Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-05-15


Poor Virginia The Mother Of Presidents
hsa fallen to low estate with the subsi-
dence Of the terrible upheaval that succee1-
ed the elsctien of Mr. Lincoln to the Presi.
dency. Some Of the most trusted citizens,
who were ultra in their views and demands
in the early days of the war, HAYS gone over
to and became partisans of the party that
has done everything possible since tbs
close of the war in the field, 70 degrade and
rob the white people of the South One OF
the last OF these cases is that of Henry A,
wise, who is absolutely seeking the Re-
publican nomination IS the Grant admin
istration candidate for Governor of Vir-
ginia. The Cincinnati Commercial says:
aShould Henry A. Wise, who hung John
Brown fourteen years ago, and prosecuted
Republicanisma as q disguised abolition devil,
become the nominee of the Republican
party in Virginia fof the Office of Governor,
it would, more than any other event since
the close Of the war signify how COM
plete Is the political revolution through
which the untry has passed. No South.
lion against Republican administration, or
longer manifested spirit of unconquerable
hostility to that party. Mr.. Wise refused
10 arc pt pardon at ire hands of Presi-
| dent johnson. He did not ask for amnesty.
he proclaimed that he had done nothing
! for which either pardon or amnesty should
be solicited. He had simply followed the
| flag of bis State, and had made war upon
1 tho fNoxrorr1vaat,f hananon VirOinia mazda
war upon it, His highest allegiance was to
the naughty old Commonwealth A more
thorough and radical States Rights Demo-
crat than he was mott to be found in South
Carolina itself. An3 Row be is the talked
of candidate of Virginia Republicans-seek-
| ing the nomination himself! 1t means a
remuneration of his old theories, and har-
! monious relation with an Administration
that rides rough shod over State lines, and
employs its military arm to pull down and
set up at its pleasure"
The Washington correspondent of the
Cincinnati Gazette writes, May u, as FL
lows: tHH a.
ga movement is on foot to have Virginia
politically reconstructed. The Republican
State Convention meets at Lynchburg July
4 az. -au0 LlC NOuSClNG llNC OOlfOhAAOA -
Richmond August 9. Henry a. Wise
viii announce himself an Independent can
didate fer G vernon on the administration
ticket, early in JEly, for the purpose OF de-
festiDg both conventions, and will have the
administration support. The object Is salo
to be to get Virginia into good standing
with the President. The Lynchburg con-
vention will have too much Of the carpet
bag element, and the Richmond convention
too much of the unreconstructed element
| Wise will not affiliate with the former, ano
now has no friendship for the latter, and
hopes by q middle course to gain enough
supporters to carry the election. The con-
test in the State will be one Of great bitter
ness"
Seeing that he is determined to run, sn'
that be is the choice Of the Grant admins
tration, the Republican Convention vii
probably nominate Wise. But his nomina
lion could not be regarded in the light b,
which the Cincinnati Commercial woul'
view it. The nomination Of Wise by tn
Republican Convention would simply sig
; Nifty that, approaching the fact that poWe
} is gradually slipping from them, they ar
T willing to use any means and any man t
2 regain ard retain control of Virginia.
: Governor Wise was honest in proclaimin
. that he chad done nothing for which eithe
pardon or amnesty should be solicited,
then to make him its candidate, the Reput
} lican party must abandon its positio
j in regard to our late war, or
2 must be confessed that its leader
E seek to perpe:uate its rule 81 any mean
, however discreditable and dishonest.
, Wise was honest when he made the declsl
5 alton that he needed neither pardon nc
5 amnesty, be places himself in a very dii
creditable position in seeking office as th
candidate of the Republican party, Will
: Grant at its head is seeking 10 crush OF
: legal government and sustain usurpatioI
! as in Louisiana, and to stifle the will of th
! people, as in Alabama. The Republican
are willing to use Wise for their own benz
ft, as they have used other Southern me
who have turned their backs on their Oh
political associates, 'that thrift may folio
= fswning," but it signifies 10 relaxation {
J their bitter hostility to the whole people {
the South.