Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-02
THE PLAINPATH.

What can we do to redeem the time
and hasten the day of happy deliver
ance for the people? Shall the De-
mocracy dissolve, as has been specious-
ly argued byso-called "Liberal" friends:
Never. No cause in church or State or
science ever so achieved success. By
nothing but hard blows, dealt to the
death, has the right ever .triumphed
over wrong. Never in all history, has
the abuse of power and place been rec
titled by the withdrawal of opposition.
The proposition has become so lumi-
nously absurd, that even the INDIE
pendent" organs have ceased to urge 1t.
Aye, and they begin to speak dubi-
ously of the various attempts at
new parties which spring up here and
there over the land. Evidently, they
begin to recognize that it may be the
Democracy, so much abused by them,
which viii succeed to the administra-
ton of public affairs. We are firmly
convinced that it must be the Democra-
cy, and nothing else. The time has
come when the dissatisfaction of the
people with the reigning rottenness
should begin 10 concentrate IN some
shape that viii utilize its power and
numbers. If the opposition continue
split up into Democrats, Liberals, In
dependents, Anti-Monopolists, Gran
gers. ETC.. without establishing some
common plane of action, the raseals who
now hold the national purse-strings
may laugh in their sleeves at the lmpo-
tence of the honest masses, and con-
tinue their career. That the Demo
cratic party is the proper focus and
raliying point for the opposition, is
plain to all who are willing to see. In
the first place, it champions the cause
of all the aggrieved classes. Its his
toric essence is the strict construction
Of the constitution and the protection
underthat instrument of theT1ghtsof all
citizens, whether farmers, workingmen
or merchants. 1t has ever been
opposed to monopolies Of all kinds, and
denounced their dangers to our mstitu-
tons long years before they became
rich and brazen enough to bride Legis-
latures, Judges, and Congresses. Sec
ondly. the Democracy to-day the only
national party in the country, MAN.
tanning through all vicissitudes the
cause of the people against their OPP
pressors. from Maine to Texas and to
Oregon. 1t has thus maintained itself
throughout the land without the aid Of
government pap or of corruption. In
the one instance where its leaders did
initiate Radical corruption, the DemOc-
racy itself promptly hurled them from
power. Even the Republican party
has no such claims to the title of ma
tional. In the South it has no exis-
tence outside of ignorance and place
hunting. and these must be supple
mented with the bayonet, to maintain
It's supremacy IN the few States where
it still fingers. 1t has no hold whatever
on the intelligence or culture or wealth |
or anyother permanent interest IN the
South. and in the North, it has main
tanned itself only by corruption
and deception. The pickings and
now coming to light, were
freely denounced in the campaign of
1872. The Radical party was then Just
as corrupt as to-day. But Christian
statesmen" brayely lied to the people
Of the North. and their enormities were
actually too gross for belief at that
epoch. 1t was a game of bluff, IN
which the honest masses of the North
were duped. Itnever was anything but
a revolutionary party; and even if pure,
must die whenever its slogans of war
became effete. 1t was a creature of
var. not fit to conduct the country in
the paths of peace. It's days are num-
oered, and the Democracy is now our
only national party, waving its banner
n every State. without clashing against
Deal interests. The Democrats of
protected Pennsylvania are as earn
st as those Of unprotected Tennessee,
y Texas, orCalfornia. Thefarmers of
he West and South canco-operate with
he honest working classes of the North
nd East, only on Democratic basis.
The anti-monopoEsts Of Califor-
ia can work with the mill
population Of Massachusetts, only
n this party. All these classes
ave their rights under the constltu-
ion. and their wrongs under the dOmi-
alton Of Radicalism. Even the far
lers seem unable to cooperate in the
lme State. In Illinois to-day there
re two organizations, the Oranges and
be Farmers clubs. In urging all to
mite with us in the political work be- :
re us, we by no means wish the dis
Of such organizations as the
ranges. They have a large field to
Iltivate. Farmers seek nothing but (
leir rights; they wish to Cypress no ;
Ass, but promote their own interests,
ct the party of the future must en- t
race other classes as well as farmers; il
nd if we are to inaugurate in place of
a homogeneous national
olicy to protect the progress of all, all
asses should have a voice IN framing
The Democracy Is then the party
the future; it exists already in every I
ate and holds unfurled the banner of y
rights for all and privi- d
yes for none. All efforts to devise
w organizations forpoliticalpurposes, 4
a mere waste of the strength that :
ii be needed in the battles of 1874
ID '7G.