The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1870-04-14
Republicans read this.

N1@a
We find the following article in the
Athens Post Of last week, written By a re-
publican, over the signature of"Burgeois,"
which we commend to the careful perusal
of the Republicans of Monroe County. Ii
reads thus:
Editor Post: Win you permit a Re.
publican to address a few remarks to the
members of his party who read your pa
peri l ask this favor because it is the
best medium accessible to one desiring to
communicate with the Republicans of this
immediate locality, The question of Gre
construction" as applied to u State gov
eminent by those who discuss the latest
intelligence from Washington, has become
somewhat trite, nevertheless late adyices
have not Invested the subject of all inter-
est. The writer, with perhaps an over
whelming majority of his party, believed
that Congress in accepting the COnstiIu-
ton and "Scedulen presented under the
auspices of Brownlow, johnson and other
recOnstructionists, entered into compact
with the legal representatives of the new
State government, and that Senter and his
coadjutors, through the Registrars, viOlat-
ed the compact made under the Brownlow
regime. Had Congress chosen to inter-
vene Immediately after what was regarded
by the supporters Of Stokes, the fraudu-'
lent election of Senter and the Legislators
elected with him-empowering Gen. Lo-
veil, or some one else, to appoint new Reg
istrars and hold another election in accord
ance with the franchise law, such interview
ton would, unquestionably, have been ap-
proved by a large majority of the Repub-
iican voters of this State. The supporters
of Gov. Senter probably expected tall
would doubtless have acquiesced in it
but Congress having refused or neglected
to take cognizance of our isolated laws,
permitting Senter to organize his Legisla-
ture, the Legislature to call a Convention
to amend the Constitution, said Conyen-
ton having assembled and framed a Con-
stitution so thoroughly in keeping with the
rapid progress of the age, the same having
been recently submitted to and approved
by a respectable majority of the people,
would the Republicans not do we'll to take
the new Constitution as a compromise, as
a final settlement of our great political
dissensiOns, and engage in new issues ?
Would such a course not be policy? Would
Congressional interference at this late day
not reopen wounds that are but closed ?
Would military governmentnOw strength
en- the Republican party?-Woul it en-
nance the value of our bonds, lessen our
State debt, improve our commerce, increase
immigration, encourage amity or otherwise
add to the material prosperity of our State
or the happiness or interests of u peo'
pie? | hold that the interests Of the en-
tire community are paramount TO thu
wish:s ofa tew individuals, the gratif'
: cation of whose prejudices or the securing
of brief official positions for themselves OIL
friends, would confer no lasting benefit tc
any onet The charge Of "apostacy" SC
glibly uttered by the slares of party should
have no terror for true manhood. Time
changes, and men should change with al.
tered circumstances. 1t behooves every
one desiring to do right to act according
to the dictates of his own concience ,rathel
than blindly follow the commands of po'
litical autocrats. l confidently believe
a new and brighter era is dawning upon
our country, difusing light upon State and
Nation. I pity the man who stands likes
mile-post during the moving period of the
worlds history. Wise men will indeavol
to forget the bitterness of the past, and
aid, TO their utmost ability, in securing
the greatest good in the future.