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

7 THE TASK BEFORE TIE DEMOCRACY.
Our task is easy, and it will be easier az
ter the next Congress. Such Developments
of corruption can be made as will
fix the eye Of the country on public on
Gals in future. Dishonesty, without ex-
} posure, will be impossible. Competent and
faithful men will be demanded in all
branches Of the public service. The people
will see to it that none other are allowed to
fill Offices of profit OF trust. Our party will
60 down in disagree if it fails in this re
gard. For honest and competent rulers,
who have an eye single to the good OF the
country, there need be no difficulty; the
principles of government are plain and
simple. The Constitution lays them down
so plainly that he who runs may read.
Jefferson, Madison and others expounded
what was doubtful, so that the wayfaring
man, though fool, need not err therein.
No better evidence is needed Of their truth
and justice than the fact that the great
principles Of the Democratic party have not
only survived all assaults from without,
and all shortcomings and abuses from with
In, but they are to-day the guiding star of
the people, regardless of party, in their ef-
forts to disenthral themselves and enlanci-
pate the country from the shackles Of Rad
icalism.
THE RIGHT MUST WIN.
have absolute faith in the verify OF the |
time-hOnored maxim that truth is mighty /
and public justice certain. No party can /
long maintain republican government by /
hatred, malice OF injustice TO any portion /
of the people; there can be no mudsills for |
privileged classes to trample on; the doc
trine must be discarded that the mass of /
mankind are born bridled and saddled,
while favored few are born booted and \
spurred 10 ride them by the grace of God;
and the Democratic doctrine of equal
rights, local selfgovernment, fraternity and |
Justice must prevail. He who follows |
them, in the plain, vigorous language Of /
the Scripture, sis like man which built a
house, and digged deep, and laid the foun-
| datiOn on a rock, and when the flood arose,
the stream beat vehemently upon that house /
and could not shake it, for it was founded /
| on a rnck;;" while he who discards them /
sis like unto a man that, without foun-
| dation, built house upon the EARTH which |
the stream did beat vehemently, and i'm |
mediately it fell, and the ruin Of that house |
was great"
NY idea of the power of right is well ex-
pressed in the drama of Virginius. When /
| the old Roman was demanding the punish
ment of Appius Claudius, one Ct his friends, |
knowing the power OF the Decemvir and /
the corruption of the time, said in his hear
ing:
"Justice will be defeated"
Virginius replied:
tsWho saws that?
He lies in the face of the gods. She Is immuta-
immaculate and immortal. And though all
The guilty globe should blaze, she viii spring
Through the fire. and soar above the cracking
With not downy feather rufied by
Its fierceness."
LET BY-GoNEs BE BY-GONEs.
All we have to do, fellow-citizens, to OBJ
tain and retain power is to do justice-that
justice which has been so long denied to
suffering and down trOdden people. Ex-
pose the guilty, punish crime, protect the
helpless, remembering thaS rules are with
us only servants; that government is paul
per; that labor furnished all the
means to the trustees employed 20
! disburse the funds; that the Constitution
is the supreme law, and is as binding on
| the President as on the humblest citizen.
I trust Democrats will have patriotism
enough to let by-gORes be by-gOneS, to treat
all who unite with us in this supreme
effort Of the people to preserve and per-
petuate what vet remains Of constitutional
liberty and law, as brothers and equals, re-
gardless of their antecedel;s. That done,
the bloody chasm will indeed be closed,
and Federal and~COnfederate, Democrat
and Republican, will alike have cause to
rejoice over the prosperity Of a united
country and free, happy and mighty
people.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Beck's speech,
there was more music, and then Governor
Brown introduced the Hon. II. e. Kerr,
the reelected Congressman from the New
Albany district, Indiana. Mr.. Kerr said:
Speech OF Hon. VI. c. Kerr
Men of Tennessee have not come
here to-day for the purpose, either myself,
or in company with You, of rejoicing over !
fallen candidates for Office this year, nor Of
rejoicing over any individuals; but | have |
come here to-day TO mingle my rejOicings
with yours over the success of 4 cause, the !
triumph of great principles, and the sue
cessfui progress of ideas in our great coun- /
try. l trust that no man in Tennessee is
willing now, even in this great hour Of our
most unexpected triumph, to rejoice in any
other spirit, or for any other purpose.
/ am very glad 10 be here to-day. It is
indeed happiness to be able TO mingle my /
IejOicings with yours. The very remarka-
BILE results of the recent elections in our
country are such as TO demand popular {
recognition at the hands of the people. In {
my judgment, this political earthquake is I
not the result of the labOTs;of politicians in |
this country. II is the result of the vol {
untary, free and intelligent action of the l
people. 1t comes from them. II echoes
their feelings, their purposes and their sem a
timents. 1t becomes us, therefore, as in I
telligent men, to look to them for the |
meaning Of these great results. They are Of ]
such a character as, all over the country. c
north and south, east and west, to supply G
to the people of the country new grounds g
for rejoicing. / can imagine well that in I
many Of the oppressed and impoverished
sections of the land, mighty load has I
been lifted from the hearts of the people, $
and they feel now that they have new '
grounds for patriotic love of country and '
of all the people.
The results Of these elections rebuke the d
malign U
SPIRIT OF SECTI0SALISM
wherever it may exist in this land. They :
invite all the people to warmer sympathies
and to more generous and noble patriotism. 7
and we ought to meet these results in that
spirit and be guided by them. II is, in nv =
judgment, one of the most precious results
of these victories, that they evince a re-
awakening of the popular mind; thew evil =
dence a determination on the part of the :,
people of our country to take charge of our :
interests themselves, and TO rescue them :
from the very great perils into which they :
have been brought by bad rulers and :
wicked men in high places.
These elections rebuke the broken
pledges of men in authority. They re- =
buke bad faith on the part of public =
servants. They rebuke corruption in office. :
They rebuke bad and wicked laws. They 3
rebuke ksectiOnalism in all of its hateful =
forms. They rebuke, above all things, =
every effort on the part of men in authority i
to enact laws, such as the proposed Civil =
Rights bill, for the purpose of awakening !,
strife in the country, and of arrayinc race II
against race, and section against section. n
They evidence determination on the part =
Of the people to come back To a more gen. I
erous and manly spirit of nationality, and {.
to compel all the servants of the people to -
forget themselves and remember the whole .,
country. applause h
They rebuke the willingness that has :,
been manifested, for now so many wears, to o