Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-05-05

reclaim the government; revive its dignity
ana p,ory. rsscils the people and States; and
put into operation the provisions OF tne
| Copsftafioi. How can this be acconlp7
Iished9 Bva deternined and persistent
corirse 81 action. sacrificing self wherever Il
is necessary, and il may be some questions
Of marty lines. 1t il nothing TO me
personally what party is IN me
ascendency, only, 80 far as ne
rights. Liberties and lives of any felioW eisi-
zens are concerned. 1t will not put any
money in my pocket or any honors on my
brow. tell YOU thereis sentiment man
Testing itself an over the world and that
ansrnes are nothing" as Mr.. Jefferson said.
What ara names? Shall men quarrel about
naneg9 Shall / quarrel because in ancient
DAYS i was Whig-the name 1 received at
the bautismal font? NOl it is principle. l
can forego. now that the contest is to save
the country, my former predictions. The
elder men of this generation are passing
awav. What will be the effect on the
vollne men now at the head Of
this great river Of life while the
old men are passing away to the distant
ocean If this government is not reclaimed.
What is 70 be the condition Of this country
in aces to come il the powers under the
Constitution are not preserved? 1t is that
its powers have not been preserved that has
brought upon Us a heavy tariff OF duties, an
enormous collection Of revenue and extray-
Yagance and corruption. 1t IS an immense
misfortune that the great one-terin princi-
pie had not been engrafted in the Consti-
tuition long ago. tell you, my friends,
it is. because the provisions of the Consti-
tuition have not been preserved that we are
becoming paralyzed and Indifferent. We
are thinking too much of making money
and getting noble offices. We are becom-
ing very Indifferent about going to public
assemblies or giving ourselves any trouble.
II is a symptom of the times that is alarm
ing. 1t is the indifference Of the people
themselves. Why don't the people turn out
on occasions like this and make their voices
heard? To be sure, we have no particular
antagonism to call us out, but still we can
meet in convention and interchange
views. Suppose the Mahommedans
declared war against Christendom, how long
before all those churches the Methodist, the
Baptist, the Presbyterian, the Lutheran, the
Catholic and the Episeopalian, would meet
in one solid pbalanx and fight eide by side
together on the same field and for COM
mon object. There woHld be no sectarian-
ism. There would be but one flag, and the
emblem on that flag would be the sign of
the cross; and so it ought to be
in this great struggle for con-
stitutional liberty. There ought to be but
one flag of the nation, that represents IN
itself glory and power. I might appeal
here, if it was necessary, TO those present
who followed the fortunes of Henry Clay,
through every fiery ordeal till he went
down into the grave.
There are men, too, here who followed
the fortunes of James K. Polk in the great
contest of 1914. Those two men
were the friends Of the union
and the States, and the friends OF
the people. Suppose they could arise from
their graves, to-day, and take survey OF
the scene of their struggles, universities and
triumphs, do you think they would care
about names? No; but you would see these
two men march side by side and put them
selves at the head of this great, swelling
column. Their flag would be one, and that
of the country, and not ancient party hags.
appeal to the followers of those two men
who are listening to me, and think that they
believe as l do, that they would not be found
belonging to any section, any party or gov
erned by any narrow views OF ancient part 2
discipline. Look over the whole length
and breadth of the land and see who are
coming to the rescue Of it. See what the
sentiment is; let party take care Of itself
afterwards; that as against Capitalization Of
power as it is there must be triumph or
we perish. TAT this juncture the committee
returned.l see your committee. They
have a better speech than l can make.
The following was the report Of the COM
mittee: ...-.