Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-07-27


the candidacy for governor, and give
his views Of the formation Of a
EEw POLITICAL ORGANIZATION.
CIxCINNAT1. Jaly %.
: I To Judge Collins:
My DEAR SIR-I feel very much OBJ
liged to you and the gentlemen via,
called to-day for the honor you proposed
to confer upon me, but l viii not recon
-ider the answer I then made. l vii
not accept nomination for the office 0
governor. While this il 20, I warmly
lsympathiZe in what you propose to &C
1Cmplish, and hope the time is neal
when present Democrats and formel
Democrats and all dissatisfied Republi
Csns shall be cordially united under
single organization. IdOn't think there
is anything sacred in mere party organi
cations; they are only machinery W hicE
should be repaired when out OF order
AMI renewed when too much worn. a
constitution of q government Is @ more
sacred organization than that oG q po.
htIcal party, yet we don't hesitate to
PULL DOWN A CONSTITUTION,
in order to put up a new one. We have g
convention at Columbus now engaged il
that work. l give you the letter to
/ y
! gentleman in New York before yOur
| movement began, and without reference
! TO il. 1t was not written for publication,
and not exactly as l would have written
! Il with that view. But YOU are at lib
eTty to publish it if you think it may
contribute in the least degree to g closer
and firmer union of all who are opposed
to the present administration. Very
respectfully, W. S. GEOEsBECK.
THE DOCUMENT.
CINCINNArI, May ., 1873.
My DEAR SIR--I have your letter Of
April 23d, and should have answered it
sooner, and have no sufficient apology
for not doing so. Permit me to say that
the reply l have to make to It is not for
publication, but personal to yourself and
those at whose suggestion you have
written. / believe the historical Demo-
cratic organization is spoiled. Biunder-
ing constantly during the last ten years,
ana shattered by many defeats, it sur
rendered finally at the last presidential
election. It cannot recall that surrend-
er, or the concessions then made, and it
has no longer strength enough for victC-
ry in this extremity. It will likewise
lay aside the old organization, and enter
into new one. The new organization
should
ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THE WAR,
as was done at Baltimore, and it should
accept them in good faith, and so as to
command the confidence of the people. |
The recognition should be something
more than recast of the old one. There
should be no eXclusiveness about it, nor
should it be merely Democratic. Itl
should be made up Of present Demo-
Gratis, OF former Democrats, and Of al
who are offended BY the
policy and tendency of the present ad- |
The new organization !
should be the joint work of Democrats |
and Republicans, and both should be |
equally at home in it-neither the guest
of the other. You ask,
WHAT SHOULD BE ITS NAME?
Call 1t the Liberal Democracy, that viii /
mean the free, unselish government of
the people; and now, as to its doctrine |
or principles, you ask in this connection |
how the question Of negro suffrage
should be treated? That question is mol
longer before US. Negro suffrage is the
bloody contamination of q great war.
and nothing short of war can undo it in
our day. In my opinion it viii endure
in this government as long as general
suffrage. ] comprehend the objections
to it, and think It was granted TOO soon
to that part Of our population recently /
All should make some
for this day. We deny suf-
rage to the foreigner for q time, in or
der that he may prepare for it, and we
have schools for ali, on the theory that /,
ali should prepare for it.; but it is grant
ed, and 1t cannot be recalled, nor DO [
-hink it wise, in such a government as
his, to keep permanently so large a
part of Our people in an inferior, de-
graded condition.
SLAVERY WAS ALWAYS A DANGER,
To hold this population, now free, in
/ degraded condition would be a greater
hanger and always trouble us. Say we
lave adopted a doubtful policy; it is
lone; 1 accept it, and on all such ques-
ions admitted to be Of doubtful expedi-
y cy, shall for the remainder Of NV
lie, If perchance L must, ever strive at
east to be tolerant, generous and hu- .
1ane, rely for good vOtingas much upon
be heart as upon the head. I concur in
7bat else you suggest. The new organ
zation should oppose all forms Of mo- !
opoly. This is too plain to need argu- |
lent.
M0NOPOLIES ARE AN OUTRAGE
nd an ofense against the people. The [
ew organization should oppose central /
.ation, and it should advocate home y
Overnment in all local affairs, and to L
le utmost extent that is practicable.
on cannot keep people free, sturdy,
nd intelligent without home govern Z
lent; 1t is home government that trains il
;, teaches US reliance, and developes p
laDllness. Take it away, and the free a
ian disappears. Centralize power at a
fashiDgtoD, and we are transferred to q
ltside management. No longer gov
ming ourselves, We must b. governed. q
spending upon Washington, we lose Fl
lr self-dependence, aud the free citizen il
'on degeneTates into mere subject Ii
hose whole duty 1t is to obey the law, p
d whose only desire is TO be amused Il
idleDess. You refer me also to the +
IestiOn of c
FREE TRADE ei
be new organization should make it c,
he Of its cardinal doctrines. There a.
lOUld be no equivCcation or double b
Gaming about this. A prohititory c,
riff is in plain contradiction to the ST
lsracter Of our government. We are b
| equal in rights, privileges and immu-
ties. There should be no discrimina-
1n, mo favoritism, no partialities, per- a.
nal or financial, and as a comm efcial hi
,licy, prohibitory tariff is behind the OF
,e-almost a baTbarism-and belongs h
the times when nations were walled o
I'd commerce without wings. M
l believe have substantially answered 81
'ur letter. The new organization may o,
operly antagOnize the party now adj n,
inlstering our affairs at almost every st
lint. While this is so, it should not a.
ldertake to be everything at once, or 10
Ish reform without some regard to i'm Fl
ediate consequences. IN
IANGBs THAT SHOCK BY THEIR ABB b.
RUPTNESS, 81
e not always Just or fair. We should n
,ver forget sound principles, and we cI
Ould move toward them constantly, Ii
rely and steadily, but sometimes grad ro
lily. don't believe in daily revolu- b,
)D, or in sudden or violent deraDge- ~
ent Of public affairs. Let me suggest w
doctrine to which you have not re- v,
rred: L mean the doctrine of
RICT CONSTRUCTION OF THE CoNsTI-
TUITION. fl
ave YOU considered what a certain il
eventiYe of misgovernment may be al
and in the faithful application OF this pf
ctTine? 1 believe such an application tn
il would correct almost every public al
Il of which We complain. 1t is worth
ur while to test its reach and efficacy,
ID what splendid doctrine ii is for 2,
eh a government as ours; how it bU
alts the individual man, and how it l.
bordinates the government. 1t may su