The Hickman courier., 1871-10-07
The New rIy-Re-EniOn and
- RaEnrnn

We have been shown an interesting
document now in circulation in Hick
man, and we suppose throughout the
whole country, which is being circulated
! for the purpose of obtaining signatures
with the view of forming the liberal,
progressive, public spirited men of the
South, into a re union and reform party
or assocntiou The circular assumes
hat the extreme partisan spirit fostered
by the political parties at present exist
Ing, is calculated to impede the return
of that lraternal feeling which Is neces-
sary to our national pence and prosperi
~, and the siguers mutually pledge
themselves to co operate together III
furtherance of the views therein Winds
Gated The point Is that neither the
present Democratic or Republican par
ties are equal to the correction Of the
evils which now afilict the country The
principles Of the new organization is to
all intents and purposes Democratic doc
trine, as presented by all the Democratic
Conventions of recent date. Can the
ideas embodied be better enforced and
secured in or out of the Democratic par
ty? The idea exists in the minds Of
many good Conservatives that so much
prejudice pertains to the Democratic
party in the Northern States, that new
organization freed Of these supposed en-
/ barrassmeuts, would more assuredly win
victory. Our own conviction is that the
great battle of 1872, can be best fought
Inside the old Democratic organization.
However, if the contest should evolve
between the Re union and Reform par
ty and the Radicals" the Democracy
would solidly support the Reformers.
/ The new movement meets with consider
able favor in this vicinity among mem
bers of both the Republican and Demo-
cratic parties.
The following are the objects Of the
new organizations as stated iu the circular:
/. The protection of the rights of eve
ry citizen, in accordance with the Con-
sritutiou as it Is.
2 The discountenance Of useless agi-
tation of past issues.
3 The restoration Of fraternal feel
ings and relations with the people Of the
North.
l. The dissemination of constitutional
principle, and the ineuication Of an
earnest, abiding iaith in the genius OF
free Institutions, aud their eventual sue
cess in all quarters of the globe.
> The maintenance OF law and order
Is. The promotion and encouragement
Of immi grafton.
Z. The establishment of an efficient
system of general education.
g. The exposition of, and strict ad-
herence to, the principles OF local self
government, and the promotion among
the people Of those feelings aud eonvic
tions which viii cause them, through the
operation of local self government, to
establish state Of things which will no
longer furnish reason or pretext for
the interference Of the central govern
mentin local affairs.
8. General Amnesty.
10 Opposition to Bepudiation in eve-
~ form.
il The modifcatiou of the present
Tariff system to a Revenue basis.
y. Reduction OF Taxation.
l3. Civil Service Reform and
Lastly. We pledge ourselves, from
this time forward, to give our support to
> men Of uprightness, merit and libera!ity
regardless Of political auiecedeDts, be-
lieving that the time has come for all men
of progress TO turn their backs upon the
past, and to grasp manfuHy the duties
aud possibilities Of the future.