Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-10-26
DIR AND THE DUTY
OF THE PEOPLE.

no the Union ana American.
/ saw in YOUR valuable paper few days
ago an article written by gentleman from
Lawrence county, on the subject Of select
ing the best men to represent US IN our
Legislature. The writer very forcibly con-
trasts the laws that we lived under In form
or years with our present system. In former
years we were a happy and prosperous peo-
Die. Now we are burdened with unjust,
unwhole.ome and oppressive laws, and with
a system Of taxation that paralyzes every
enterprise that our people may attempt to
set on foot. The development OF the re-
sources of the State can never go on under
OUT present system. 1t cuts of immigra-
ton and causes our lands to lie in waste
and ruin. 1t is impossible for manufactur-
ing to advance to any extent. Lastly, it is
causing hundreds Of our very best citizens
to leave the State, and not only so in re-
gard to our State, our cities are in like or
worse condition.
Is there DO remedy for these evils? The
remedy is at hand. Select your very best
men TO fill the various offices, State, coun.
ty and municipal. look back over the
years that have passed, and find we had 10
represent us in our own county, such men
as Grundy, Bell, Fogg, Anderson, Watson,
Claiborne, Brown, Burton, Gibbs, Meigs,
Houston, Foster, Weakley and Zoilicoter.
Such men were an honor to any State or
legislative body. Ifany one will draw the
contrast, he will sec where the evil lies, and
how to remedy that evil.
NV heart was made to weep wi hin me
few days ago, while walking the streets OF
Nashville. / came up with two NOBLE
proved young men, handsomely clad, arm
In arm, SO drunk that they were feeling up
ward for the ground, and staggering from
one side of the street to the other. asked
myself the question, where they learned
euch habits, lust coming into manhood.
The ouestion was answered. saw men
with gray hairs coming out from behind the
screen, where liquid fire was poured out and
imbibed. As thew came out their noses
were red, their cheeks flushed, and their
ewes claring. inquired after some of
men, and learned that many CT them were
members of churches. With such examples
as these, no wonder our young men are
ruined. l went TO work and
added it up; subtracted, l multiplied,
divided, and every time l came to an an
swer it brought me TO the legislative balls
of our State. There | saw our Lawmakers
INDUCING in the liquid fire, encouraging Its
manufacture, taking frjm man aud beast
the grain when the 6oO Oh Mature ueslsneu
for theft support That very grain, con-
verted into liquid fire, is destroying thirty
thousand of our valuable citizens every year.
It is filing more graves than pestilence. IL
causes more widows 10 have up anguish
from broken heart, and more orphans, or
worse than orphans, 70 cry for bread, than
ali the rest of the calamities that man Is
hair TO. And our legislators will enc ourage
not only the making but the vending OF it,
and even sell the right to the use OF 1t.
Suppose 8 flood tide of destruction were ere
\ quarantine be levied and every pNst
guarded for the safety of our people? Yet
fbe food tide of alcohol Is sweeping over
our land with fury and destruction unpar-
sIleled in the history of the world, and not
one effort put forth to stop it. 80,
S. p. AMENT.