Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-02-26
THE ISSUES FOR 1872.

The recent debate in the Senate upon the
action of the Indiana Democracy in re-
scinding the former ratification of the Eff
tenth Amendment, foreshadows, to some
extent, the issues upon which the great
campaign of 1872 will be fought. The
Democracy, of which McCreery and Frank
Blair are representatives, can never be per-
suaded to acquiesce in the results OF the
war. They are not satisfied with the
clemency of the Government in sparing
the lives of the chief censpirators in the
rebellion. They are not willing to concede
that the Government, by appropriate leg
islation, had the right to secure the rights
wrung from the insurgents at the expense
of millions of treasure, and the sacrifice of
thousands and tens of thousands of noble
lives. They are not ready to accept as
final the oft-repeated verdict of the people
ratifying and confirming the covenant
sealed at Appomattox and Raleigh. They
insist that the issues again and again de-
termined shall be again presented. They
believe that the people of this nation, after
years of observation and experience over
the results of past legislation, will yet con-
sent to undo all that has been done, and
leave to chance and the battle of politicians
the settlement of questions for which
"blood and from were expended without
stint. This is the logic of Blair's maiden
speech as the new leader of the Democracy
in the Senate Of the United States. He
hn1I 1os,
tionary sentiments advanced in his notori-
Gus Broadhead letter of 1868. With one
qualification, he proposes to fight in 1872
upon the same issues that defeated his
party in 1868. That qualification is one of
policy and not of principle. In 1868 he
declared that if Democratic President
were chosen, it would be his duty immedi-
ately after his Inauguration to march at
the head of the National army to disperse
By force the carpet-bagn governments
in the South. His observation since has
induced him to SO far qualify this revclu-
tionary programme as to say that the ar
my ought to be withdrawn from the South, |
and the carpet-bag governments be left to
their fate. The experience in Georgia,
Tennessee, North Carolina, Arkansas and |
Kentucky has satisfied him that the same
ends will be attained by his qualified as by |
his original programme. The new policy |
will serve to somewhat alIay the appre- |
tensions of the timid and to entirely de- |
ceive the unsuspecting, and it is therefore |
more polite than the old one. But it is, |
rs we before said, practically the same.
This frank and unguarded statement of |
Democratic principles by their new leader,
has been received with great satisfaction
oy Republicans all over the country. 1t is
equivalent to a decided victory in 1872.
That the people of the North, who, all
through the terrible suspense and heavy
sacrifices of the war, stood unwavering by
.he Government, will ever consent to yield
one principle for which their fathers and
sons died, is not for moment to be believed. |
they will not. They lovepe and
Iuiet, they want reconciliation and cordial
good feeling between the two sections, but
hey can no more consent to secure this by
now than they could in the
darkest hours of the conflict, when to have
yielded would have been lasting humiIia-
ion and national dishonor.
Frank Blair may hope to bring about the
of his countrymen by inducing
hem to yield now what their honor and
luty never before permitted them to give;
Senator MeCreery may wish to see the
,rave-yards where sleep the nations de-
enders surrendered to those who sent them
9 their rest, but we do not believe the peo-
BE will ever crafty them.
If the Democracy choose to make these
he issues for 1872, we certainly have no
objections.