Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-09-26

/ bic vainly te be sought under any othe
government. Where has the same degre
Of energy been displayed By q people 9th
same number and resources, as was exhib
tied on both sides, in the late war? / wei
remember hearing the French Minister
Baron MERCER, say, during its progress
astonished foreigners so much as the facili
~ and energy with which those immens'
expeditions were organized, equipped and
sent forth to the scene of. action, from
WASHINGTON. 1t did not seem to strike him
as itHdld me, that this energy and dispatch
were due to the form of government and it
democratic spirit. Every citizen felt him.
| self to be part Of the moving power o.
the Government, and in some degree re.
| sponsible for It's success. But it may be
said that there is no organized party which
I is In favor of schange to monarchy, or s
substitution Of an imperial for the present
republican form Of government. do moi
charge It, but I say that the present
policy Of the Radical party must
lead 70 that result. II may
begin with clothing the majority Of Con-
| gress with much larger powers and concen'
trating in its hands all, or nearly all, the
functions Of government. When this is
accomplished, Imperialism is at hand. Be-
tween a despite majority in Congress
without limitation upon their powers and
the despotism Of one man, who would not
prefer the latter? If / am to choose be-
tween the despotism Of the majority OF q
Legislative body and that of one man, i
should not hesitate to prefer the latter; nor
would the country do so long. The demo
cratic government of my choice is one Of
limited powers which deals with common
interests, and where people have homoge-
neous feelings with myself. prefer such
as we once had, with powers distributed as
by the Constitution Of the United STATES
among different assemblies, so as to over
task none with so many subjects as to de-
prive any of the proper means for delibera-
ting and forming a common opinion. It is
for you, my friends, and for the people Of
the United States to determine this great
question in regard to the future form and
spirit of our government. Is it to be a
government of the many; or the few? For
myself as | said before, have as little to
hope or fear personally from the result OF
this election as any ether man in the coun-
try.
But have entertained the belief for a
long time, that our poor people were planted
here upon mission Of Liberty and popular
government, not only to make great march
in human progress themselves, but to take
the world along with them, to become the
great agency to develop new modes of
strength and happiness in the social system,
so as to consolidate liberty and to suggest
plans of moral improvement TO elevate the
race. This was the noble purpose for
which l had hoped we were placed here
With 50 many favoring opportunities to
write great schemes of human liberty and
progress on the tGbula rdSa of a new conti-
nent, and to teach by our example grand
er philosophy of human rights and popular
government than the world has yet seen or
could understand without personal illustra-
tion of their truth. These hopes and ex-
pectations were perhaps extravagant, but 20
years ago how many of our people entertain
ed them; and confess that should regret TO
be forced to the conclusion that they were
illusions aud day dreams at best-and yet
TO what other conclusion can come if the
people should prove untrue to themselves
upon the great issues now before them? /
know that much is said and done to deceive
bllO DSODLC Anu 1ulS0l1COb ILOIA OkJOA Ao4oO
issues. Suspicious are suggested to in
fuence the public mind SC absurd that
can hardly conceive how an intelligent PEG.
pie can be induced to entertain them.
Among other things, it is said that il
Greeley be elected the war debt Of the
South is to be paid, and this, too, in the
face of the Constitution, which forbids it.
Can any man believe that three-fourths of
the States will be found ready to change
that instrument TO effect such purpose?
Certainly no man in the South believes it
and if there be man in all that region who
fancy SO absurd, have neither
seen or heard of him. 1853.
TIE HOPE OF THE SOUTH.
The Radical party seems to suppose that
If the South votes for man it is enough to
cause him to be suspected, aud if no good
grounds can be found for entertaining such
a suspicion, they are neither ashamed nor
afraid to trump up a charge so absurd as
this. This is not good symptom Of the
times or at least of the state of feeling in
the Radical party. More than seven years
have elapsed since the war, and the South,
absolutely within their power, has been
ruined by their will, and still if she goes
one way it seems to be a sufficient reason
for them to 90 another. FelloW-citizens,
the South supports Greeley and Brown up
on the issues | have been discussing. or
course, if elected, they will expect from
them pure government, some reform in
the civil service, and better regulation OF
the vast patronage Of the General Govern
ment. Beyond these objects of general
welfare they expect nothing of which l ever
heard.
? They look for nothing, as far as know
their opinions of sectional or exceptional
good, but of such transcendent importance
do they regard the peace of the country
and the local self-government Of the States,
so far as the Constitution has provided, that
they willingly pass the consideration of all
other subjects, highly interesting as they
may deem them. They will not neglect
the attainable for the unsttainable, especial
ly when they think they have within their
reach objects of such importance as those l
have described. 1t used to be objected to
the South, and particularly to my native
State, that they were not practical.
We have learnt some wisdom in this re-
gard. a more practical, and in some
respects a wiser people than the whites Of
the South you will hardly find in this or
any other continent. It is more than two
years since the people ofmy OWL State, find
ing that they must either give upthe right
of Sef-government or adopt constitution
opposed in many respects to their interests,
their habits, and spirits, wisely adopted
that constitution and placed its administra-
ton in the hands of a native of your own
State. Experience has shown that they
were right. They have escaped the debts
and other enormities practiced by carpat-bag
government, and their Governor has been
true, not only to theirs, but also to bis OBJ
legations to the General Government. We
sacrificed much in the way of interest,
something, too, In the way Of feeling, but
We have saved more than we have lost; and
now it by electing Greeley and Brown we
can secure the peace Of the country ano
local elfgovernment, IS designed by the
Constitution, we will certainly aid in doing
it. We will not sacrifice certain goods be
cause we cannot attain all we desire. Ii
any one wishes to ascertain our motives
for prefer. ing Greeley to Grant here they
are and obvious enough. There is no cat
the meal tub-no reserved purpose con-
cealed from the world. Can any man ia :
miliar with the history Of Virginia, or with
the opinions and temper OF her people,
doubt where she would stand in a question
of popular sovereignty and the rights OF
selfgovernment in the people. Proclaim
where you will that there is danger TO these
rights and Won will find her people rallying