Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-17
FOR SALE.
A CHANGE NEEDED.
Letter of an Eminent Liberal to a
citizen of NashViIIe-A PhiIOsOphic
Review of the situation.

Letter Of an Eminent Liberal to a
citizen of NashViIIe-A PhiIOsOphis
Review Of the Situation.
BALTIMORE, Aug. II, 1ST2.-My Dear
Sir: In response to your favor of the 18th
inst, l will state some of the reasons which
induce me to support Greeley and Brown.
1t has been the habit Of my life TO act, re-
gardless of party clamor, in support of such
measures as the eXigencies Of the times
have rendered paramount; and as a rule
these measures have but an incidental con-
nection with political parties. There are
certain principles of government so mani
testify essential to the maintenance of the
Republic that all parties profess them; yet
every party which has controlled the gov
eminent for any length of time, has assail-
ed or undermined them in its administra-
ton. The spirit of party is essentially
selfish and antagonistic TO true patriotism.
1t appeals TO the ambition, cupidity and
baser passions of mankind for support,
while patriotism stimulates the noblest i'm
pulses of our nature into heroic action or
self sacrifice.
The very existence of the Republic de-
ponds upon the preponderance of private
virtue guided by intelligence. Every citi-
zen who lives in q state worthy of being
called fee must cherish the public GOOD
dearer than his own personal emOlument.
In the language of that eminent Ganoese,
Ansaldo Ceba, whose "Citizen Of Repub-
lie" inculcates these principles, they "will
be the guiding stars to our citizens, so that
there never will be person he will prefer
to bis Fn country; nor condition which
can be compared with that Of liberty; nor
a splendor which can equal the valor of
patriotism; nor passion which will urge him
into violation of the laws; nor pride which
will overcome his love of political union"
Party antagonizes these great moral forces
by which alone nation can be saved with
material interests. 1t subsidies support by
favoritism, patronage and money. IL uses
the authority conferred by the people upon
government for their protection to p.under
them. 1t reads all law with a perverted
gaze and is expert in constituting rights away
from the people to aggrandiZe itself. The
money wrung from the hard hands of labor
by onerous taxatien is diverted from its
legitimate channels into streams of COM
petition, and instead of being devoted to
pay honest obligations is used to enrich re-
tanners or subsidize organs in support of its
wicked measures.
By introducing craft into politics, ingen-
iOus but INSCRIPTIONS managers have rem
dered parties subservient to the will of a
few; and our form of government, best cal
Culated for the good of all when honestly
administered has been made an engine ofop-
preston. The Federal and State and munich
pal governments alike are cursed with"politi-
cal rings" composed of class of men, who
would be brigands in a monarchy, but who
find it safel in republic to plunder under
color CT law.
The fearful depravity and enormous
plumber of New York city, finds imitia
ton in Pennsylvania, and its counterpart in
the carpet-bsg governments of
the South, where over two hundred
millions of dollars have been
added totbe indebtedness of a people already
impoverished by war, for which there is
nothing to show. We behold whole States
under tax levies, judgment andm ortgage-
One-seventh of the farms of Arkansas adj
verlised for sale to pay taxes and not bring
ing half enough money to pay them. We
see South Carolina crushed to earth with a
debt of S3l, 00S, 900, SO far as the robbers in
profession of her government will permit us
TO know, being an increase of over SIG, 000-
600; while the area of her improved land
has decreased one-third, the value
of her farms has fallen sfrom
$139,000000 to $45,0O0000, and the
local taxes have been more than doubled.
On an assessed basis of over $4,000 900 Of
property before the war the entire Safe gov
eminent of South Carolina cost less than
half a million annually; upon an 'assessRble
basis OF one-third the former amount her
present State government costs Dearly four
times as much as before, and great de4l
more than that of New York. This is fair
sample of the condition Of eight other
Southern States, presenting a lamentable
spectacle Of monstrous fraud and stupen-
dous rIIinl
If we Look at the administration Of Fed
eral Offices in the South, we fad many Of
them contaminated by the same demor4li-
cation. They are filed for the most part
by men who have no permanent interests in
the communities where they at present re-
side, and who look upon their offices, not
as trust for the public good, but as placers
to be worked for their own enrichment.
When their terms expire they expect to
carry OIL their swag to more congenial To-
calities, and are Indifferent to the reputation
they may leave amongst their plundered
victims.
The Presidents brother-in-law convicted
OF every species of official vice as Collector
of the Port IF New Orleans, sill holds his
position against the urgent wishes of men,
bers Of Congress who explained his guilt to
the President. He used the customhouse
for party convention and suspended pub
lie business to do so, placed an armed sol
diery at the door to prevent all from enter
ing who were not on his side, endeavored to
reyOlutionize the State Government by
appointing members Of the legislature TO
Customhouse offices, and CARRYING them
down the river on a revenue cutter to keep
them olt of reach Of the Sergeant at-Arms
I st this Customhouse officer, no presses
both the army and naval marine into the
dirty work of packing party conventions
and trying to overthrow State governments,
still holds his place. There was a time i'm
the history of this country when such an
officer would have looked upon the beauties
of this world, if permitted to live at all.
from behind strong bars; and the President
who permitted such acts, would have in
CURED grave penalties. That time, how
ever, has passed. A general demoraliza-
ton has set in, and public spirit, assaulted in
its very principles, is threatened with dis
structiOn.
The President himself sets the pernicious
example OF indifference to public opinion.
He has used bis high Office, nos as solemn
trust for The good Of the people, but to en-
rich himself and family and take his
ease. lie has peddled out the offices
of the Q )vernment in exchange for gifts
and made them tributary to his avarice,
which is so gasping it refuses nothing.
The Cabinet, which was designed by The
Constitution to be comprised of the ablest
statesmen Of the land as advisers Of the Ex-
ecutive, and which precedent had made
so, has been changed in its character, TO
constitute what the President designates as
his 'ofiicial lamily,N with which he would
permit nobody to interfere" As if the
10 y u'ihons of American citizens had no
III "A the heads of their government
d, % 'nts, who for the most part, control