The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1870-07-09
Democratic Address.


The Democratic Senators and members
of Congress, in caucus, on the 23d ult,
agreed upon, signed and published the fol-
lowing address;
To our Felio1o citizens Of the United States,
Friends of Constitutional, Economical
and Honest Government.
The undersigned beg leave to call your
attention to the peculiar Importance Of the
elections which takes place this year, and
respectfully to submit suggestions for your
consideration. By the State Legislatures
to be elected nearly one-third of the United
States Senate will be chosen, and nearly all
the members of the next House of Repre-
sentatiyes are to be elected next fall. Upon
the coming elections, then, depends the
question whether the Democratic and con-
soryative element in the Senate shall be in
creased, and whether that element shall
have q majority of Representatives in the
House of Representatives, and as q conse-
ounce whether we shall have constitution
al, economical and honest government, or a
continuance of revolutionary, eXtravagant
and willful partisan rule whether we shall
have general, uniform, just and constitE
tional legislation, with reasonable taxation
and frugal expenditure, or an unconstitu
tional, partial, unjust and class legislation,
with oppressive and unequal taxation and
wasteful expenditure. That we have strong
reasons to hope for favorable RESULTS
plainly apparent The elections already
held clearly show that the tide of reform
has set in with power that can't be resist
! ed. Let no blunder be committed by the
| friends of reform If they do their duty
and act wisely; if they throw off all apathy
and act with vigor and steadfastness, there
| is every reason to hope their efforts will be
rewarded by success. Let there be no dis
sensions about minor matters; no sacrifice
of the cause to crafty personal resentment
and let the best men be chosen for candi-
dates, and we may hope to see our country
/ redeemed from misrule. And in this con-
nection we beg leave to say a word to our
felloweitizens of the Southern States. Do
not risk the loss of Senators or Representa-
tives by electing men who cannot take the
| test oath, or who are under the disability
| imposed by the Fifteenth Amendment
Whatever may be SAID as to the validity of
that amendment, or of the test oath act,
you may rest assured that Senators elected
| by the votes of members of the LegIsla
lures who are held by the Radicals to be
thus disqualified, will not be permitted to
take their seats, and that members Of the
House of Representatives thus disqualified
will also be excluded It is the plainest
dictate Of practical wisdom not to incur any
such risks. We hope soon to see the day
when all disabilities will be removed, but in
the meantime we entreat you, do not lose
the opportunity to strengthen the Democrat
ic and Conservative force in Congress, and
the possibility, nay, probability of obtain
ing majority in the next House of Repre-
sentatives, by putting it in the power Of our
adversaries to overthrow and disregard ouI
elections
Signed A. G. Thurman, of Ohio; w. T.
Hamilton, of Maryland; John II. johnson
of Virginia; Garrett Davis, Of KY, and
many others.