Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-10-15


When sco.emporsry who Processes sim
diiIerential politics" tells our people that
the Republican is ''the best party in this
country" we viii still hope that he difTeren-
tiases his politics enough 10 agree with us
that it is not the best party for Tennessee.
True charity begins at home. Our first
daty is 70 look after our own household,
and in Going SO, We can help our brethren
OF other States all the ssme.9 Last year,
notwithstanding our unfortunate divisions,
Tennessee did her whols duty to the conn
| try at large, casting her electoral votes for
Greeley and Brown. But We forgot our
home duties, and to day thevaried interests
Of Tennessee and her tax payers are repre-
sented IN. the Federal legislature By large
majority Of members who are opposed to
nine-tenlhs Of our property holders and tax
payers.
As we take it, our State politics should
BE- based on the present and prospective in
terests Of the State. Among these are the
questions Of sustaining the State credit, and
also sonic modification andimprovement of
our civil and criminal laws In discussing our
politics, therefore, I'VE see no need for a con-
slant dragging forward of secession, fire.
eating, the Inflated experiment Of disunion,
etc. As We understand, these matters have
been everlastinGly settled in the court of
last resort, and tan never re-enter the po-
litical arena. We are sure our farmers and
our merchants would rather have some
lighs thrown on the problem Of State taxa
ton for instance. We deprecate thus early
all attempts to revive these utterly unprofG-
able though highly passionate discussions.
Another disposition that we deprecate is
the multiplying Of nicknames Bonrbons,
Liberals, Extremists, Conservatives, Union
lists, Consolidationisss, State rights fire eat
ers, old Democrats and old Wings. Many
Of these are but repstitions, without dis
tinc.ive classes to represent them. The
genuine differences on past and dead issues,
we are ready to recognize. We have no
objection to any man calling himself Lib
eral or Conservative. That need not,
should no. interfere With our working TO-
gether for the obvious good Of Tennessee.
If some of us, be it majority or minori-
ty, prefer the name Democrat, We suppose
al liberal minded men--sn men likely to
cooperate with US, viii concede 10 us the
same privilege we freely accord them.
There is large class of sturdy yeomanry
throughout the hills and hollows Of Ten
nessee who prefer the name Democrat.
Their preference in this respect is an exist
ing fact, which we cannot afford to ignore,
because we cannot count ms jority against
the Republicans if we leave them out.
Therefore, let us dismiss this idle squabble
about names, and agree each TO take what
name he pleases. Here we are, Ex-Rebels
and Ex- Unionists, alike interested in the
future welfare of Tennessee and of the
Union, interested for ourselves, for our
children and for posterity. Here we are
all honest men, in the honest pursuit OF
honest government by honest men. We
can work together without asking on what
side we fought for honest convictions in
war of which our children are reading
bungling accounts in so-calIed history.
1t is these honest men of Tennessee, re-
CARELESS of antecedents, honest taxpayers
and rentpayers, whom the UNION AND
AMERICAN invites to cooperation for the
purpose of averting catastrophe which all
agree is likely to follow dissension in our
ranks. To day, Tennessee has home rule,
local sell, government, public servants re-
sponsible to tbs people for their trusts.
There is already enough White House in
fuence in this State, appointing postmas-
tiers, revenue officials, etc., who are not re-
sponsible to the people, and who often
discharge their duties with a sublime indif-
ference to our interests. The election Of
Radical ticket next year would place our
whole machinery of State a. the service of
Grant and his party. The experience of
other States, if not our own years of bond
age under BrownloW, ought to suffice for
uniting all honest men in ayerting such
calamity. With the incoming Of Repub-
lican regime, orr present liberty to discuss
and inaugurate needed improvements
would disappear. Offices would be multi
Piled for faVorites, our State debt rapidly
increased, our schools fall into disuse, and
our taxes be doubled. Such is the history
of Republican rule everywhere.