Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-21
POLITICAL
Prank Blair on tbe sitRatiOl.
The South Must not Stand Ysck.
Better TO COncede Men than Principles.
Carl schurz and our Foreign Friends

MONTGOMERY. ALA, Oct O.-Gen.
Blair, of the sub ku-Klux Committee, in
speech last nigh. alluded to the proposition
that In the next Democratic National Con-
vention the South decline to be represented,
but taccept whatever candidate for President
the Democrats of the North offer. BE dis
sented from the proposition, as did every
Democfat in the West and North. The
triumph of the Democratic party is the
safety of the South, and who should guard
its safety but Southern men? If they fail,
may not others prove faithless? The South
has no question of personal favorites, but
their choice viii fall on him who is most
likely to carry the banner in triumph. If
the South fails to send her prudent and wise
men, it viii be claimed as refusal to go
with Northern Democrats because of the
New Departure, and because the spirit of
rebellion still burns under the mouldering
ashes. He was no friend of the New De-
parture, but believed in the patriotism
and purity of motive of those who
had chosen that path. While he would never
yield his own convictions as to the con-
stitUtionality of the usurpation of the
nadical parry, ne WIS wiaing to- fight
the Radicals in any shape that the Demo
cratic party may determine. He believed
the new departure policy failed to bring sue
cess in the elections this summer and au-
tumn for the reason that 1t was a confession
of inability to carry the elections upon our
own principles. In that confession the par
ty failed to place candidates before the peo-
pie in harmony with the platform. Thus,
while Southern Democrats were disguised
at the concession, no Republicans were con-
ciliated The future don't look good under
the losses of the summer and autumn. The
Republican party contains In itself the
seeds of discomfort, bitterness, rivalry and
disafection. The denomination of Grant
could not, in his opinion, be defeated. He
is now dictator in the Republican party and
he aspires to be in the country at large. BE
will dictate his own nomination. Some of
the most conscientious, able and courageous
men, standing highest in the Radical party,
will leave it when Grant is nominated; will
burn their ships when they fail to defeat the
nomination, and take good pains to defeat
his reelection.
Instead of going for new departure
Blair preferred TO give a guarantee to dis
appointed Republicans by the nomination
of Republican, who would draw to us by
a mnch stronger guarantee than the mere
words of platform the support of those
disappointed with Grant and the Radical
party. We could all vote for Republican
who favors universal amnesty and is against
Ku-Klux bills and military law. Virginia
has adopted this policy. Shall the Democ-
racy of the South hesitate to follow her ex-
ample? We have taken hold of it in Mis-
sou;i, and Missouri would in the Presiden-
tiaT election he believed give a larger ma
iority than any other State for the candidate
of the Democratic party.
The men of foreign birth are the men 20
whom we are to look in the coming strug-
Gle. They come from countries where des-
petism is practical and know its badges and
signs and are already recognizing them.
Their leading man and ablest representative
Is now proclaining opposition to Grant and
his administration; that lie has taken bis
departure and burned his ships. II was
Carl Schurz who led the entire German ele-
ment Of Missouri to break down the dis
franchizing clause of her constitution, and
arTayed his fellow W-countrymen as one man
against the administration and to despise
its officers, patronage and power. They
stand fairly and squarely to-day sOlidly TO
the last man against all acknowledgements
and for universal amnesty. They are OPP
posed to Ku-KlIx legislation, against the
suspension OF habeas corpus, and If the
Democrats put forward man, or accept
one who may be put forward by others,
who is sound upon these principles, he will
receive the entire German vote in the
United States numbering from five hundred
10 eight hundred thousand men.