Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-05-25
WHATS IN A NAMEs

The opposition TO the Republican party
in East Tennessee i greatly troubled over
its name. 1t is called Conservative, Con-
servative Union, and Union party just as
pleases the fancy of the writer. We al
ways prefer to call things by their right
name. There are in this country but two
great political parties. The Democratic
party with its record of hatred and malice
for republican institutions, its open, avow-
ed, active sympathy with the rebellion, is
on the one side; the Republican party,
with its noble record of unfiinching adhe-
renee to the great cardinal principles of
Republicanism, rs set forth in the Declare
ton of independence and in the Constitu-
ton, is the other party, and between these
two every man must choose. There may
occasionally arise local issues upon which
parties may, for the time being, divide; or
there may be reform movements that en-
brace the non-partisans of a State; but
such divisions are temporary and local,
The two great parties named have a Ma
tional character-eXtend over and through
all the States, and, as matter of course,
embrace and take in all State and local or
two parties the opposition to Republican,
ism in Tennessee must merge 1t is all
ridiculous to talk about a Conservative
Union party in East Tennessee. There is,
and can be, no such organization. The
policy of Congressional and State legisla-
ton, of National and local measures, is
shaped and controlled by the Democratic
party. Even in Tennessee the organiza-
ton embracing all the opponents of the
Republican party, is called Democratic. In
Middle and West Tennessee, where the
bulk of. the party vote is to be found, there
is no evasion or assembling attempted.
The party there glories in the name of
Democracy, and is made up of Democrats
The party in East Tennessee opposing the
great Union Republican party, acts in
sympathy and accord with the Democrats
of Middle and West Tennessee, and with
the Nallandinghams, Woods, Voorhees,,
Eldridges, Pendletons and Seymours of
the North. They marshal under their
banner, and support the measures they in
auguratc, and they cannot now hide their
heads under the more winning name of
Union Conservatives. They vote and act
with those men, and they must assume the
odium such associations deserve.
We do not wonder that the cunning lead
ers of this new combination of political
elements shun the odium of the Democrat
ic name. II was Democracy that brought
about, through treason, perjury and whole
sale robbery, the late wicked and unholy
rebellion. 1t was the Democracy of the
North that secretly but persistently en-
couraged and abetted the open-armed trail
tors of the South. 1t was Democracy that,
by such means prolonged the war and
drove the South in its desperation, to make
of Andersonville and Belle Isle vast
slaughter pens for brave, imprisoned sol
diers. II was the Democracy that sought.
after the war was ended, to rob the gov
ernment of its fruits by partisan schemes
a. reprehensible az treason itself II il De-
mocracy to-day that favors the repudia.
ton of our National and State debts.
No wonder that with such record our
shrewd politicians in East Tennessee
should attempt to hide the odum or con-
ceal their real objects under the head of
Conservatism. But it will not do Every |
man who votes and acts with that party, |
is in fellowship with Vallandingham, Pen |
dleton and Brick Pomeroy and can not |
dodge the name they delight to bear.
There are but two partics-Democratic and |
itepublican. Choose We, reader under
which banner you will march and battle.