Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-08-06


am not willing TO forestall an exam
!, ination of the question, even il it could
be done, by resolutions or platforms.
am for leaving it open freely to be
investigated by any tribunal having
, competent jurisdiction OF the subject.
. I do not propose TO set on foot any
laWless or revolutionary modes of re-
! sistance to the enforcement of the
amendments.
THAT there are peaceable and legal
modes OF determining the question
can scarcely be doubted. 1t seems to
me that this is
} THE TRUE POSITION FOR THE DE-
MOCRACY
to occupy. 1t is consistent with their
former views, and avoids the humil-
alton of the "new departure" which
is a surrender Of the whole subject to
Radical usurpatiOn and revolution.
1t is said, however, that the Radical
party will continue to enforce, as it is
now doing, the amendments, and that
it is useless any longer to think of re-
sistance, or Of corrections. That is
despOnding, not to say cOwardly,
view Of the subject. So long as the
Radicls continue in the possession of
the Government, they will not hesi-
tate to do anything to perpetuate
their power. They have already tax
en- away the jurisdiction of the Su-
preme Court to decide upon the con.
stitutiODality of the reconstruction
measures, but this can and will be re-
stored. have great confidence in
the sober second thought of the peo-
pie. 1t was by brute force that the
amendments were carried through
the forms of ratification, and it is by
like force that they are being execu.
ted. Submission is the only alterna-
tive in the presence Of'a superior force.
1t Is the alternative Of the man, who,
with a cooked pistol at his head, is
required to surrender his purse. But
it does not follow that the man robbed
shall not only part with his money,
but afterWard voluntarily ratify the
robbery. This is, however, what the
'new departure" men substantially
propose to do.
But am told that
THE NORTHERN WING OF THE PARTY
favor the "NeW Departure" and that
we of Kentucky will be left out in the
cold. That may be so. We shall see.
l have confidence in the patriotism,
prudence, and good sense of the party.
and ! have no fears but that when it
assemblies in National Convention it
will act in such way as to preserve
its principles, honor, and dignity, and
promote the prosperity and happiness
of the country. And not only so, it
will nominate a Democrat of unques-
| toned integrity and of undOubted al
legiance to the principles of DemOc-
racy, as our standard bearer in the
Presidential contest. A victory gained
under such circumstances would be
substantial. 1t would be triumph of
principle and not mere change of !
spoilsmen. 1t would give peace and |
quiet to the country, and relieve the |
public mind from that constant aDXi. |
ETY. in regard to the future which is |
now felt by all rejecting men.
With such standard bearer there |
would be departure; q departure of |
the GOths and Vandals from the Fed |
eral Capital; a departure of vampires
from the Treasury, and of venal and /
corrupt officials from high places.
But / am regarded as a Bourbon, |
and am denounced as an old fogy. l |
am accused of having formed my /
ideas of the Constitution and of the /
philosophy of the Government from /
the teachings OF Jefferson, Madison,
Jackson, Chief Justice Marshall and |
Clay. am suspected of having read
in the Federalist and the debates in
the convention which formed the /
Constitution of the United States.
Well,
MIGHT AS WELL OWN UP.
In nav ygnnnrr s1Cx1a L Suaa (tlaU n1on /
/ followed the fortunes of that great
chieftain, until he succumbed TO the
common enemy and went to his rest.
l heard him disband the Whig party,
that noble old party OF which he was
the accepted champion. 1t was his
thanatODsis. l will not say that he /
was inspired, but l will say that he
seemed to look into the future as il |
he had taken counsel with something
higher than reason.
/ became a Democrat because the
party was national, not sectional; be-
cause it held and taught the true
theory of the Government; because it |
acknowledged the dual nature Of our
system, and insisted upon keeping the /
State and Federal Governments with.
in their respective orbits. They never |
could have cOllided If the Democratic /
theory had been adhered to. But il |
the noble old party is to be stripped
of its principles, and is to become a |
mere organized contestant for the |
spoils; il it is to be dismantled Of ev-
erything but its name, / don't know |
what / am. If
CUNNING Is TO TAKE THE PLACE OF |
sTATEsAIANSHIP,
and principles are to be made to yield |
to party policy; If Constitutions are |
to be placed upon the footing Of a |
mere statute, subject to be suspended |
at the pleasure of a dominant party, |
or to be amended by forcing q com
pliance with the forms OF amendment |
by the use of the bayonet; if parties
are no longer to be the eXponents of |
great political principles, but to be-
come mere organized rings to appro-
pirate the offices and treasures Of the
nation to the use and benefit OF its
own members, then, indeed, it seems
to me, that so far as the people are
concerned, it matters but little what
party may control.
1 stand here to-day as one of the
humblest of Democrats to maintain
the honor and integrity OF the Demo-
cratic party. Iprotest against the at
tempt to humiliate it by assigning to
it a portion in the rear of the Radical
party, following in its line of march,
and subsisting upon the crumbs and
Offal of the abandoned Radical camps.
But if this must be its fate, if this is
the position assigned to it in its old
age, then ask but one other favor,
and that is that the names of Jefferson,
Madison, Monroe, and Jackson, be
blotted from its chronicles, and that it
be rebaptized as the party of the New
Departure"