Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-09-07
THE TWO PARTIES.

The approaching elections for Congress
promise to be exciting and stubbornly con- !
tested 10y both parties in all the States of
the Union. The issues are important and
material in their character They are too
vital and important to be lost sight of or
made subordinate to local questions or in-
terests. The political parties before the /
country have records and principles which
are as much in issue in the canvass as the
personal qualifications Of the candidates.
The legislation of Congress and the admin
istration of the Government are shaped by
the principles of the party for the time
dominant If the Democracy regain con-
troll of Congress or of the helm of Govern
ment, our laws and the policy of the coun-
! try will be shaped accordingly What is
the record and what the present policy of
the Democratic party, that it should be
supported by any man who sympathised
! with the Government during the war? Is
| it possible that any one has forgotten II .
odious record during that period or its Vig-
orous, determined opposition to secure Uy
| Congressional legislation what our armies
wruug from the enemy at the point of the
bayonat? Has it in any measure relentedin
! this opposition, or signifed its willingness
to be more liberal in the future? True,
some of the more liberal papers of the par
ty advocate the abandonment of dead is
sues, but when we come to examine their
reasons, they relate alone to the policy of
such course. They do not profess that
their CONNECTIONS have changed. Their rea-
soning is with the mprdctjcd6tes of their
party. and for the sake of success they urge
the necessity of yielding something for the
time to the liberal, progressive spirit Of the
age. The great mass of the party, especial
Iy in the South, still yield to the prin-
ciples of ante bclum days, and refuse to
acknowledge tho changes brought
about by the war; They do not
admit the validity Of the Fourteenth or
Fifteenth Amendments, but on the contra
ry, insist they are not part Of the Consti-
tuition. They do not favor protecting the
public credit, either 10y taxation to reduce
the principal, or by fulfilling our obliga-
tions to the letter of the law in their pay
= ment. They oppose tariff and favor a
policy which brings every labQring man
in the country upon level with the half
paid laborer of Europe.
On all questions of National importance
: the record Of the Democracy is such as te
+ make it Objectionable to every man who
has ever been in sympathy with the Gov
ernment during tho war, or who tavors 4
liberal, progressive party policy.
+ The Republican party, on the Other
, hand has ever been progressive, liberal
1 and honest in its National Legislative and
| Executive policy. Ever since 1860, the
: Congress of the United States has been il
f its control. In all the responsible and try
5 ing duties imposed by the war, it has done
. its whole duty nobly and honestly. Du
? ring the ten years of its domination il
G the control of the Government, it has made
i changes rendered necessary by the war
e but they have all been progressive, and at
d tended with no evil results. Since tn
= Executive part of the Government ha
2. passed into its hands, its revenues haV
n largely increased, Without burdening tn
people with additional taxes, and its eX
Is penditurcs have decreased. Measured b,
e any standard, its record, if not faultess, j
~ at least glorious compared to that OF an
le other party that ever administered tn
Government
IL Such are some of the consideration
1t which are now presented to our people
'e and are as worthy of being carefully weigl
re ed as others pressed by the opposition.