Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-31

ls4k THE DYING rEAR-
The sun has risen on the last day Of 1871,
and on this quiet Sabbath night, the New
Year. bright with promise win dawn upon
the world. Never has an April day been
more varied by sunshine and shadow thsn
has the old year been diversified by bless
inqs and Affections among the children of
men. Ushered In amid the thtndeIs of d
gigantic war IN Earope, it has yetwitnessed
tie peaccable adjustments Of International
difficulties, and the sheathing Of the blood
stained sword of war in the old world. 1t
has seen an empire that had withstood the
shocks of centuries of warfare, and whose
armies had swept the fields of Europe, ire
sistible as the destroying angel, over
turned in single campaign, while a
new empire has stepped to the van
to lead the march of nations. 1t has wit
messed upheavals of society, changes Of dy-
nasties and Widespread terrible disasters
such As have rarely been recorded in the
pals Of history. In our own beloved
= Scn~it has been, on the whole, year
Wsshiwe would gladly blot from the me
Agenfx men, and it may well be regarded
Tso1 darkest hour of our young nations
4 u FThe prerogatives of the States have
been taught to look upon as only less
sacred than the laws OF God, has been fla
grantly violated; official dishonesty seems
70 have become contagious till public posi-
tions are no longer sought by honest
and honorable men; the grossest
form of tyranny has been inflicted
ON the Southern people; our common
sweaIths have been plundefed by ufscrupu-
lons and raIacious men, and they have been
countenanced by the Grant administration;
the rights of free-born citizens are denied
TO a large and most respectable portion OF
our people; the writ of habeas corpus has
been uffecessarily suspended, and military
despotism with all its horrors has been let
i. loose upon inofeDsiye and peseeable citi-
zens; large and most important section of
the country has been desolsted by fire; one
Of our fairest cities laid in ashes, and our
commerce ianguishes under a policy which
has long since been discarded by every other
civilized country, and which even
China and japan are preparing to
cast aside as too antiquated for them.
These are the clouds which have darkened
the sky of the old year and filed the land with
gloom. Bright CLEANS there have been, lit
Tie sslatches of sunshine which have broken
through the sombre clouds and gladdened
the nations heart for a moment.
The first day of 1871 was marked by
disastrous steamboat con1agration at New
Orleans, entailing loss of half million of
dollars. This was the first of long chap
ter of similar calamities, eliminating in the
autumn in the terrible fires of the North
western States. On the following day
tidings came to us from Europe that Prince
Amadeus had reached the capital of
Spain, and that the preparations for
his coronation were in progress while
yet the blood-stained corpse of the unfor-
tunate Prim lay unburied. On the 10th Of
January the first step in the disgraceful Sau
Domingo job was taken, by the adoption of
the now famous resolutions in reference to
the acquisition of the island. On the 18th
the commission left New York for San Do
mingo, Just in time to miss the earthquake
which shook New England on the following
day. On the 18th King William crowned
himself Emperor of Germany at Versailles.
On the 2lst the Communists of Paris began
to show their strength, and released num-
ber of prisoners confined in the jails Of the
ity. On the 9th the capitulation of Paris
vas signed at Versailles, and on the 10th Of
February the war was terminated, the
French government accepting the terms of
peace offered by Germany.
On the LIST of February the final step in
the unifcation of Italy was taken, the Cham
Der of Deputies by an Overwhelming ma
jority resolving to transfer the Italian cap
ital to Rome.
On March !, the German army made
their triumpllal entry into Paris. On the
18th the New Hampshire elections were
held and resulted in victory for the De-
n.ocracy. On the 18th the House of Rep
resentatiyes at Washington appointed a
committee to investigate into the alleged
ssKu-Klux" outrages, and eight days after
wards Grant sent a message to Congress
recommending .Ku-Klux legislation. On
the 10Th the reign Of disorder commenced
In Paris, after the withdrawal Ofthe Ger
man force. The Communists took posses
sion Of the city, and during the
short time they held it plundered and
DESTROYED the fairest portions of the gay
capital. On the 22d Governor Holden, the
plundering tyTant of North Carolina, was
convicted by the High Court of Impeach-
ment and removed from office and disquali-
fed from holding any position, of profit or
honor in the State. On the 23d Senator
Sumner arraigned President Grant for vio-
!, iating the constitution in illegally declaring
(war on Hayti. This usurpatiOn Of the pow
serS OF congress Dy Il6 ITeSlueIll was ialrly
laid before the public at the time and was
severely censured by the Independent press
throughout the country. 1t was made the
text of Senator Schurz's great speech, de- |
Evered in Chicago on the 18th of last Aug |
ust. Senator Summers resolutions were |
laid on the table by the venal Radical M a.
jority in Congress, and the President es-
capped just punishment for the time.
In the early part of April, the KuK lux |
buabear was made to do service for the ad- |
ministration, and the relentless policy to- |
wards the Southern States which has been |
80 frequently commented upon in Oar col
umns, was inaugurated anew, and con- |
tinues TO the present day. Nle San Do |
mingo scheme for some time divided public |
attention with it, but, after exciting much |
comment, was temporarily lost sight of, the |
nearer and more threatening danger of the |
subversion of constitutional government in |
the Southern States, and the establishment |
of military despotism in its stead, Overshad |
owing all other questions. On the 10th |
Of April, our German citizens celebrated |
a. If IN f1ar. nd