Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-06
OEAD DIFFERENCES.

Then Southern planters Will grow rlch.
DEAD DIFFERENCES.
"AnOld Wing" writing to the Nash
ville Banner, seems eminently pleased
with our course, speakingof the UNION
AND AMERICAN as ably conducted and
manifesting considerable conserva-
tism.' But he seems eminently dis
pleased with some of our correspond
ents. We do not understand it to be
the duty of a newspaper to smother
every expression of opinion that does
not absolutely dovetail with its own.
We keep no Procrustean bed on which
to put correspondents to the rack. We
do not think such the most favorable
plan for eEciting the views of the peo-
pie, and must confess surprise at find
ing these structures in apaper that pro-
fesses independence" SO loudly. So
much for the general principle
involved. When We seek the
particular grievance of can Old
Whig," we find he cites only one soil
tary passage as Objectionable, a pas
sage in which writer signing himself
Democrat, " speaks of heparty as IAN
organization to which the country owes
more of its glory and its prosperity
than to all other political organizations
combined" That many Democrats do
so read the history of the country is a
fact that need not and cannot be dis
guised. That IAN Old Wing" enter
tains views very similar about the
Wing party, is amply evident from his
communication. If Democrat" erred
in his glorifcatiOn of his party, without
instituting any odious comparisons or
decrying any Of its old rivals, what
ought AN Old Wing think of him
self if he but looks in his own mirror
after writing the following?
"All the Wings in the State :
believe that our misfortunes, now hang
ing over us like a cloud, are In great
measure attributable to the mistakes
made by the Democratic party In as
sorting that slavery was only safe out |
side of the Union. The Wings Of the |
State all believe that if their conserva-
tive views had been adopted, this cOun-
try would have been prosperous and |
happy. They believe the Democratic |
party In the past has terrible record, |
but they have acted with it in the death |
struggle to free the people from dis
reimbursement. The issue between the
Wings and Democrats existing up to
the beginning Of the war, if handed
down, may make bloody noses to the
third and fourth generations.
This is bitterness itself, compared
with the generalized eulogy of Democ-
racy by our correspondent, who did not
delve into the past to dig up skeletons
or abuse former foemen. We do not
know the year nor the convention in
which the Democratic party asserted
that slavery was only safe outside the
Union. Certainly it was not at either
Charleston or Baltimore in 1860. If
can Old Wing" could give such day
and date-which he cannot-what pos
sible bearing would it have on Tennes-
see politics to-day? Whether the late
war was revolution by people, or by
a party, has no relevancy to the issues
Of this year of grace 1874. Concerning
all these dead differences, Democrats
are perfectly willing to leave the final
verdict to unprejudiced history. We
presume Wings are willing to do the
same in so far as they feel convic-
lions on the subject. In view of
the dangers that now enfold
all free, representative, constitutional
government in this country-dangers,
beside the magnitude of which the old
differences between Wings and Demo
Gratis dwarf into molehills-we think
we can all agree to disagree about the
irrevocable past. We are sure that
nothing was further from the mind of
our Democrat" in eulogising the
party Of jefferson and jackson, than
10 set up a test or issue for this years
campaign. He is an eminently practi-
cal man, whose services are devoted to
the material interests OF the State.
Neither he nor we urge Democratic
organization as a vindication of past
gl0ries, but as the most effective way
for meeting and handling present and
pressing issues.