still regarded by !
the disappointed ones as that i'm
possible thing, one of the States of
the Union that is not in tho
Union--no excuse whatever is
deemed essential. In Tennessee, |
the excuse set up by Mr.. Stokes for
desiring to defeat the popular will |
is "the alarming political con-
dition which is fast precipitating |
Tennessee into the hands of |
the Democracy = One must con-
cede to Mr.. Stokes the merit of
candor. What he gives as the rea.
son why Radical party admins
tration at Washington should help
the Radical minority Of Tennessee
10 put down and drive from place
their opponents, who constitute q
very large majority of the people
in that State, is unquestionably the
yrue explanation of the effort they
ire making. 1t is also the true ex.
PLANTATION of the similar movement
Of Radical politicians in Virginia,
.hough Gov. Wells lacks the candor
10 proclaim it. The indications are
lnmistakable that Tennessee and
Virginia will be "precipitated," by
.he decision of their people at the
Dallot--box, into the hands of the
Democracy. Indeed, by the decis-
on Of their people, they are there
already. Not by fraud not by any
unlawful agency; but by the free,
openly declared will of the people,
in accordance with the
highest forms of law, in the exer-
Use of that political right on which