Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-09-04
POLITICAL.
The Gathering Of the Straightouts.
Remarkable Letter of Cha's O'COnOr.
He Declines I'm Advance.

Remarkable Letter of Cha's O'Conor.
He Declines I'm Advance.
LOUISVILLE, Sept. 3.-The ecNational
Democratic" Convention met to-day in the
Common Pleas Court Room of the Court
house. About O'Clock
Col. Duncan
called the Convention to order. Rev. DIR.
Platt addressed the Throne of Grace in an
eloquent prayer for concord and peace and
freedom from sectional jealousy throughout
the land. Col. Duncan then spoke as fol-
lows:
Gentlemen of the Convention: It is nv
duty to call this assemblage to order. lis
objects are well known and require no ex-
plantations. We have been derisiveIy called
boilers, mercenaries, ETC., by the edit ors
and politicians who have sought an alliance
with faction of the Radical party and
who have abandoned all the principles
which have hitherto characterized our or
ganization. 1t is not my province to cast
reflections upon the motives ofthose leaders
in whose wisdom and judgment their party
unfortunately confded. Their action is
invalid and void. 1t has no binding effect
upon ObbCA lIulNlQQdA vi JllC par
ty, and it has already been repudiated by
hundreds ofthousands. No spirit of pre-
sumptious forwardness induced the gentle
men who acted with me to appeal TO the
American Democrats against the fragrant
violation of party faith and utter negation
of principle involved in the nomination of
Mr.. Greeley. We did it with higher and
nobler motive. We did it to vindica te
nd fI,aA ii
for political treason to one who had ecu
pied lifetime in the bitterest animadver-
sions OF those whose support he now has
sought. If our call had been failure, our
duty would have been none the less per-
formed. But there was a sympathetic
chord in the American heart which re-
sponded in enthusiastic and harmonious
tones to the musicians touch. There is a
love for honesty, veneration for principle,
deep-rooted desire for reform in the
hearts of the American people, and the u.s.
semblage that l see before me tod ay
eyinces an earnest intention to uphold
that banner which has fallen from
nerveless and incompetent hands, I'D
to prove that the old organization
was not dead but only sleeping. 1t has not
Died Of its corruptions as the latter day
saints proclaim who are so eager for its de-
struction.. 1t will not hold out hopes of
reward for party treason, by generals ION
the enemy's camp. The eyes of the wllele
country are directed to this conventi on,
aud many anxious hopes are to be veri fed
or blasted according as wisdom or its NJ ga
tive shall be the controlling spirit of our de-
alterations. We can make this bedT a
famous one in history as the source fiom
which future policy and destiny is to be
shaped. We can make it equally significant
and destitute of influence. We want no
hydra beaded platform which can be con-
strued according to the wishes of the read
er, for we have clear undoubted theories
which can have but one Interpretation
whether expounded in the North or the
South. We can have no intent to reopen
the questions of the past which the sword
has so bloodily decided. We will give no
encouragement or thought that looks to-
wards revolution, nor can we whilst sub
uniting to the inevitable, and powerless to
reverse what had been accom-
plished, satisfy ourselves by a COM
mendatiou of acts performed in violation
OF the constitution. We must seek our al
liances upon principle. We must, if we
can, impress upon the minds Of the laboring
classes, who constitute the vast majority of
our population, full conviction of our
honesty and our sincerity In behalf of meas
ures tending to benefit them. We should
prove our friendship by actions Will may
appease the conflicts between capital and
labor through wise compromises acceptable
to both, and whilst capital has rights which
we should seek not to infringe, labor is en-
titled to earnest consideration, for it is the
parent Of wealth; it is the bone aud sinew
Of the land. 1t is a laborious work to at
tempt the reorganization of party and create
its necessary machinery. For two months
every thought of my brain has been monop-
olized, every energy of my mind and body
directed to the accomplishment of that OBJ
ject. The sincerity of motive should avert
criticism, and if have been guilty of omis-
sion or commission they should be over
looked, for the spring Of my action has been
the intent to do right and to aid in the pre-
servation of the party and the perpetuation
of its principles as the sole hope for the fu-
ture of the country. And now. gentlemen,
weary as l am in mind and body, there is
an absolute sensation of relief that l can
terminate my selfimposed duties aud abdi-
cate my function.
Col. Levi S. Chat6eld, of New York,
was appointed temporary chairman. On
taking the chair Mr.. Chatfield spoke at
some length, saying he did not want to
leave the Democratic "church and seek the
salvation of the country in some he retical
church" He protested against being "sold
out to the old white hat and old white
coat, for that is about all there is of that
old man." He couldn't help being Dem
ocrat because be was born so and would die
so. eff there is no other Democratic party
but myself, will wrap the old flag of the
party about me and go down in the grave
with it,"
Judge Spaulding said he had sealed let
Ter from Chas. O'Conor. Three cheers
were given for O'Conor
O'CONOR'S LETTER
NEW YORK, Aug. 81, 1S72.-To the Ma
tional Democratic Convention appointed to
assemble at Louisville on Sept. g., Gentle
men: A representative democracy must
necessarily degenerate in practice and
become at last an intolerably mischiev-
GUS domination, if its official corps be al
lowed to WELD without effectual restraint
those powers correctly denominated regal
by which from the beginning and in every
ClIuC Clhu oOC1CbJ Las dl1IOcb lufdIl dDlJ
hitherto been made the prey of its rulers.
When founding our institutions the fathers
were impressed with this belief, and in Or
der to curb the tendency of power to ag
grandize itself they introduced regulations
of unexampled completely. Rejecting two
fundamentals of the pre-existing system,
they yet adopted the English policy Of
Checks and balances.
However useful it may be ina land of three
estates, liking, lords and commons,) expe-
rience has shown that this policy is made
quate to the maintenance of public order
where absolute equality is recognized.
With us it has proven exceedingly mis-
chievous by its enormous multiplication of
Offices alone. 1t affords no permanently eff
fectual restraint on power. To the inquiry
b ow such restraint can be imposed in our
C country, politicians have responded, By
the virtue and intelligence of the people.
But this Is delusive speech. Laborious
attention, constant watchfulness and COM
bined action are necessary to practical re-
suits. If our people were placed upon
A Sterile Soil,
their perpetual hand to hand conflict for
subsistence with niggard nature might
qualify them for resistance to the official
plunderer. Their poverty would diminish
his temptation and invigorate their defence.
But in great and prosperous country such