Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-14
JUDGE BLACKS ADVICE.
Views Of an Eminent Democratic
Statesman ON the Duty Of Dem.
ocrats in the Present Crisis.
The Republican Stampede to Greeley
-ThOs. G.. AlvOrd's Opinion
Thereup0n.
Government Preparations for AnOth-
er SantO Domingo job.

Judge jeremiah >. Black TO mr. Weis :, OF
the Baltimore Gazette, mention of which
was made in our telegraphic dispatches re-
Gently: r-
My DEAR SIR: l promised the gentle
man who delivered your letter that l would
answer it fully and as soon as l could con-
ssteRtly with other engagements. / am
fulfilling that promise. If take more time
and space han might be expected you viii
please remember that | and a great many
other Democrats are in position which re-
quires something more than mere detlni-
ton. We cannot avoid DEMONSTRATION
without furnishings rather full explana-
ton. l admit that the next President must
be Grant or Greeley. The circumstances
of the political situation limit our choice
to these two meu as strictly as If nobody
else were legally eligible. We must weigh
them against one another, and ike praetlc-
able men decide the case before us In favor
of the best. Even if we find no good in
either of them we must take that one who
shall appear to be least bad.
1t is undeniaole that the leading meas
ures of this Administration are not only
unconstitutional, but Unconstitutional,
showing not merely c0ntemptuous lndlf1er-
ence to constitutional obligations, but set
tied hostility to those rights OF the States
and those liberties of the people which the
organic law was made to secure. Inc
Presidents appointment of officers and his
general exercise of public authority, under
the influence of men who paid him large
sums of money, are scandalous outrages,
and the effort to defend them has combined
with other like causes to extinguish among
his subcrdlnates all respect for those rules
Of morality which used 10 be held sacred.
When we consider what these men have
done in the North, and add to It the large
handed robberies perpetrated in the South
oy The retainers of the President, with his
direct aid and assistance, we are compelled
20 acknowledge that no other government
now in the world is administered so entirely
for personal and partisan purposes, or l.
such complete disregard for the rights and
interests of the general public. This de-
moralization is not confined to the Execu-
tive branch; the tide of corruption rolls i'll
upon the Legislature, and in some places it
has risen high enough to touch the feet OF
the judiciary. Even the rank and file OF
the Presidents party have become debauch-
ed, let us hope lot altogether, but certainly
in fearful degree. Acts which in former
times q hardened criminal would hesitate
to whisper in the ear of bis accomplish can
now be openly advocated by political lead
er, not only with safety, but with tolera-
bic chance of being sustained by sort of
public opinion. That love of liberty and
Justice which used to pervade the whole
community, now ''reueges all temper" and
Yields without resistance TO the unpriGci-
pied demagogues who would enthrone
fraud,
Make the boar leprOsy adored; place thieves,
And give them title, knee and appreciation,
With Senators on the bench.
If Gen. Grant had been equal in mind
and heart to the exigeucias Of the times he
could easily have made himself great pub
lie benefactor. He might have purified
official and political morals by simply set
ting the Example in his own person Of a
cean-ha0ded devotion to duty. His own
obedience to the laws would have restored
them to universal supremacy. All the OBJ
iscts of t1e Constitution as reCited in the
preamble would have been accomplished
but for the Instructions with which he him
self impeded them. Unfortunately the in
teress of certain rings were in conflict with
he interests Of the country, and they By
large presents seduced him into their SER
vice. The public contracted to give him
the salary which his predecessors had been
content with: the rings offered him more;
he accepted their bounty, fell over to them,
aud took the Government into his hands as
"a Black Republican job
Now, as TO Greeley. 1t cannot be pre-
tended that his political life is very symme-
tryCal. He was in the rank of the radical
aboll ionisls for a good many years. That
is bad; for such associations would have a
natural tendency to debase him., But we
must not forget that, though he was with
them, be was not always Of them. he re-
fused to be p4rtaker in their worst iniqui
ties; he had none Of their 0iabolical hatred
for the Constitution; he did not lend his
lips to their ribsld hlaspbemies, and his
feet were never swift in running to
shed innocent blood. Before che grea
cona.c5 began his opposition t
the designs OF the abOhtionis'!
against the Federal and State governments
i,upelled him to the opposite heresy OF thu
secessiOnisJs. Like the Roman father, who
killed bis daughter to save her from a worse
fate, he chose to destroy the Government
rather than see it dishonored and violated
by lawless force. When the war was fla
grant he provoked the extreme rage Of hi
associates by exerting himself for peace
W ich would have lefJ all the people in pos
| session of their constitutional liberties. AT
ter the close Of the contest he was the ad
VocaJe Of regular and legal as well as hon
est government for all parts of the country
[ have good authority for saying TIA, b.
never gave bis approval to any form Of kid
/ mapping or murder by military commissions
| In snort, although be aid join the abolition
| lists in their devils dance" he never learn
! ed to keep step with his partners, and w
| all know that when he could not stop it b
| left it and denounced it with becoming In
dignatiOn. On another point he Ough, Il
have credit. The friends o. religious free
dom owe him an old debt of gratitude 70
the zeal and ability with which he resiste
the chuTch-burDers when banded togethe
in the secret lodges of the Know Nothin
| order. II is bus reasonable TO believe ha
his opposition saved tue country from tn
| great danger it was once in of being suojU
gated by hat infamous organization. II
has often been accused Of completely l
cheats of one kind or another, but in ever
case he has tTiumphantiy refuted the chars
es. For this, and for other reasons, L COZ
Guide that his personal integrity is withou
a stain. He has many times spoken OF th
| Democratic party and its most honore
membrs, in harsh and abusive term;
These are faults of manner and Of temper
which, when mended, are always pardonet
We will not permit our Judgment TO be di
turbed by considerations 50 thrilling &
this is.
have looked into his past history onl
to ascertain what be is now and what he
likely to be in the future. l am bound
car nothing for his "aItecedents," eXceF
as they furnish the means Of estimatiI
his character. | think L have found OF
with reasonable certainty how far We ma
cOnfde in him, | devOuly believe that,
chosen President, he will keep his oath, pr;
serve the Constitution inviOiate, execute "a
laws faithfully, restore the States to the
ughtfuI autonOmy, protect individual Libel
ty by jury trial and haOeas corpus, put III
military in proper snOordina.ion TO IL
civil authority, use neither force nor frau
to carry elections, keep bis hands clea
from cOrrupting gifts, set his face like
flint against all manner Of financial di
honesty, purify the Administrati of ju
tice as much as in him lies, maintain I'll
public credit by promp discharge OF a
Just obligations, economic the revenue an
tighten taxation, give to capital the rigl