Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-08
RADICAL TACTICS IN TENNEssEE


lettering to It's fall and disintegrating
throughout the country. by force Of the
exposures of corruption at Washington
and everywhere else; yet the people of
Tennessee cannot be too watchful Of
the movements OF its henchmen in this
State, and of those who seem disposed
to cooperate with them. In the last
general election the Radical minority
bore off the bulk of our Congressional
delegation while we qua1reled. That
folly must not be repeated. The
Washington correspondent of the Gin
cinnati Commercial states that ''the
partisanspf Gen. Grant are now bidding
FOR Southern support. and are especial
ly endeavoring to affect the Virgins
Senatorial election, where they hope
to slip in as Senator some one nom
inally Conservative, but privately
more or less committed TO Grant" The
conception of nominal Conservative
privately committed to Grant, shows
how new party names may be used as
trick to deceive the people. Indica-
tions begin to crop ont that similar
policy may be attempted in Tennessee.
That the Republican leaders are al
ready discussing tits proven by letter
from G. n. Tillman to Il. n. Snyder,
published In the Chattanooga CONNER
ciaI of the 4th inst, with lengthy re-
marks by Mr.. Snyder. 1t will be re-
membered that both these worthless are
members Of the Legislature, Mr.. TIL
man representing Bedford and Ruther-
ford counties, while Snyder represents
Hamilton. The nature of the cor
respondence is best indicated by the
following extract from the letter of g.
n. Tillman:
q have somewhat TO say IN regard to
the policy Of the Republican party IN
this State. There IS an element in our
ranks which is inclined, in order to de-
! feat the Bourb0ns, to support any dis
affected Democrats who may present
themselves as independent candidates.
l confess I cannot see how National
Republicans can support any candi-
dates who are not National Republicans.
In my opinion the proper policy is to
preserve the organization of the Repub-
lean party intact, and to nominate lib
eral men of ability and integrity whose
record will not be offensive to those
who wish to quit the Chinese ruts of
| old Democracy. 1 cannot consistently
support any man, however loud his pro-
LESSONS of Republican principles, who
/ is unwilling. from any cause, 10 run as
the representative Of the Republican
| party, State and National. If we give
Up party discipline to run after John
son Democrats. so called, or any other
| disaffected element OF the Democratic
party. We merge our indemnity, and lose
the best opportunity to spread our prin-
! ciples and defend our acts. Do We not
manifestly surrender principle, and
confess that we have grievously sinned,
when we consent to support men who
have not yet entered our own ranks. ="
.'Disaffected Democrats who may
present themselves as indepen-
dent candidates" viii thereby show the
animus of their, disaffection. They
simply want Office, and propose TO hold
the balance Of power by Offering to
accept Office at the hands Of either
party. With all their classification"
nothing would suit them better than to
be the regular Democratic candidates,
and none would be SO loud as they in
favor Of conventions and party organi-
zation. Every man Of whatever prin-
ciples should frown down these Unprin-
cipled hankerers for Office at any price.
In response to Tillman, Mr.. Snyder
writes some two columns without conn.,
ing to the point of practical policy
raised by his friend. He dares not VEN
ture beyond far-fetched generalities,
and after a philosophical and geological
diabribes against Democracy, says in
definitely:
Let the Republicans Of Tennessee
preserve their political identity, and
stand by their principles; let them strive
to Tighten the burdens of the people,
and to maintain the dignity of labor;
| let their minds be impartial and their
politics impcrsonal; let them cherish no
| hatred and continue no discord; let
them discard that which is not for the
general good, and stand by that which
Is; and the end VIII be a victory that is
general and glorious, = etc.
Thus Snyder carefully avoids endors-
ing the plain language of Tillman, and
1t is reasonable TO conclude that the
Hamilton leader is catering to the
prospective independent candidates -
Anent this subject, the following edi-
torial remarks Of the Nashville Banner
of yesterday, Jan. Z, are suggestive:
1--WE understand that our old friend,
Thos. H. Coldweil, Of Bedford, has de-
clared his intention Of being an indie
pendent Republican candidate for Gov
ernor next fall. There viii be no end
of aspirants this year. If the Republi-
cans are not shrewd enough to 90 out
side of their OlCR camp for a candidate,
they couldn't pick a cleverer one at
home than our Jolly old friend, the ex-
| Attorney General
If the people are wise they Will see to
it that mo end of aspirants" are duly
shelved by concentrating their votes on
men who represent something more
than their own greed of Office. And
our contemporary would be wise to
stick to its New Year resolution to
"shun Radicalism as it would the
| plague"
AN IMMATERIAL DIFFERENCE.
President Grants version IN his mes
sage of what Spain undertook in the
.