The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-02-27
letter from MARSHALL county.
LEwIsBURa, Tenn, Feb. L, 1874.
III. Editors of the Herald and Mil.

! LEwISBURG, TENN, Feb. L, 1874.
To the Editors of the Herald and Maa:
We regard the present year as freight,
ed with much ofgood or i'll to Tonnes
| see. 1t must seem evident to every re-
hecting mind, that we are in state OF
transition, and well will it be for our
people if we wisely improve the oppor-
tunities which shall be presented. We
! believe that Tennesse9ans are equal to
any emergency when brought lace to
| face with duty and honor. All that is
| required is to know what duty is, and
then we have the utmost confidence in
| the peoples entire Willingness and de-
sire to carry It out strictly and fully.
First and most important to every man,
| woman and child in this State, is to
guard against the fOllies of 1872. The
general good must come before every
partisan or personal consideration. The
thirst for office is becoming alarming
Now we fully endorse laudable ambi-
ton among the citizens, and have no
right or wish to complain of any and ev-
cry mans becoming candidate who
may wish to, but we would warn every
man against jeOpardizing the general
welfare simply for the empty honor of
small Office. Bad government is the
curse of our day. Under it nothing
under the sun can flourish. 1t brushes
individual effort and murders outright
associated enterprises. The whole
South is to-day nournful commentary
on bad government Here we have the
ills against which we should all cry cut
brought directly to our door. If Tennes
see repeats the story of lS12-if Tennes>
seeans through personal ambition throw
away the right of self go, ernment and
allow irresponsible and dangerous men
TO bear rule through all her channels OF
justice-then does she richly merit the
hioh will aartajnlU fOllou
ana abide with her for years to come. A
lesson learned through suffering is ire
quenJly the only method of reaching the
heart. A scar will silence unbelief when
all other arguments fail. Let us be wise,
and profit 10y the experiences ofthe past.
Tennessee cannot afford to dash to the
earth Der glitteriDg crown tor the ex>
press purpose of seeing d score of her
talented but ambitious sons riot over it.
II is time that the carnival of the Con
talon should cease. With the people
lies the remedy. 1t may be necessary
to cut deep in order to remove the ulcer,
but the only possibility OF a return to
health and sir4ngth lies through the in
cision OF the public scalpel. The people
should seek their own rulers, call them
out, If necessary, vote for them and elect
them. The standard should be raised.
We do not strain the tact when we say
that the present overwhelming rush for
office, actually deters many OF the best
citizens in every community not only |
from becoming candidates themselves, |
but actually, in many instances, from
attending the voting precincts and cast |
ing their ballots. There can be no great |
er crime against representative govern |
ment than a systematic lowering OF the |
popular sentiment. If the last ten years |
had done nothing else, this would have |
been sufficient to damn it tor all time to |
come. Our own people are fast becom-
ing ashamed of their chosen institutions, |
and we are much mistaken if many
men, high in the estimation of public
opinion, are not now ready for a change.
Great and bloody revolutions come
from small beginnings. We wake up
some fine morning and find the whole
world in arms-we find the popular
heart stirred to its deepest depths-we
find the liberties of centuries in danger
we find reason silent-we find law
and justice at the mercy OF the fierce
Commune, and we are astonished at
The changed How silly in us! The
whirlwind is never reaped except there
be a sowing. The cause lies just on the
surface. DemoraliZe and dts roy public
confidence in our institutions, bring our
elective government into dlsrepute |
among the masses. and the work is
quickly done. How easy % overthrow
n one common ruin the wisdom, the la
Dor and the Accommodations of ages? The
worst sign of The times is this popular
apathy ard distrust. We warn Tonnes
scans against the danger in time. Our
can only be successful
through "eternal vigilance" The tires
Of pure patriotism need to be rekindled
On the affairs of every heart. We should
nave our conceptions of citizenship ele-
7ated and refined, instead of debased,
lw arted and divided. In this work the
press must bear the burden. 1t is in a
,ense, the guardian OF the liberties OF
he people. 1t should sound the notes
If alarm--it should cry the hour of the
hight around the sleeping State. We
must educate the great heart OF Tennes~1
zee in the PURE doctrines OF the Consti-
utiOn. We must throw the banner out
rom all the gates, pipe all hands to
quarters, and drive all money changers
Beyond the sacred fame by the lash OF
he enlightened Truth. We are on the
we of another State election, another
opportunity for every good citizen To
;ird himself and prepare for giving one
more day to the Republic. In these
biennial elections lie our only hope. By
hem we can make bad men IremUle
nd good men rejoice. The people
hould see to it that these elections are
made the vehicle of popular sentiment.
they should see to il that designing. |
cheming men, do not make it the
means OF defeating the peoples will,
While they mount over their shoulders
q power. We must confess that nova
lays elections do not always reflect the
will OF the people. When a dozen C IN
idatPs are in the field, the least deserv-
Dg may succeed in bearing OF the laurel
wreath. DELTA.