The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-03-30
The Southern Democracy.

The Nashville Banner, in an article
on "The Issues Of 1872" advises the
Party to accept the Re,
construction Acts Of Congress, and
quotes, in support Of its views, e.
tracts from the New York World ant
Albany Argus Judge Linton Ste
phens, Of Georgia, the Banner regards
as a ~"hot-headed impracticable," and
SAYS that "four ffhs of the Southern
Democracy repudiate' his "extrem'
views.'
Now, the question arises, what are
Judge Stephens views, which seem ia
trouble the Banner 50 much Simply
this and nothing more: that the he
construction Measures are "unconstI'
tutional, revolutionary, null and void
And wherein does his position differ
from thst Of the Natural Democracy I
At its Mst meeting in Tie New York
Convention in 1855 it declared, 10 its
platform, that these reconstruction
measures were unconstitutional, rev
dictionary, null! and void" Judge
Stephens, therefore, stands upon the
platform Of the National Democracy
and every Southern Democrat in the
land endorses his position.
DR.. Bard, Of the Atlanta lntelligcncer
who was until recently says the Mo-
bile Register, a member OF the Radi-
cal Party, but who now pretends to be
a Democrat, made the assertion a short
time since that four. ffths OF the South
ern Democracy did not endorse the
National Democratic platform OF 1868.
What right, says the Register, has
such a man as this to speak for the De.
mocracy of the South
And what right has the editor Of the
Banner to speak for the Democratic
Party, when it is Il well known fact
that he has availed himself Of every
opportunity to plunge his dagger into
tue fundamental principles of Democ-
racy2
of there are Democrats" says the
Register. "who acGuiesce and accept
measures characterized by the highest
authority Of their party, as 'unconstl-
tutional, revolutionary, null and void
in what do they, the indorsers, differ
practically from the authors Of these
abominable measures? We say, then,
to the World, the Albany Argus that
1t quotes, and to our Northern friends,
just stand by your puhlicly"expressed
op%inion--the Judgment Of the National
Conventlon--and your own political
convictions, and there will not be q
ripple OF trouble intcrposed by the
Southern Democrats in the next Con
vention. We know that the devilish
irony Of usurpation has taken the form
Of derisive smiles when the Virginia
and Kentucky resolutions are so much
as alluded to. They laugh at the most
sacred munimenls and traditions Ol
American liberty, hut it Is only to rid.
iculc what they fear. The party devil
"believcs but trembles.' He fears the
holy water Of sovereign and saving
truth. We talk of policy-thcre is no
policy like that of truth there is no
eypcdiency like that of standing on a
righteous cause and impregnable prin,
ciples. There are no weapons in thS
armory Of political warfare 50 deadly
as Noe which are htrled in the very
face OF the Radical party, and which
bring it to 4 close hand to hand fight
on the live. and, die issues Of its whole
system of reconstruction acts since thu
vap. 1t is to he nc holiday fight, WI
know, therefore we should use no holi
day arms. Tho Democracy, bearin.
the constitution on it's shoulders, ant
launched upon the elemental strife
should exclaim with Cesar, 'guit
times ; Cosarsm vehis.' In this com
ing battle for Tree government, there i
no place for mousing policies Ant
guerrilla troubles. 'Aadacity is pru
dence,' and the Democracy must max
its cause clear to the world and thro,
away the scabbard. Oh! that all me
Of our party could comprehend til
electric power OF courage combine
with a good cause! How it infuse
life and spirit ever under the ribs Q
doubling, hating, hesitating timidity
How It gathers the floating masses q
humanity to its stirring banner. an
makes men Of towards"
Good for Logan.