The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-12-19
The Presidents liberalism.
lFrom the ConrIer-Iournal. ]

IFFom the Courier-JounaI.
Concurrent with the hints of the
Washington correspondents, that
the President meditates alchange of
policy toward the Southern people,
welhave certain tokens, direct from
the South, of an equally suggestive,
though not Of a surprising or dis
eouraging, sort.
General Grants second admins
tration win, with the least tact and
eireumsPectie n on his part, pluck
many converts from the midst Of
those who have been the most deter
mined enemies of himself and his
party. This is all very natural.
We eau not blame the people o.
South Carolina, Mississippi and
Arkansas if they make the best
terms they can with the governing
power They viii do so thinking
that they viii be able stiIl to keep
up that esprit du corps which is al
ways more or less dear to soldiers
in q common, particularly in a
losing, cause. But they will ind,
as many have found before them,
that when multiplied disasters
bring round the last, desperate mo-
ment when separation is the price of
self-preservatror, even though this
may be precarious-when, with ma
ny tears and fond embracings, and
tender promises of ultimate reunion,
each hapless, hagard squad sets out
upon its separate way-they VIII
find one selfish, obstructive rule in
life stretching itself out wider and
wider between themselves and their
comrades, thwarting the sentiment
al impulses Of old association, and
marking out a new, diverse life for
the survivors.
Gentlemen of the Confederate
line, it is time to shut the books; to
fold up and lay away the bonnie,
bonnie, bonnie blue flag Of the lost
cause! Different conditions exist
in different States. Misf,rtune, va
rying in degrees and forms, de
mands a policy in Kentucky which
cannot be followed by South Carroll
ma On the old line we cannot
stand together except to hopelegs
internal discussions and certain de
feat. New connections are ineyita-
bic. You must save yourself; for
we can make no further sacrifices to
save you. Do the best you can;
make the best terms you are able to
make, and let rs hope that in the
new partitionof parties and powers,
we shall secure a better poise for
the whole country. Because, be as
sured of this, that the prosperity Of
the whcIe-the healthful growth Of
the SYSTEMS our sole chance Of
prospering.
There wos a better hope for us all.
The election of Mr.. Greeley would
have perfected amnesty. Confeder-
ates would have sat in the cabinet;
Confederates would have been in the
service. There would
have been by this simple process an
obliteration Of sectional lines, and
Mr.. Greeley a bold, able man, of
irregular antecedents, elected at the
end Of a great, popular reaction,
would have been enabled to sustain
himself upon the cardinal issue of
a successful campaign, organizing a
new principle in the Jurisprudence
of the world, and founding q Liberal
party which could and would have
taken its departure thence on its
reformatory mission.
Civilization is perhaps a century
behind this easy, magnanimous so-
luton of civil war. Mr. Greeley
was not elected. He was defeated |
overwhelmingly. The work of rec
work Of DISSECTION
alizing parties-must, and wall, /
come by a different, 10y a more de-
grading process. It is committed /
to the custody OF Gen. Grant, a vul-
gar but lucky speculator, who is not
destitdtc'pf the thrifty eye for the
main chance which distinguishes
the class from which he is sprung.
He is good-natured, liquor loving
voluptuary, who asks little beyond
fealty to himself Is not hard to deal
with and not unreliable to depend
on If the consideration he sufficient.
That he has a fair chance of estab-
fishing himself and his party in the
South on a popular basis is demon
strated by the recent vote Of the
States, and by the present
drift Of things in lie South. We
find Andrew johnson and his
friends in Tennessee preparing to
make common cause with the Radi-
Gals; and we shall fnd many Con-
federates-for johnson was only a
Union man by chance-taking the
same measure OF seifpreseryation. /
If Gen. Grant accepts these over
tures-if he changes his policy-ifl
he does what Greeley would have
done, and recognizes no sectional
or disqualilC ations-
if he goes forward, as he alone IS
able 70 do, and puts the very best
and most representative Confeder
ates he can fnd willing TO accept
Office in places Of conspicuous trust
.he viii build up q party Ia the