Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-10-26
50 CONsPIRACx.,,

On Saturday morning we stated that il
was well understood Friday morning thai
a conspiracy had been formed Thursday
night ''by which all the opponents of ATr.
johnson who had been balloted for on
Thursday were to be withdrawn, and that
the entire Radical strength were to unite
with minority of the Conservatives on
Judge Henry Cooper, the present State
Senator from this county" The Banner
excerpts TO our use of the word conspiracy
in this connection. It viii be seen that
we stated explicitly the object and result
of what we termed a completely, so that
there could be no misapprehension of the
facts which we wished to make public,
even if there was misapplication of the
word by which we designated the instru-
nent that accomplished the result. Hence
we cannot see that offense can be justly
taken, even by the most fastidioas, unless
the offense lies in the publication of what
actually occurred. The authorities tell US
that the word conspiracy is derived from
the two Latin words con and slOire, which
mean ''to breathe together, the having
one spirit" In this matter of which we
have spoken, did not the Radicals and the
minority of the Conservatives "breath to-
gether?" Did they not have ''one
spirit2" There may be conspiracies in
violation of law as well as conspiracies
not in violation of law. We are
further informed by the authorities
that in Republic ''conspiracies are justified
and hailed as glorious events when sane
toned by success We have no dis
position TO indulge in the use of offensive
epithets. That's not our style. 1t is the
result accomplished and the means by
which twas accomplished that we object.
1t is the defeat of the wishes of a majority
of the Conservatives of the State as repre-
sented by majority of the Conservative
members IF the Legislature through the
instrumentality of a caucus of a minority
of the Conservatives with the Radicals of
the Legislature against which we inveigh
Has not a party majority hitherto always
controlled the party nominations When
in the history of parties in Tennessee or
any other State in the Union has minority
entered into a caucus with the oppo-
sing party to defeat the wishes of the
MAJORITY Such action cannot be defended
by high sounding names. 1t is against
party precedent, ruinOUs to party diCip
line and fatal to party principle. 1t will
not do TO say that the opposition to Mr..
johnson was because of his extreme
Unionism, nor win it serve as an excuse
that he would have received, if he could
have obtained them, any portion of the
Radical votes The offense in the first place
is the attempt of a minority TO defeat the
will Of the majority of the Conservatives
of the State as represented by majority
of the Conservative members of the
Legislature, and, in order to accomplish
that, going into secret cOnclaYe with the
Radical members of the General Assembly
who were not only as bitter in their
UniOnism during the war as Mr. johnson,
but whose bitterness has continued TO the
present time. Who have by every posi-
ble means endeavored to keep US bound
hand and foot; who in the last election
still declared Us unfit TO exercise the right
OF suffrage, after they had given to the
negro the right to vote, to sit on the jury
and to hold Office; who wero part and
parcel of that multitudinous army Of
Radicalism that Mr.. johnson in defense of
the rights of the South as boldly con
fronted as did the Roman Horatius the
Tuscan hosts Of Lass Porsena at the
bridge across the Tiber
Our objections viii thus be seen, and it
is to be hoped that many Of the Conserva-
tiycs who have sympatiBed with the re-
suit of this caucus viii see its evil tend
encies and oppose the like in the future.
For ii is only by strictly guarding the in
terest of the constituent that we can pre-
serve the dignity of the Representative.