Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-09-04

TIE EUAkEkDAL ENEkH-
The prospects now are that the political !
ield viii be fall Of aspirants for political
loncrs. The Grant party IS too well dis
'ipiined and too intently bent upon getting
he State Of Tennessee into lis grasp, to /
permit the running of more than one can
iidate from its ranks for any one Office.
That party is going to work for victory. In
she vernacGlar Of the day, it means bust
ness. We hear from that quarter no cry |
of the despotism of Conventions. The
Grant advocates and supporters know
that there can be no success without organi-
cation, and they have yet found no better
means than through conventions to per-
feet organization. They once tried the
experiment of running two candidates.
They had no Democratic opposition. One
of their candidates was necessarily elected,
and yet the party was ruinously defeated.
They elected the Governor, but the Democ-
racy carried the Legislature by large ma
jority. The Radical party was broken into
fragments and the Democratic party took
possession of the State government. The
wild, reckless, thriftIess, oppressive
legislation which had marked the
era of Radical rule as one never to be for
gotten in the history of Tennessee, was
wiped from The statute books. Peace was
restored TO our people. The white man
was given an equal chance with the Radi-
cal and the negro before the courts of JUS
tice, at the ballot box and in the pursuits
of industry. The ruinous issue of State
bonds was checked. The State credit was
saved from utter and ignominious bank
ruptcy. Equal and exact justice was meted
out to all without regard to race, color or
previous condition of servitude. A con-
stitution was established and laws en-
acted for the general good, for the
benefit and protection Of all, white and
black, rich and poor, 10y and disloyal.
Encouraged by our discussions, which grow
out of supposed overwhelming Democratic
majorities, the same Radical party from
whom we snatched these inestimable boons
are again preparing to assume authority in
this State and fssten upon us State Gov
eminent which will be in hearty accord
with the Grant Federal administration.
Are the Democracy of Tennessee prepared
for this? Are they content to become the
willing instruments of their own undoingf
| Conventions have their evils.
They are too frequently abused. So too, in
this day, it is Eot unfrequently that an cleo,
ton by the people is the merest farce.
Voters viii not come to the polls, or active
political managers by well known election,
eering tricks and stratagems vote hundreds
of ignorant and deluded citizsns against
their own interest and the manifest public
good. Shall we therefore abolish the
ballot box, revoke the elective franchise, Of
shall we rather bear the abuse until We
can correct il? So with political con-
yentions as means of politica
organization. Parties are the organs, a
Mr.. johnson expressed it at Gallatin, o
principles. To maintain your principle
you must maintain your party. To main
tain your party you must preserve your or
ganizat.on. A prudent man will not burr
up his house to get rid of mouse that nib
bles his cheese. A wise man will no
break up his party and give the keeping o
his principles over to the tender mercies O
his bitterest opponents in order to get ri
of an ill which can only be cured insid
of the party. Mr.. johnson said @
Black Republicanism, fight it inside and nc
outside of the Union. So of abuses,
there be any, fight them inside and not ou
side of the party. Democrats, your atten
ton. The gathering hosts of RadicalisI
warn you of your danger. Their leader
meet in council to-day to plot your Owe
throw and their ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Let tn
Old Guard rally around the colors they hay
so often borne through victory and defea
Stand by the ancient usages Of the part!
Let ORGANIZATION be your watchwort
AID triumph again awaits you.