Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-07
LETTER FROM EX SENATOR
- FOWLER.

w <AohlN1lON1 GUY oOt 40 Z AA'
PENNNGToN, NASHVILLE, Tenn, Deal
Sr:-Your letter came to me in due time.
was pleased to learn that you are TO have
a ratification meeting; not that there Is any
need of one to insure Tennessee Tor Gree
ley. The people viii attend to that IN Time.
But it will be well to turn over the pages OF
the history of this administration OCCASION
ally to revive in the public mind the. chief
events. The people will do well to con-
trast The present tone and character OF the
executive with that which characterized the
early and golden age Of the Republic.
1t VIII be impossible for The people OF
Tennessee TO approve the morale OF Grants
government. From the forest days OF the
State nothing. has pleased her people so
much as simple, unostentatiOus worth.
They have been accustomed to reverence
real merit, not mere accidental circumstan-
ces. Some of the most illustrious of our
public men have been her children Their
example has not been lost. They, the peo-
pie, will have no difficulty in contrasting
the illustrious % example now governing
the Republic with the character OF those
they have given to the country. #.
The State has some honor in the advance
ment made the last ten years. The people
abolished slavery by their own voluntary
act. They then followed this by giving the
colored man the right to testify in courts,
to sit on iuries, and to hold Office. They
made one citizenship for all their inhabit-
ants.
These reforms emanated from the body
Of the people. They came from their own
volition. From the earliest history of the
State many of the citizens of Tennessee
have held high and intelligent views on the
question of slavery. 1t was not singular
that upon a favorable opportunity they
found tongue, and announced themselves
in living laws. --.r 'F /
The Democratic party of Tennessee was
the first to come up to the living issues and
approve all the advanced steps made neces-
sary by the war. 90
1t was in Tennessee that the first effort
in favor of reconciliation was made. 1t
was an effort to restore the DISTINGUISHED to
all their former rights, immunities and
privileges as measure promising peace,
order and harmony. 1t was aprompt sue
cess. ALI the results anticipated by its
friends followed. 1t met with decided OPP
position and most unauthorized and un-
usual intermeddling on the part of the Adj
ministration. The friends of this move
ment failed to organize against the military
government in Washington and thus lost the
opportunity of leading the present glorious
movement. What the Liberal Republicans
of Tennessee failed to do was most heroic
ally and most courageously done by Gov.
Brown of Missouri.
To Missouri belongs the honor of moving
forward against the grosSest interference
ever attempted in American politics. At first
the movement met with bot slight encour-
agement, but the constant and faithful con-
duct of the friends of the cause, their en-
phatic and well defined issues, inspired
hopes in the American mind. 1t has con-
stantly grown until the long and expected
day of peace begins to dawn. The bright
rays of the November sun promise peace
and order.
Tennessee has sacred memories within
her borders. She should, as she can, give
one hundred thousand majority against the
principle of armed sectional hatred-the in
spiration and hope of the Administration
forces.
This malign spirit merits the condemna-
ton of every enlightened man who hopes
for happiness in this life and invokes for
giveness in the next. The people of Ten
nessee, generous, brave and forgiVing, will
promptly and gloriously lift themselves high
above the pestilential atmosphere that sti-
hes every noble sentiment that by accident
or otherwise may reach the presence of the
Executive.
We can endure the corruption and ruin
GUS financial policy of the Administration,
but we cannot survive a system that threat
e. i ~, r,anralo Tho illnnol
aud constitutional blunders of the Execu-
tive may not seriously affect our prosperity
and happiness, if we refuse to sanction
them by opposing to them such pro-
tests as become a spirited people. The
people of the State will utter such an one
in November as will prove to the world
that they will not tamely descend fsom
honor to intamy.
The most potential arguments are the
letters of the two candidates. That Of Mr..
Greeley is admirable in style, and grasps the
entire field. 1t shows a strong, rich, well
cultivated mind. The letter Of President
Grant, on the contrary, manifests poverty
of language, sentiment and thought charac-
teristic of the man. Mr.. Greeley, strong
and salf-reliant, generous and confding
| trusts his fellow-citizens from every quar-
ter without suspicion. The other, confined
| to narrow grooves, has no outlook; the field
of proper political action is shut out from
| his view. His education and mental con-
| stituLion are alike narrow, and tend TO rem
| der him suspicious, selfish and indignantly
| resentful. The two characters art
in striking contrast. The kind, warm
hearted, brave, confding candidate o
the Liberal movement is faithful
representative of the spiri
of American Democracy, proclaiming peac
and good will to men. The opponent o
the canse is cold, calculating, ambitious, re
tengeful, trusting in the hired detective, es
teeming the people as he did his soldiers
fit only to obey. The former trusts all t
reason and benevolence as the forces +
control public opinion. The other, incapa
bic of estimating moral forces, relies upoi
q military order, supported with defnit
force of soldiers, or the seductive power o.
public plumber.
1t is easy TO see that the election of MI
Greeley will relieve the whole people c
dread; his Inauguration viii restore conf
dence to the whole land; the fatal scarle
line will fade away forever. The reelection
of President Grant will clothe the repubh
in a still darker gloom, quen the geHerou
efforts of the people 10 restore harmony
and consign us to four years mole of dread
full anxiety, injustice and rapacity.
d. / am satisfied that the people Of Tenne!
see will do their whol6 duty, and lead To
advance of this onward movement. LIE
her close this as she has begun and cor
summated all the great reforms that hav
marked the progress of this era.
In this conflict irrecOncilable principle
are the parties. 1t is equality and the 70
untary consent of the people against th
personal desires of the executive, and obi
dience. II is the rule of reason and jus
ice against authority and force. Every vol
for Greeley is a prayer for pedeh Will
every one for Grant is soldier enlisted
the side Of domination.
1t must not be forgotten that the Poop
acting from spontaneous convictions OF a
ty are acting against powerful party !
possession Of all the imperial patronage
this nation, under the influence of tho
ough organization. Success depent
: upon the earnestness of the publ
: heart, and the courage that
! | brought to the great aud good wol
! | of redeeming the nation. Certainly no II
! dividual will bring into the field any self1S
purposes. The Democrats will pursue tn
: course indicated by an enlarged and gene
ous policy. The Liberal Republicans "
l 4 4 49, ,fDVN