Vicksburg weekly herald., 1870-08-20
ANOTmER E8LB LINE wHIG''
mEARD FRBm.
DREspEN. IL, Aag. s. $50.

GcntlemeA-Your letter Of the
lst Instant was received TIVE days
ago. In it you say: efforts are
being made TO persuade those who
have heretofore been associated
with the old.line Wing party, that
it is their duty to withdraw from
active cooperation With the Dem
ocrats, and re-organize a separate
party" And you conclude by
saying: "Wo avail ourselves Of
the privilege of inviting your adj
vice as to the course the old-line
Wings should pursue in the pres
ent and approaching crisis" |
feel myself wholly unfit to offer
valuable advice, and disclaim all
purpose or desire to make the ef
fort. | have, however, no opin.
ions in regard to personal or pub.
lie duty which l desire to conceal.
A proposition to re-organize
separate party in Tennessee, at
this juucture, must be designed to
influence tho administration Of
tie State or Federal Government,
or both; and it will be made, if
made at all, in full view Of the fact
that twO opposing parties already
erist. These hostile parties were
formed Immediately after the sur
render, 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 prefer.
ence or opinions in On effective
way. They existed in the social
ed State elections in 1867; they
were arrayed in fierce hostility in
the Presidential contest Of 1868,
and were marshaled in still liercer
opposition in 1869, when Senter
was chosen Governor. These par.
ties again confronted each other
in December last, when delegates
were chosen to amend the Consti
tuition; again, in the following
March, when the Constitution was
ratified, and still more recently
when, less than a year ago, was
elected an independent judiciary
! All these struggles, except the
Presidential struggle of 1868
were confined to the limits of th,
State, yet each and all involved
our personal liberties; they wcrt
waged with all the earnest
ness, nay, the bitterness will
which free-born men will fee
and display in a contest with dos
potism. At last the governmcn
Of the State is under the people
control. That minority which fo
four years rcvcled in our misfor
tunes is no longer able to main
tain the aid of bayonGts to enforC
their behcsts. So far, then, as tn
} State Government is concerned
we have but little to fear. TIL
Democrats, Wings and COnscrva
tivcs who rescued the State arr
surely in harmony. Our indigni
ties have been too recent soon +
, be forgotten. While they are re
r mcmbered, There is a tic Of sympi
thy and union which cannot b
easily strained or broken. An
| now let us ask ourselves who con
posed that party with which "
united one year ago, when we rol
= cd up majority of nearly sevent
thousand for Senter, and whic
; crushed forever the power of thO
5 faction by which we have been in
suited and enslavedY Were the
exclusively Democrats, Wings, O
Conservatives? Were they alon
the friends or enemies of the re
. bcllion? No. Throughout th
, State every man who preferred
government Of tho people to til
rule of the sword; all who desire
constitutional liberty rather tina
, Il brutal despotism; Wings an
Democrats, Conservatives and RI
, publicans, Federal and ConfedeI
ate soldiers mingled harmoniousl
in the strife. Every past differ
; ence seemed to be forgotten; nc
l thing was remembered but til
duties of the hour. Has anythin
occurred in Tennessee politics
during the past year, to separat
those who we're then so closel
. alliedY And if nothing has trans
: pired in the State, to make nece'
sary the formation of a separat
party, is there anything in the ger
ersl political situation which rer
ders such a movement proper q
, allowable at this time? There il
t in my judgment, nothing whatevC
r to justify such movement, whil
! grave considerations seem to fol
bid the attempt. Although ou
a State contests, since the war, hav
+ been mostly local, they arouse
8 q deep interest abroad-they il
volved the liberties of a who
State. Most of US we're disfrar
chised, taxed without represents
ton, and insulted and oppresse
by an ignorant and irresponsible
minority under the auspices Of I'll
u Oovarnmant at WaRhinpton. La