Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-06-14

ask for names and therefore hesi-
tate to choose what side to take
is too small print to read, and
would have cried beef! beef! even
under the eloquence of Henry, light
ening and laundering for liberty
We subjoin the following well
timed and sensible article from our
friend Colonel Wisdom of the Jack
son Tribune, who always speaks can
didly as well as truly. In his allu-
sion to the old Wing party, the writer,
always a Wing until the Wing party
abolitionised, heartily sympathises.
He denies that support Of the present
Democratic party involves desertion
Of any Wing principle now in issue.
He affirms that refusal to support it is
a refusal to contend for everything
which Wings ever regarded a essen
tial and vital to their party or the
country. The Tribune, referring to the
Ohio platform, says: 30 1o
We undertake to say that there is not
an Old Line Wing in Tennessee who does
not indorse this platform. Their why re-
fuse to stand on it2 Simply because il
is the %enuncistion of principles by party
of men who style themselves Democrats.
Naw, we have said repeatedly that a
party name was a meaningless, evanes.
cent thing, and not a matter of much
moment The name "Republican' is
good enough, perhaps the very best that
any party could adopt, but ought it to Sc
duce a man into the slOughs of Radical
ism? On the other hand, the name of
Democrat should not repel a %worshipper
from the shrine of truth, or stand as
a stumbling block in his way when
his feet are going in the right d.
rection. We were raised a Whig-we
love to reeur to memories that cluster
around a banner that waved eve OF the
'outer wall" and whose mbattled hosts.
in the South, fought their last fight for
the Union, the Constitution, and the IN
forcement of the laws" But the Wing
party, save its Southern wing, was sec
tionslized before the war, n had gone
ver to the Republican party. 1t had de-
serted Webster and Clay, and had fol-
lowed Seward and Greeley. Mr.. Web
ster had denounced and renowned it, and
Clay, on his death-bed, had done the same
to Gov. Jones, of Tennessee.
This is the truth of history, and any
effort to revive it would be disastrous.
Ave. out we are told that the Demo-
cratic party brought on the war;" and
hence is responsible for the "Ilisd of
woes" that followed in its train.
The chief cause of the wa was the cleo
ton of a sectional candidate on a sectional
platform pledged to the overthrow of
slavery, either by John Brown raids, or
by drawing around it a Gordon of free
States, MISUNDERSTANDING it from the ter
Fha aCrs.uann nronGrfu of oil tho |
States and combining it within a contracted
area, where it must languish and perish.
The South grew alarmed at the election
of Lincoln and his probable policy. AS a
people we went into secession to save our
Institutions from anticipated evils.
The movement was n of great una
Wings and Democrats Wed with
each other in "iriDg the Southern heart A"
precipitating the cotton States into
50 revolution" We have one word only to
say about the conduct of old line Wings
and Democrats in regard TO the war. If
believed the war was wrOng, and
gave in their adhesion to it, from a sense
fear, or to save their property, they
were traitors 10 their cORUlction Of right,
they ought to be ashamed to d~enOunce
others for bringing on the war" Why
lid they not resist the current of seces-
Why did they not head off the
movement? Why did they cover in the
of their country's peril?
kShe truth is, the war was the uprising
If a gallant people against the encroach-
nent of INSCRIPTIONS power. 1t was the
fleet of a cause, and the blood of the
thousands who fell is on the 'lintels of
he d~OorpOsts" of AbolitiOnism. The
var was Inevitable, and it is in bad taste
o mouth at men who were conspicuous :
n the struggle in which you were per- i
Iaps a soldier from choice. .
The first men of distinction who gave :
p their lives in behalf of the South from
'ennessee were Wings. The names of
tains, Zollicoffer, Peyton and Hatton
hine brightly on the ron of fame. Did
hey fight against their convictions of
uty? Were they mere camp followers, o
oliday patriots, or mercensry soldiers? E
( profound belief in the justice of their !
.use made them mingle in the fray. 1t [
i'll not do to impute to them unworthy Z
The war then commended itself Q
Old Line Wings as being right, and b
ying in it, they stand justified before 4
cd and man. Why then this cant about =
len Infringing on the war;" y