Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-07-27
THE CONGREssEONAL ELEC-
TION.
Importance 10 the People OF Judi
eIOus Selections.

e1ous selections
Communities are judged and their
influence measured by the character
and ability of their Representative
men. This may be harsh rule, and
sometimes an unjust one, but still it
is the rule, and as such accepted
throughout the world. Since the
war the South has felt its force, for
with few exceptions she has been
represented by make-shifts or car
pet-baggers. Our enemies have tri-
umphantly pointed to those who oc-
cupied seats in Congress from the
South as Representatives of South
ern society and intelligence, draw
ing the conclusion and the argument
therefrom that the people of the
South were ignorant and inferior to
their Northern brethren In defence
we vainly urged the prescription Of
our ablest men, and that we were
forced by a vindictive public senti-
ment that would not judge us fair
ly to select for Congressman those
the least obnoxious to our enemies.
These facts, ignored and carefully
concealed by Radical leaders, sell
dom ever reached the great masses
of the North; and hence the impress
sion exists among them still, that
we are an ignorant and barely civ
ilized people.
But the days of prescription have
passed, and now the South can COM
mand the services other represent
alive men-men in full sympathy
with her feelings and wants and
whose talents and craftsmanship
will best represent her intelligence
and Interests, Our ambition, now
that we are the masters of our own
destiny, should be to elevate our
section to its former dignity and fin
fiuence in the councils of the Ma
lion. t,,e5
"BY their fruits We shall Judge
them,n is an accepted standard of
merit, which win be vigorously APP
piled to the South in the future, and
hence every sentiment of sectional 1
pride, as well as every consideration
of interest should influence us in
the selection of representative men.
We are led to these reflections more
especially by the contest for Con-
gress, going on in this and the sew
enth district, and to impress the
people with a due sense of its i'm
portance to them. With no inten-
tion to do injustice to other aspi-
rants, and while cheerfully admit
ting their many good and noblepuali-
qualities, yet are constrained to say
that we regard Gen. Alex. w. Camp
bell and Gen. ]. d. c. Atkins as far
the ablest men before the people for
Congress in their respective dis
tricts, and that if elected they viii
do more than any of their COMPETE
tors to elevate the standard of
Southern intelligence in Congress,
and to restore to our long misrepre-
sented and much abused section
something of her former power and
prestige in the Nation. They are
gentlemen of learning, of command
ing intellects, of sound statesmen-
ship, and of unimpeachable person
al and political integrity, and in
Congress they would not only rep
resent our intelligence as a people,
but they would command the res
pect of our enemies. For such rea-
sons we earnestly commend them
to the people, and insist that their
merits be well weighed.
The time has come when we must |
rise above neighborly friendships
and local vanities in choosing Con- |
gressmen, if we would recall to the
South the halcyon days of yore.
The vital hour in our political des-
tiny, the turning point in our Ma |
tional fortunes is at hand, for in the |
next Congress the standard of
Southern consequence and power
will be either lowered or far adj |
vanced. We are in the midst of a |
political crisis and revolution, the |
most important in our history, and |
the South, which has the greatest in
terests involved, needs the services
of her ablest and best men.
tbs a matter of history that prior
to the war the South welded more |
political power than any other sec
ton Of the country. One of her in
obnoxious TO an almost /
united world, was upheld for near
a century in the very teeth of the
most formidable public sentiment
ever existed. And even now,
after decade of civil war, and an
other of wild partisanism, the great
heart of the nation turns to the
principles and teachings of South