Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-07-17
THE REPUBLICAN PLEA FOR
POWER.


presented, and viii soon take the
rounds of the Republican press. We
are indebted to the Washington cor
respondent of the Ne,c York Herald for
apretty full synopsis of its argument.
The address is signed by Zach Chan
dler, as chairman of the Congressional
Committee, and thirty-right other Con-
gressmen Of each house. One remark
able feature of it is the absence Of eu-
logy or even refertnce to President
Grant. a second feature is a confes-
sion that the party is divided on the
currency question.
The preamble opens with a contrast
between the thirty years of Democracy
before the war and the fourteen years
of Republican ascendency. We are
told that from 1880 to 1860 our foreign
policy was a bungle, leaving hardly
memory at which we should not blush.
Among other disgraces of our forefa-
theirs, European postage was high,
Austria was bullied out Of n Hunga.
riau refugee, Mexico was despoiled of
her richest territory, GreytOwn was de-
molished, and millions were offered to
Spain for the purchase of Cuba. We
have a notion that the giants of the
last generation managed their affairs
quite as well as we have done, and that
the people settled these issues as they
came up. The Republican party might
be glad to shield itself behind the ven
cradle mantle of Whiggery, but the
Democracy summons it to the contest
of the present.
In regard to home policy this ad-
dress of 1874 arraigns the Democracy
for long sessions of Congress before the
war, though none of them stole any
back pay. The scanty appropriations
for internal improvements in those
good old days is also cited as Demo-
cratic sin Of omission. This is sup
posed to be an attempt to prejudice
the Western Changers who want cheap
transportation. The thirty years re-
view eliminates, of course, with the
charge that we fomented a most wicked
and unholy rebellion, though this is
rather a sectional charge against the
South, as over three-ffths Of the party
were Northern men. The Democratic
split Of 1860 was a folly, like that of
| 1872 in Tennessee. The Democracy
never commits such follies without
bringing calamity on the people. But
Republican splits, like thlt of Stokes
and Senter, always rebound to the ben
eft of the community.
Having disposed of its antagonist,
this Congressional address recites the
glories of Republican rule. Natural
lied voters are reminded of the cheap
foreign postage now prevailing. OF
course the Union has again been saved,
slavery abolished and three chapters on
negro rights added to the Constitution.
The era of arbitration has been in
stalled with the Treaty of Washing
tor, but how it worked in the Virginius
matter is not explained. This awkward
subject is disposed of with the follow
ing suppression Of well known truths:
when, in October last, Spanish
Vice Consul in Cuba 50 far forgot the
respect due TO the United States as to
seize upon a vessel sailing under the
protection of her flag, Spain promptly,
without the firing of a gun or spilling
a drop Of blood, made that honorable
reparation which every Just govern
ment Is glad to make for wrong done
The stability of our finances" is
boldly appealed to in the face of seven
months abortive tinkering by the re-
cent Congress. The unparalleled
prosperity of the country is cited, re-
gardless Of the late panic and the uni
versal groan under national taxes
and class legislation. Then comes a
gush of rhetoric about reducing tie
debt and taxes, but both need tremen-
dous reductions to bring them down to
the old Democratic standard.
On these grounds the people are in
vited to elect none but Republican
Congressman. The genuine article is
wanted-no pseudo Republicans or dis
guised Democrats. This is understood
to be a slur on such Sout' ern members
as did not toe the mark on the Civil
Rights bill. This view is confirmed by
the three great works cut out for the
future, to be achieved by the party be.
fore it will consent to die. The first is
thus told:
The fourteenth amendment to the
Constitution is not yet enforced by APP
propriate legislation. Millions of
American citizens are denied even the
common law rights of locomotion be-
cause they are black. If such wrongs
are to be redressed, the Republican
party alone can do it.
The Republican party here makes an
appeal direct to the people on the mcr-
its Of the bill pending before Congress.
Brownlow's twenty five thousand East
Tennesseeans must retract or be read
ont of the party. Maynard has the
call.
After Boosting a few paragraphs
above on the stability of our finances,
the second great work of Republican
ism is thus stated: THE currency is
in an abnormal condition and must be
reformed" The people will be apt to
ask who put it in an abnormal condi-
ton, and select better fnanciers. 1t is
confessed that the party is at sea on
this subject, but insisted that the Dem
ocracy is likewise. The address argues