Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-08-15
EN-. ETHERIDGE.
He Says that Two Opposing Parties already
Exist, and there Is no Use for Third.
That there is Nothing In the Political Situa-
tion Demanding the Formation Of
Third Party.
And that Ne will Support the Party Of Nc
CIeIlan and Seymour with all the
Power he Possesses.
pREsnEN. -. August 5, 1s1O.


In it you say: Efforts are being
made to persuade those who have
here tOfOre been associated with the
Old-line Whig party, that it IS their
duty to withdraw from active CO.
operation with the Democrats, and
re-Organize a separate party" And
you conclude by saying: We avail
ourselves of the privilege OF inviting
your advice as to the course the old
line Wings should pursue in the pres
ent and approaching crisis" feel
myself wholly unfit 10 offer valuable
advice, and / disclaim all purpose or
desire to make the effort. l have,
however, no opinions in regard to
personal OF public duty which desire
TO conceal.
a proposition to Te-Organize a sepa-
rate party in Tennessee, at this june
ture, must be designed 10 influence the
administration Of lb6 State or Federal
Government, or both; and it viii be
made, if made at all, in full view OF
the fact that fiCO opposing parties at
ready eriSt. These hostile parties
were formed Immediately after the
surrender, in 1865, at the time of the
military appointment of members of
Congress; they then embraced nearly
all the white population of the State,
although but few were permitted to
manifest their preference or opinions
in an effective way. They existed in
the sO-called State elections in 1867;
they were arrayed i'm fierce hostility
in the Presidential contest of 1865, and
were again marshaled in still fierceT
opposition in 1869, when Senter was
chosen Governor. These parties again
confronted each other in December
last, when delegates were chosen
TO amend the Constitution; again, in
the following March, when the Con-
stitutiOn was ratified, and still more
recently, when, less than a year ago,
we elected an independent judiciary.
All these struggles, except the Presi-
dental struggle of 1868, were cOnined
to the limits of the State, yet each and
all involved our personal liberties;
they were Waged with an the earnest
ness, nay, the bitterness with which
ffee-bOrn men will feel and display
in q contest with despotism. At last
the government of the State is under
the peoples control. That minority
which for four years reveled in our
misfOrtunes is no longer able to obtain
the aid. of bayOnets TO enforce their
behests. So far, then, as the State
Government is concerned, we have
but little TO fear. The Democrats,
Wings and Conservatives who res
cued the State are surely in harmony.
Our indignities have been too recent /
soon to be forgotten. While they are re-
membered, there is a tie of sympathy
and union which cannot be easily
strained or broken. And now let US
ask ourselves 1CjtO composed that party |
1Cith lCltich ace united one year ago, lCiie7l
sge rolled lp a majority of nearly seUe17- |
ty thousand for lStRteT, and which |
crushed forever the power Of that fac |
ton by which we had been insulted |
and enslaved? Were they exclusively |
Democrats, Wings, or Conservatives? |
Were they alone the friends or enc |
mics Of the rebellion? No. Through |
out the State every man who pre- /
ferred a government of the people to /
the rule Of the sword; all who desired /
constitutional liberty rather than a |
brutal deSpOtism; Wings and /
Democrats, Conservatives and Re-
publicans, Federal and Con- /
federate soldiers, mingled har-
moniOusly in the strife. Every |
past difference seemed to be forgot
ten; nothing was remembered but /
the duties of the hour. Has anything 4
occurred in Tennessee politics, during |
the past year, to separate those who |
were then so closely allied? And il |
nothing has transpired iR The State, to |
make necessary the formation of |
separate party, IS there anything IN the |
general political situation lChtch rem |
ders such a Increment proper or GlJOlV- |
able at Uiis time? There is; in my
Judgment, nothing whatever to justi- |
1y such movement, while grave con-
sideratiOns seem to forbid the attempt. |
Although our State contests, since the |
war, have been comparatively local, !
they aroused deep interest abroad
they involved the liberties of whole !
State. Most Of US were disiranchised, |
taxed without representation, and in |
suited and oppressed by an ignorant |
and irresponsible minority under the |
auspices of the government at Wash
ingtOn. Left to ourselves the people |
would have speedily resumed the |
peaceful control of the State, but the /
whole power of the Federal Govern
ment was in sympathy with our OPP
pressors. Since the surrender not one |
mention of our wrongs has been made
in any Executive Message which has /
been sent to Congress; no Congress
siOnal measure designed for our relief |
found the slightest favor with that |
party who controlled the government, |
while majority were ever ready to |
forge for US additional chains. If the |
judiciary were suspected OF a purpose |
TO give US the protection of the COnsti- |
fution-thOse plain guarantees indls- |
pensible to our satety-the party in |
power was prompt TO interpOse against |
US. During all this time there have |
been but two organized parties |
in Congress, or in any of those States |
which have escaped the rule of Abe |
bayonet; there are but ts0o parties |
ssOiC. Which of them, as a party, |
during this period has been most true |
to the Constitution? to representative |
government, and the reserved rights |
on the States? Which is responsible |
for the extraordinary and alarming
expenditures which are inseparable
from a military government OF State5Y
Which party fosters Congressional
" rings" gives employment to the
" lobby" grants immense subsidies in
aid of residuary OF party schemes,
and encourages mOnOpOhes to an eX-
tent which renders imperialism al
most a fact? Not the Democratic or
Conservative party. Which was the
friend, the champion of Tennessee |
during the four long years of gloom
and despair which hung over the
State? Not the Republican party. |
Which party by force and fraud has
40 altered the Constitution as TO aug
nent the central power by sacrifice
OF the reserved rights of the States?
Not the Conservative or Democratic
party.
The Democratic party at the North,
we all know, embraces all the Wings
of the oiden time who have not joined
the Republicans. Such Wings as Fill
more, the EWings, John Quincy Ad-
ans, Brooks, Lewis ID. Campbell, and |
an fnnumerable multitude of Others |
no less distinguished, are now in full |
accord with the Democratic party |
upon the living issues of the day. |
They are side by side with Cox, PEN |
dletOn, Hendricks, Voorhees,, Sey- |
mour, English, Eldridge, the Aliens, |
Marshall, Packer, Vallandigham, |
Thurman, Morgan, and other distin- |
Ruished leaders Of the old regime. All |
are cordially united in determined |
purpose to rescue the Federal govern
Inent from its present control. it is |
folly to discuss any other question |
aOt0. The whole future, especially in |
the South, depends in great measure |
upon the result of the next Presiden-
tial election. No State IS secure, no |
mans liberties safe, while the Fed !
eral government is controlled by men
who will 50 much as consider meas
ures which the Republican party have |
repeatedly enforced. The past eXpe- |
Ffenap of Tpnnassaa tho lafa aYaTnnIa |