Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-02-25
Sapsrille M1eeklg Chroaitie
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1874
THE POLITICIANS UNITING.

The politicians of the State, who begin
to realize that there is too much disorgani-
aation amongst those opposed to the Re
publican party, to make it certain for them
to get a new lease of the offices of the state
are trying hard tounite. But like all move
Inents that originate with ofiice-seekers
and officeholders, it is made without much
reference to the wishes of the people, Inc
resolutions of meeting held IN She!oy
county are put forth as the basis upon
which the opposition to "radicalism' can
harmonic We have read and re-read
those resolutions, but fail to find any thing
in them different from the platform upon
which the bourbon element of the
marty has again and again ridden
rough-shod over the Conservatives
Union element in Tennessee. The reso-
lutions are glttering generalities, and may
mean bourbonism in Davidson and liber-
aIism inMadison, or Knox, as suits the 10
Galley. But it sometimes aids one to judge
of the resolutions adopted at such meetings
to know what resolutions were rejected.
The Committee on Resolutions, by call OF
the Convention, reported not only those
adopted by them, but also those rejected
Among the latter were such ringing sem
fences as these:
Resolved, That, in the judgment of this
meeting, the great evil of the times Is the
present eXorbitant, oppressive, and ruinous
taxation, viii IN is rapidly discouraglng
and paralyzing agricultural and mechani-
eel labor; impoverishing thousands whose
means and energies were greatly impaired
by the war; and producing that wide
q bread decentralization which inevitably re-
suits from an army of taX-gatherers, clothed
with inuusitorial authority and the power
of administering such oaths eXtortion and
cupidity have thought proper to impose
That was too plain talk on the assess
ment law and funding bill to suit the
Democratic managers, so it was pocketed.
But we quote again:
ResoIved, That the evils of which we
uow complain are partly traceable to the
action of the present State Government,
which, without consultation with, or au.
thority from the people, whose servants
they are, have Increased the former heavy
public burdens under the pretense of
'maintaing the public faith and credit of
the 5 ;ate,"
That resolution, proposed and seconded,
and supported by prominent Democrats OF
Shelby county, was pocketed.
We have heretofore alluded to the reso-
luton fixing the taxes at 20 cents on the
hundred dollars, which, as our laws now
stand, amounts to repudiation-no more,
10 less.
The Shelby county resolutions adopted,
dodge every question of Importance that
will come before the coming State Con-
ventions, and the cry of triumph from the
politicians that they have found grounds
upon which the opposition to radical
ism" can rally, is therefore the sheerest
poppycock.
But it is evident that the views We here
express are entertained elsewhere by men
who see that the Shelby county platform
is too narrow and evasive for State bat
tlefeld. We invite attention TO the call OF
COL. Colyar for a State Consultation Of In
dependents, which we publish elsewhere
lie wants to put The party on the confes
e.gnal, and he is bold enough 10 admit that
+. is necessary. We hope that when thai
c0nvention meets we shall hear more eX-
JIcitly from Col. Colyar what rings,
and "monopolies," and "oflice-holders, >
and "stock- gamblers he wants to "breaB
up" Isit the funding ring the penitentiary
monopoly or the Burch- Hobbs scandal that
he is after? OF course, we shall hear fully
from Col. Colyar in time, for he is bold
fearless man, who usually talks as he
thinks.