Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-20


who listened with the deepest attention Il
the speakers, heartily applauding all sug
geStions as to cOnciliatory measures to b
inaugurated by the Democratic party, now
that it is In position to give tone TO the po
| litical sentiment of the country. On
/ THE SPEAKERS STAND
We're the following named: rr-
Hon. Jas. b. Beck, of Kentucky, Hon
NJ. c. Kerr, of Indiana, Gov. McEnery, o
Louisiana, Gov. Jno. c. Brown, ex-Gov
Neil S. Brown, Hon. Jas. ID. Porter, Gov
ernCr elect, Col. John NJ. Fleming, Super
intendent of Public Instruction, Siate
Comptroller JnO c. Burch, Mayor Morton
b. Howell, JAS. L. Rice, Chairman of thu
Democratic State Central Committee, Capt
VIM. g. Ewin, Chairman of the County
Democratic Central Committee, Judge J0
9. Guild, Senator Henry Cooper, Gen.
VIM. II. Jackson, Gen. Cox, of Williamson
Judge Spofford, Of Pulaski, Col. Munday
Of Gallatin, Maj. 10. Wade, Hon. Z. L
GOlladay, Of Lebanon, Maj. Tom O'Con-
ner, Felix DemOville, Esq.
After the playing of an appropriate air,
by the band, Hon. James b. Beck was in
trOduced by Gov. Brown, who said:
''FellOw-citizens: | have the honor 10 in
troduce to you gentleman who in the
hour of TenneSsee's peril came to her res
cue and relief the Hon. James B. Beck,
member of Congress from Kentucky"
Mr.. Beck was greeted with great applause
and spoke as follows:
Speech OF Hon. James Beck.
Fellow-cOuntrymen: l do not know
whether 1 can make myself distinctly
heard, but win do my best. l shall make
a very brief speech to you, and will be fol-
lowed by a gentleman whom you are all
anxious to hear, the Hon. NJ. c. Kerr, of
Indiana, and tonight We will have another
entertainment, which hope viii be even
better than the one this afternoon.
When l received the polite invitation of
your Executive Committee to attend this
meeting, did not believe l could do so, and
so advised the chairman. It's importance,
coupled with my own desire, Induced me,
on reflection, TO lay aside all else and
come. felt that the representative men
of the Mississippi Valley would be here,
and that our future success might depend
on the course now determined on. l have
to share the responsibility until the 4th of
March next, and am glad to find such unity
of sentiment as to the causes which led to
our recent victories, and the means by
which We can secure and perpetuate the
beneficial results which ought TO flow from
them.
CAUSE OF THE RECENT SUCCESSES.
All rejecting men see that our successes
were brought about by determination on
the part Of the peoPle-nOt Of the Demo
Gratis alone-but Of large numbers of men
who heretofore acted with the Republican
party, 10 stamp with the seal of their con-
demnation, the arbitrary, corrupt, CONSOLE
dating and despOtic acts of the Radical
rulers. The protest entered at Cincinnati
in May, 1872, by disguised Republicans,
under the lead Of such men
as Greeley, Trumbull and Sehurz,
has at last found practical and effective ex-
preston in the cordial union of the best ell
cments of the Republican with the Demo
cratic party, in an effort to save the country
from Radical misrule. The victories in
Massachusetts,, Michigan and elsewhere
can only be accounted for on this hypothe-
sis. 1t is equally clear that if the people
had felt that the defeat of the Radicals had
been possible, their MISUNDERSTANDING as
it is-would have been still more over
whelming.
OILY ON PROBA1ION.
While we have a right to rejoice, and DO
rejoice, at the evidences shown by the late
elections of determination TO wrest power
from the present Radical rulers, and brand
them as untaithful pnblic servants, We must
not conclude that the victory is won, or
that the verdict in ourfavOr is an admission
of our capacity or fitness to rule. We are
put on probation, and we will be endorsed
or repudiated in 1876, when the great strug-
gle for the control of the Senate and the
Executive comes, according as we give
evidences Of wisdom or folly between now
and then.
It is as true in politics as in war, that
whenever we can ascertain what our
enemies want US TO DO, we ought
to be sure not to do it. 1t is evident from
all their Outgivings that the Radicals want
us to pursue extreme measures, and to adj
vocate reaetionary legislation. They would
like to see us attempt TO impeach the Pres
ideut, repudiate the reconstruction acts,
proclaim our determination TO overthrow
or disregard their constitutional amend
mentS, or avow some equally revolutionary
policy. We will, of course, not be guilty
of any such folly. But IN my Judgment
The country demands, ichdt the Radicals
most fear, (and it is one of the most EN-
phatic and significant determinations ex-
pressed by the late eleetionS,) that we
shall, 10y prudent, yet rigid, investigations
into the conduct of all the departments of
the government, develop the undoubted
TACT that corruption, reckless extravaganza
and eXtortion has been the rule, and not
the exception, in the management of public
affairs. We are also expected and required
to stop, and, when possible, wipe from the
statute books all such infamous aud uncon-
stitutional legislation as that proposed
by the Civil Rights bill, the $50
called) enforcement acts, with all the
amendments, and proposed amendments.
thereto, and all laws and parts of laws.
which make the military superior TO the
civil authorities, in time of peace, or de-
stroy the legitimate power and authority of
the several States over their own local and
internal affairs.
The revolution in public sentiment, de-
,elOped by the recent elections, may have
been aidedhere and there by local causes -
hard times in some manufacturing dis
lrics; prohibition; the third term: the
ciyn rights bill; abuse Of power in Louisi-
ana; imitation or contraction of the curren-
and AL may, and likely did, in