Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-07-20


We presume a discussion OF thC
New Departure will no longer dis
tract the Democratic party Of Arkan,
sss as the two factions have comprO.
missed and harmonized by very prop.
erIy a%djourn1ng the question to the
next National Democratic Convention.
But the question in Tennessee is still
an open one. The Democratic State
Executive COmmitte having without
authority, and c~ontrary.tC all custom,
committed the party to apOlicy about
which there is such a wide division,
il is natural that there should be pro-
test, discussion and disc0rd. Let the
Executive Committee of the State re-
trace its steps, repair the injury which
its error has committed by referring
the question Of a State and National
platform to the proper conventions,
and the Democracy OF Tennessee will
be again harmonious. As long as
there are DemOcrf Is in Tennessee Urg-
ing the party to abandon its princi-
pies, to accept unc0nstitu tionsl and
revolutionary acts, and not to disturb
amendments to the Constitution that
swallow up the whole Democratic
creed Of States rights, and as long as
there are Democrats who would Rban-
don a further adhesion TO the right
Tor fear OF defeat, there will be found
and equal number OF Democrats ready
TO ask: Have parties battling for the
right never been defeated? Are we.
never again to oppose uneOnstitutiOn-
al and t~yTsnnOus measures for fear OF
defeat? Are We never again to strug-
gle for principle when the chances are
that we may be beaten? Is the Dem
ocTatic party never to resist usUrpa-
ton again, because the Radicals may
sppear too strong TO be safely defed?
Is there no principle in the Democrat
ic creed that is 10 be considered worth
fighting for until the last fortress is
stoTmed and carried? Is there never
again 10 be another combat in which
the Democratic party is TO go down
with its flag flying at the masthead?
Is there never more to be opposition
70 usurpatioB, uncOnstitutional and
revolutionary acts? Is there never
more 70 be q limit to subservienc sub
mission to wrong and outrage? Is the
Democratic party to become a party Of
contemplate dirt-eaters2 Did the old
Wing party, ia defeat, strike its cOlors
and take a " new departure" because
its principles had " iailed?" Did the
Democratic party "accept the situs-
ton /" in 1910, when the Wings, with
their unconstitutional measures, tri-
umphed? Again, when the Demo
Gratis were routed by General Taylor
in lS4s, did they recognize the acts Of
TaylOrsnd Fillmore as accomplished
facts" and undertake tOHsteal into
power by taking q new depart-
ure? When the Republicans were
defeated for the Presidency in
1852 and in 1856, did they play
the part Of towards, admit that
their principles were unpopular,
that the policy Of the Democratic
party was an accomplished fact"
and therefore ''secept the situa-
tiOn?n In none of these contests did
we hear anything about New Depart
ures. In other days the hosts Of the
Democratic army were welded to-
by defeat, and devotion to
principles were quiekened and
strengthened by disaster, In other
days defeat occasionally threatened
the destruction Of the Democratic
but IN the hour Of adversely,
of yielding TO the tempest, it
its watchhres trimmed and blaz-
.ng. Disaster only aroused it to newt !,
No man ever succeeded in
anything wheaaoWed his first reverse
crush his spirit, or TO paralyze his
arms, and whenever aparty abandons
the issues on which it hss been del
.eated, the fact shows that the issues {
sither deserved defeat, or that their
advocates were craven towards, Toll
iefest Radicalism in the next contest :
he war ought to be made aggressive A
IN the part Of the Democracy, The F,
ssues could be, and ought TO be made I
distinctive. wide, broad and deep. I
But the Democrats cannot defeat 4
he Radicals By Joining them, by ac. {
usHrpations. rro It is a strange 4
POSITION for the Democratic party to
.ssert that Il viii not disturb s.ny Of
he Radical atrocities, any Of the gross
md psipabie violations of the COnsti-
ution, and then propose 10 defeat the ]
Radicals on account OF their revolu-
and unconstitutional uturpa-
ionsl We have seen the Radicalst
Ydvance from position to position,
spturing first this strong position I
rom the Democratiepsrty, then that;
nd If the democrats propose TO q sur 1
lll-a pa-F