Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-08-13
CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE NOyEM
Der ELECTION.

By means of the Inflammation of the
public mind upon "Civil Rights" and
kindred questions, the politicians have
again nearly caught the people.
The above paragraph is taken from
editorial which appeared IN the Banner
of Sunday. We must confess that we
do not exactly understand what our
contemporary is driving at.-UNfoN
AND AMERICAN.
Our proposition is that the people
turn not aside from the good work
already commenced, but with Ratchet,
cleaver and axe, cut through our finan-
cial troubles. Let no question be made
a ''spring- board" to throw Mr.. a. or
Mr.. B. into the Senate, and leave I'M
done matters more nearly concerning
our vital interests. Give us Governor
familiar with finances, who has given
the world some evidence of his capacity
IN this regard, and not drlvellngpoI-
tician whose highest merit consists IN
his ability ''to harangue and weary the
public ear debauch public tastes and
morals, and who are to-day travelling
and writing, here and there, to make
combinations by which they may be
hoisted, like a hat on a stick, to the
| Office of Governor. Give TO such a
| Governor a Legislature of sound, prac-
Iical men. who have moral and pecu-
mary interests at stake, and no one
doubts the Senator will be citizen
eminent for his virtues and political
integrity, and who Will reflect the SEN
timent of his people neither by an ''elo-
guent silence" nor the shallow, fussy,
vituperative denunciation, common to
the mediocre man, elevated above bis
natural leveL-BGRRer.
On each and all of these practical
topics there is not a shade of differ
ence between us and our contemporary.
For many months and years past we
have urged that true reform begins at
home; that our Legislature should be
chosen for home purposes, and that the
body competent to deal with our home
interests is likely to elect satisfactory
Senator, as the law provides. In re-
gard to either Governor or Senator we
have no choice except that he be a
| good man, and there are several aspi-
rants for either Office any of whom
would, we think, BE- equally acceptable
to the people. 1t is not men we would
promote, but measures.
We suppose it is an oversight of our
contemporary that it speaks of the
United States Senator as being the.Only
election that will have bearing on Civil
Rights. We do not soregard it. Every
new Congressman may be called on to
vote for the defeat or the repeal of the
now pending bill Furthermore, oul
coming Legislature, which meets in
January, may find the bill already
passed b. the Congress which meets
over a month previous. In that case
the most vital questions affecting om
school system, the State Constitution
itself, the disposition of the poll ta1
and the permanent school fund, will b.
absolutely forced on their first atten
ton. 1t is not the part of reason
ing people to close their eyes
to these contingencies. Therefore, We
must insist that the Civil Rights issue
should not be lost sight of.
If the Banner supposes that in tn,
recent county canvass, the lines wer,
drawn by the Executive Committee ant
by the people and by us, with view +,
promoting anybody Senatorial aspira
tions, we candidly think it is mistaken
and seek to disabuse 1t of false i'm
preston, calculated to breed distrust
What we did not understand IN tn
Banner was couched in these questions
In what respect have ''the Politician
again nearly caught the people?
Was the fight against the Civil Right
infamy a politicians fight? Did they
not, in fact. dodge the issue until tn