Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-06
A CARD FROM #. C. BURLINGTON,
ESQ IL

| A CARD EkDM II. e. DUNNkNG ION.
-ss From the Columbia Herald. 40 &
COLUMBIA, July 20, 1872.-E Editors Her
aid: 1 find the following editorial para
graph in your issue of the 18th inst, rela-
| tive to the action ofthe Tennessee delegates
| to the recent National Democratic Conyen-
ton, which assembled at Baltimore:
"The proceedings OF the Convention show that
upon the vote on the adoption of the platform,
wl1ichswas the same as the Cincinnati platform
| the second Magma Charta OF onr rights---a divis-
| ion occurred in the Tennessee delegation. We
hope to see the vote given and the names pub
those entrusted as their representative, in the
great hour Of trial, proved Fecreant to the trust
reposed in them"
desire to speak only for myself, as the
immediate representative OF this district,
and would have done so earlier but for my
absence from home. inform you, there
fore, with pleasure, that L am one of the
delegates who come within the limit of
your structures, having earnestly opposed
the unqualified adoption of the resolutions
of the Republican Convention at Cfncin-
natl as proper declaration of principles for
the National Democracy; and had done
otherwise would have felt much more
amenable to the inconsiderate charges of
"recreancy" TO the trust reposed in me in
great hour of trial. .. 49, 81.
was not delegate to Liberal Repub-
| lican. Convention, nor did / represent
| Liberal Republican constituency; but went
to Baltimore as Democrat, representing
! Democratic constituency. / understood
the Democratic party as coeval with the
| government constituting the proudest part
of its history, and all times capable and
ready TO reassert its own creed, without
| the necessity of borrowing from
another. Nor did l under
stand that it was the wish CT
| expectation that we were to be sponged up
by any wing of the Republican party; but
in view ofthe exigencies of the times, SIM
ply to forego making nomination of our
own aud pledge our support to the Liberal
Republican tcket-a policy consistent with
truth and honor, that would not have COM
mitted us to any part of the many heresies
OF Horace Greeley, nor have embarrassed
him at the North with the character OF sup
port he should receive from us. Those of
us who favored this line of policy in the
Baltimore Convention believed, and still
believe, that Democrats, without compro-
missing honor or principle, or abating in the
least their hostility to many things in which
they have opposed the Republicans, could,
as matter Of expediency, and for the best
interests of the country, support the nom
inees of the more liberal wing of the Re-
publican party; but we did not believe that
it was good policy to pursue such course
as would subject our action to the charge of
duplicity or disqualification.
There are some things in the Liberal
Republican platform that Democrats every
where can approve. There is enough, in
my judgment, TO warrant every lover of
civil liberty and a constitutional form of
government in supporting cordially the
ticket Of Greeley and Brown. The two
prominent ideas Of "local elf-government,"
or States rights, in contradistinction to
Capitalization, or Federalism; and of SUBJ
ordination of the military to the civil au-
thorities, are of themselves moment suff-
Gent to outweigh all other questions. No
greater good could befall the country than
the reinauguration at Washington of par
ty pledged to these fundamental ideas aud
from which the &C vernment has so widely
departed in the last twelve years. Upon
these two propositions National Democrats,
and those claiming to be Liberal Republi-
cans, are now in full accord. But there
are some things in their creed as set forth
II,
that do not agree with the oft
avowed sentiments of the National
Democracy, and from which it would have
been more fair and manly, in my Judgment,
10 have withheld any expression of appro-
val. If there has been any honesty in the
Democratic party heretofore-and am one
of those who have faith that the great ma.
jority were honest and patriotlc-it would
DE idle to pretend that they have become
converter to the doctrines of the Repub-
lican party in the light in which Mr.. Sum-
ner views it, as shown by bis recent letter
welcoming us to fellowship. As for my
humble self, rather than be the ally of such
a character, on the terms and in the light
that he would place Us, l would welcome
fellowship with a minority party the re-
mainder Of my life. There may be, and
doubtless are some, who have recently call
ed themselves Democrats, that would be
willing to crawl into place and power even
at the heels and upon the dishonorable
terms of Charles Sumner; but | will not
forfeit my good opinion of mankind so far
as to believe there are many such ct the
South.
The adoption at Baltimore of the Cincin-
natl platform, in the form and manner it
was done, did not accord, in my judgment,
with the feelings of any respectable portion
of the Southern delegates; they deferred,
however, to the wishes of their Northern
friends, under force of the previous ques-
ton, which cut off all proposition to amend.
That the committee on resolutions should
have gone so far as to have asked Southern
delegates to tacitly subscribe to that feature
of the Liberal Republican resolutions which
expresses gratitude" to the "SOldisrs and
sailors Of the republic" for their recent war
upon us, was matter Of great establishment;
and that it should have been forced on us
under the tyranny of a parliamentary rule,
was lite short of a fragrant insult. And it
was upon the policy of quietly submitting
to this seeming indignity that the only
serious division in our delegation occurred.
Without impugning the motives or conduct
of others, insist that it was not "recreant
to the trusts resposed" in US to have resist
ed the adoption of such a sentiment unne-
cessary and uncalled for, so far as the South
was concerned. The people of our unfor-
tunate section sacrificed much of life, lib
erty and property by the war, but their
honor was unstained. They cannot afford
TO venture now matter so sacred in the
scale of political advantages.
l am as cordial in the support of
Greeley and Brown as the most zeal
Gus, but it is from a Democratic,
and not a Republican standpoint.
If there are those who think it neces-
sary to change their course, they have
the comforting assurance of Mr.. Sumner,
that conversions are always welcome, a
that a political party cannot if it would, and
should not if it could, shut the door against
them" But, while according to others en-
tire freedom Of action in so important a
matter, | trust that those Of US who think
we can see way of supporting a more
liberal ticket of the Republican party with
out "new BIRTH" or without giving up our
lifetime convictions, or otherwise compro-
missing our integrity, viii be permitted to
do so, without the charge of "recreancy''
TO any trust or duty. l have been some
longer in politics than you have, and my
early impression has constantly strengthen
ed that in this, as in everything else, "hon-
esty is the best policy" Respectfully your
friend, F. G. DUNNNINGToN.
A good anpcdOta of AleYandar numas