The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1872-01-18
The PcnlletOn Policy.

Nv ~" ciBhtn VI oHHunTg gathering III
Wooster Wayne county, Ohio, in re.
Spouse to an invitation to be present.
CINCINNATI, Dec. 80, 1871.
Mcssrs. E,hclmnn, fcr,tonc, Baughman
Committee Of Invitation.
Gentlemen: regret that cannot
accept your invitation TO be present at
the next annual celebration OF the Sth OF
January. 1t would have givin me great
pleasure to meet and take counsel of
those who are so well grounded in the
faith and the practice Of Democracy rs
The men Of Wayne county, and with
them to recall the principles and exam.
pie Of the founders Of our party.
Two great dangers impcril free insti-
tutions under the policy Of the party
now in power. The spirit of centralized
mlitarygovcrnmcntattacks everywhere
the constitution, and corruption in Of
flee destroys the civil administration.
do not speak merely or chiefly of spc.
cial dclacatons, however startling, but
of the general degradation of the
standard Of official integrity, until the
Offices in both the civil and military ser.
vice seem to be considered the property
of the party to be dispensed and admin
istered primarily for party aggrandizc-
mcnt or personal profit.
The dangers grow out of and are in
Scparab'c from the present organization
OF the Republican party. It's founda-
ton, its philosophy, its history and its
leaders recognize military power and
the corrupt use Of money by official pat
ronagc AS legitimate forces in ordinary
civil administration, and now more
than ever they are brought into active
exercise.
The Democratic party conrronts this
theory and dcnounccs these practices.
Founded upon the idea of local govern
mcni, jealous of power granted to au-
thority, taught that simplicity and
economy are essential TO the honesty
necessary in republican institutions, it
maintains with more determined pur-
pose that the military must be subordi-
nate to the civil authority, and that Of
fees are q trust for the people. and not
spoils for the vic.Ors.
lis powerful organization enters ev-
cry village in the land, and numbers
among its adhcrcnts nearly onc-halfthc
pcoplc-as pure, as patriotic, IA unsclf-
ish, as any of our fellow citizens. They
are too numerous to be cowardy; they
are too patriotic to be lukcwarm; they
are too sincere in their purpose and
convictions TO be driven 10 dependency
by ten years Of reverse; they have
shown consistency in defeat rs well as
wisdom in victory.
If | understand their feelings they
will neither disband their organization
nor fee the field before the contest COM
mcnccS. Either course, they believe
would yield undispuicd sway to the
present administration, which could
then give undivided attention to the de-
scrtcrs from its ranks. An advancing
army with the enemy either dispersed
or in flight, never loses divisions or rcgi-
mcnts, or even companies. and is goner-
ally able to pick of or pick up trcacher-
Gus rthoughllcss siraoglcrs.
If there be, as is claimed, manv mem
bcrs of the Republican party who dis
approve the ideas which dominate the
administration of President Grant, and
are prepared to oppose his reelection,
they should declare their purpose, or
ganizc their party. develop and manifest
their strength. and, if l may predict the
future, they will have no Just cause.
even the most sensitive aud timd
anon" them. for refusing to cooperate
with the Democratic party.
when its authorized convention shall
speak it will remind its adhcrcn,s that
the ultimate and highest purpose of ex.
lstcncc is to secure the greatest prosper
i'y. in its best sense. of every human
being in the land; that principles Of
government are to true or untrue, AS they
contribute TO the result: that principles
are of different applications, and qucs.
tions lose their importance in the ever
shifting changes of human affairs: aud
discarding all narrow ideas, abandon
ing the consideration of all questions
which have been decided or buried bv
the events which have passed; re-
cognizing the accomplished facts of the
present, and approaching the dangers of
the future. it will invite, Uo,h BY words
and by deeds, both by resolutions and
by nominations, thc jealous. hearty CO.
operation of all men who believe that
the constitution is a better system Of
government than martial law, and that
reform in the civil service is higher
duty than rcwarding prospective parti-
san efforts by distributing spois. BY
this course the party should hope,
would attain success. Tit should once
more fail, as an honest faithful. patriotic
it will hold an important posi-
ton and exert an immense moral pow.
err over the majority; and it may well
wait with faith the inevitable hour
which will crown its fidelity and pa
thence with the success which it will
have deserved.
am. very respectfully, your obcdi-
cnt servant. GEORGE II. PENDLETbN.