Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-23
THE AUGUST ELECTION.
Opposition TO the Radieais-A Canvass
Urged.

OppOsitIO TO the Radieais-A Canvass
Urged.
To the Editors of the Union aud Am trican.
have been much concerned to OBJ
serve from the tone Of the Conservative
journals of this once proud and famous
State of Tennessee, that there is very
marked disposition on the part Of the
most influential editors and other now
private but once public individuals, to
let the coming election FOR Governor go
by default, deeming it unwiseIto agitate
conservative ideas among our people, and
fearing to irr;tate the powers that be,
by appeals to the people, in behalf Of
themselves and their children.
For one, though rendered infamous by
party edicts, cannot help feeling an in
terest in my native State, and all the
more naturally since now suffer for
having as l imagined periodically served
her. 1t has panied me to witness q
seemingly united consent to yield for
time to domination of State officials
who, to speak in the very mildest man
ner Of them, have shown no capacity to
restore this State to its rightfnl position
in the Union who have neither passed
just and wholesome laws nor repealed
unwise ones under whose care no
kindly spirit has been fostered among
the people, nor hope given Of restoring
| the franchise to honest citizens who
| deride exposure Of their shameless mall
versations in office with the hardened
effrOntery OF old convicts, and sport with
the liberties Of the people, as though all
the sense, honor and courage of the peo-
pie had deserted them.
Is it because our leading spirits despair
of the republic? Is it that it is intended
to offer to the new leader oft Republis
can party new proof Of submission to
the DEGREES of Mars and the lawful
authority of of the United States governs
ment? Do they hope that our new Gov
ernor may do some wise, sober and virtu-
GUS action, on occount of which we may
generously support him in any role in
which he may conceive it his interest to
appear? Have they in their perplexity
turned to that most admirable, most pro-
found policy of mastery inactivity? Or
are they scared into q mean submission
to the most odious aye, most odious ever
heard of-tyranny and rapacity off few
low, base and unprincipled fellows who
have dared to lord it over a once free
people? 1t looks like it to me.
l distinctly wish you to understand
that had a vote, and chance offered
to support man of upright character, a
member of the Republican party, should
not hesitate to do so if his abilities ex-
ceeded that of his competitors. lam
as profoundly convinced that the South
must, if she yet retains sectional dream,
abandon it for real, hearty support of
the Union, and especially must look for
true nationality in the Union of Ameri- |
can States-as that President Grant must
be convinced that the people Of this I'M
happy country will support and applaud
him sincerely for an honest administra-
ton of the laws, aud the use Of his great
authority, personal and political, in ce-
menting the attachment Of every citizen
to his country.
Why, then, | ask, does it seem imprO-
per that every honest effort should be
made TO elect men at home favorable to
peace, reimbursement, reduction Of eX
cessive and burthensome taxes, and
strict accountability to the people for the
use or abuse of the public funds ? Can
it truthfully be said that in Tennessee
no honest man can be found of no seces>
sion faint, qualified under existing laws
to receive Office from the people whose
heart is not gsngrened with hate or filed
with avarice; for whom, as by common
consent, the people of the State may
cast their suffrages What is it
thought that belief in such mans fitH
ness for office in Tennessee would secure
his defeat? Are we to take the futile
efforts of old party stagers, of suspected
hankerings after Office as sufficient to
prove the problem ? Or are we waiting
for the rehabilitation of some old parti-
san orators of the submission order
unnecessarily submission Of what, to
whom, for what purpose Who that
has any sense believes the SIAN
ders poured out by wholesale
from party presses and travelling party
hireling letter writers? Are we not al
for peace who are worth being considered
| in these times-are we not all for mains
anu hhNO We hOl
yielded in verify every ancient prejudice
of strictly Southern origin All, all,
given up, save and excepting always and
foreTer, we can not praise brutal military
| tyrants Of whatever rank, who lorded it
over, pIundered and abused worthy men
and women in this State in times past,
who seized private houses, aid filled them
| with pianos seized here, mirrors, there,
SOFAS bureaus, curtains, carpets, etc, to
pamper the pride and insolence of un~
worthy and unsoldierly miscreants. Such
men do we'll to decry and misrepresent
Tennesseans. They cannot escape the
| infamy which awaits them. But | for
one demand the canvass. If there are
business houses soliciting the public pat
ronage in which the only voter is an
ignorant negro porter, whose occupants
are intent to take the present reign as
matter of course we of the free fields,
strangers to the sentim ent, beg leave to
enter our protest. AGRICOLA.