Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-01-13
GEO. H, PENDLETAN.
The Democracy Aust Not Bisband
Half the Union Democratic.

HnP Moral Influence OF q POverfuI
ynnOrity--MartiaI Law versus the
Constitution. y :
! Inc Hon. George H. Pendleton sent the
IOlloWlng letter in reply to eonlmittre of
democrats OF Wooster, D., who invited him
70 attend Their celebration of the anniVersa-
y VI Ine oattle Of New Orleans. His points
| dSSInsI Is. the corruption Of the administration
anu anu .s centralized military character, as
as alsO us opinion Of the passive policy and Of
Iile uu-y OF the dissatisfied Republicans to
OIsa' LIE an opposition against Grant in Co
OPIGatlon with the Democrats, viii be re-
'eiyed with the attention they deserve:
CINCINNATI, Dec. 80, 1871 T.-Messrs.
Eshelmen, FeristOne, Bsughman, Commit
tee OF Observation-Disclosures Iregret that
cannot accept your invitation to be present
at the next annual celebration Of the Sth of
January. 1t would have given me great
pleasure to meet and take counsel OF those
VINO are so well grounded in the faith and
the practice OF Democracy as the men Of
Wayne county, and with them to recall the
principles and example Of the founders Of
our party.
Two great dangers fmperil free iustitu-
tiOns under the policy of the partV now in
power. The spirit of centralized military
government attacks everywhere the Con-
stitutiOn, and corruption in office DESTROYS
the civil administration. / do not speak
merely or chiefly of special defalcatious
however startling, but Of the general degra-
datiOn Of the standard Of official integrity
until the offices in both the civil and mill
tary service seem to be considered the pro-
n tho ~ TO ho 1is,,a~xsaA ~ II
ministered primarily for party aggrandize-
ment or personal profit.
These dangers grow out Of and are in
separable from the present organization Of
the Republican party. Its foundation, its
philosophy, its history, and its leaders rec
Oguize military power and the .corrupting
use Of money by official patronage as legiti-
mate forces in ordinary civil administration,
and now more than ever are they brought
into active exercise. The Democratic party
courOEts this theory and denOunces these
practices.
Founded upon the idea Of local govern
meut, Jealous Of powers granted to author
ity, Taught that simplicity and economy are
essential to the honesty necessary in re-
publican institutions, Il maintains with
more determined purpose that the military
must be subordinate to the civil authority,
and that offices are a trust for the people,
not spOilS for the victOIs.
It's powerful organization enters every
village in the land, and numbers among its
adherents nearly One-half the peOple-as in
tellectual, as pure, as patriotic, as unselfsh
as any Of their feIlOW-CitiZens. They are
too numerous TO be cOwardly. They are
too patriotic to be lukewarm. They are
too sincere in their purposes and cOnvic-
tiOns to be driven to dependency by ten
years of reverses. They have shown con
stancy in defeat as well as wisdom in VIC
tory. If | understand their feelings they
will never disband their organization nor
flee the field before the contest commences.
Either course, they believe, would give un-
disputed sway to the present Administra-
ton, which could give undivided attention
TO the deserters from its ranks.
An advancing army, with the enemy
either dispersed or in flight, neFer loses
divisions or regiments, or even companies,
and is generally able to pick off or to pick
up treacherOus or thOughtless stragglers-
If there be, as is claimed, many mem
Oers Of the Republican party who disap-
prove the ideas which dominate the ad-
of President Grant, and are
prepared to oppose lis reelection, they
should declare their purposes, organize their
party, develop and manifest their strength,
md if l may predict the future, they will
nave no Just cause, even the most sensitive
md timid among them, for refusing to Co
operate with the Democratic party. When
IS authorized convention shall speak it will
emind its adherents that the ultimate and
highest purposes Of its existence is to secure
he greatest prosperity, in its best sense, Of
very human being in the land; that
principles of government are true or un-
rue, as they contribute to this result; that
,arties and politics and offices are but means
o this end: that principles are Of different
APPLICATION, and questions lose their impO--
anCe in the ever shifting changes Of human
fairs, and disCarding all narrow ideas,
.baudOning the consideration Of all ques-
ions which have been decided or buried by
he events which have passed; recognizing
he accomplished facts of the present, and
ppreciating the dangers of the future, it
Till invite, both by words and by deeds, both
y resolutions and by nominations, the
ealOus. hearty cooperation Of all men
7EO believe that the Constitution is a bet
er system of government than martial
wv, and that reform in the civil service Is a
igher duty than rewarding prospective
artisan effort by distributing spOils.
By this course the party, should hope,
-ouli attain success. If it should once
lore fail, as an honest, faithful, patriotic
linority, it will hold an important position
nd exert an immense moral power over
le majority; and it may well wait with
.ith the inevitable hour which will crown
5 fidelity and patience with the success
hicb it will have deserved. / am, very
sspectfully, your Obedient servant,