Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-10-01
"OUF or THIS NErThE DANGER
WE PLUCK THIS FLOWER SAFE.

emily advocates. The Democracy were
divided and over nine hundred votes were
wasted, while the Radical is elected by the
paltry plurality Of 76. There was no divi-
sion among the Radicals they cast solid
vote. Nor has their triumph been confined
to the mere mayoralty. They have also
made inroads upon the City Council.
Some have ridiculed when we warned
them that Democratic divisions might lead
to Radical triumphs throughout the State.
Let them take warning from this ugly les
son that Nashville Radicals have incau-
tioasly taught us. Be assured that the
Brownlow party is equally well drilled in
every county and district, and equally keen
in watching the chances that our dissen-
sions afford them. And they viii be equal
ly successful throughout the State, if Dem
ocrats continue equally obtuse to their own
interests by supporting independents. !"
Will our people take heed before it is too
late? Shall personal piques and passions
blind their eyes to this bitter lesson affor-
ded by the capital of the State9 Woe, woe,
to the taxpayers, if Radical legislature
sneaks in ounexpected" through Democrat
&c divisions, Woe to the taxpayers of the
country if Radical congress be elected by
the same means. The "relapse" is always
worse than the original disease. The old
devil will come back with seven other dew
lis, and the last state will be worse than
the first.
In no other State from the Atlantic to
the Pacific, from the Lakes to the
the Gulf, do we find the Democracy divid-
ed. Why should it be so here? Are we
50 strong, in our own self conceit? Let
him that thinketh he stands, take heed lest
he fall. Are we so strong? Let the result
here in Nashville answer. RadicaIism is a
unit. Its members are drilled as an army.
The word of command goes forth from
headquarters, and the last man obeys to
the letter. There is no cant among them
about ''independence," ''freedom of
thought" and the inalienable right of self
suicide. They recognize the conditions of
success, and will achieve it through party
discipline, if our people continue romano
ing about individual rights until the rights
Of all, rich and poor, officer and private,
property-holder and tenant, are swallowed
up in the restoration of Radical extrava-
gance to power.
You cannot build cotton factory with
out cooperation. You cannot get up an
Industrial Exposition without organization.
There must be managers and directors and
committees; and these must not be con.
temned, even though they should not be
the wisest and sblest men on earth. If
they are condemned, If amateur directors and
independent managers assert their authority,
your cotton factory is never built and your
Exposition is .tiGScO. So with political
party; it must have organization; it must
have conventions; it must have commit
tees; or all its mighty capacities for good to
the people are FILTERED away in cross pur-
poses.
We are of those who believe that the
Union can be saved without swamping
Tennessee. We believe that in order to
rescue the Federal Government from Radi-
calism, it is not at all necessary to turn over
our own fair State to the embraces Of that
fell monster. We believe that North and
South can be reooncilei without aienat-
ing Tennesseeans from Tennesseeans. We
believe "the bloody chasrn" between the
sections can not be closed any quicker by
getting up another little side show of a
bloody chasm in Tennessee. Let Us all
fall in line with the Cincinnati Baltimore
platform. Let us as unit, meet the unit
Radicalism at all points, high and low, in
Federal and i'll State elections. Away with
these sporadic candidates. i We don't need
volunteer candidates. They, like the volun-
teers Of the garden, generally interfere
with the growth of the regularly planted
seed.
1t is bad:generalship to. change! front in
the face Of the enemy. We have yet TO
hear occasion for any change-we. have yet
to hear single specific charge against the
State administration that came in with the
New Constitution. This "independent"
furore has no ground or substance. II
mentions no evils to be remedied; it holds
forth no promised benefits. 1t bespeaks no
policy, new or old. 1t represents nothing,
promises nothing-except Radical
triumph. Tennesseeans, hold aloof; stand
by your organization; stand by the organ
ization which secures you local self-govern-
ment for the future, and which in the past
has given you State administration that
is absolutely unassailable. Vote the straight
ticket to the last name; and thus out of
this nettle danger we will pluck this flower
safety.