Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-01
EEMoCRATrc pity.

establish third party. This element.
too weak to accomplish anything of
itself. has only embarrassed the we'll
meaning Democratic majority. and aid
cd the common enemy until in the last
national election it gaze Radicalism
the substantial victory Its career
throughout has been that of a marplot.
Its latest phase is so-called ''Indepen-
dence Independence between the two
parties representing centralism and its
coneomitant coIruptiono ON the one hand,
and local self control, with pure and
simple government on the other. With
an AR of pretended imparthlity, the
would-be independent organs have
sought to bring Radicalism and De-
mocracy on level-which can only be
done by exalting the former beyond ITS
deserts. and dragging down the latter
without regard to justice. For some
months past the role Of such organs has
been to pick ont of the eesspool of Rad
zeal rottenness, some stray scrap of
honesty which might be praised They
have seized every possible excuse to
land the dominant party for this or
that small crumb Of comfort When
they cannot praise, they have asked the
people ON Blended knees to thank God
and the Administration that things
are no worse, On the other hand. to
keep up the bravado of pretended i'm
partiality, they have diligently
sought notes in the eye Of their
Democratic brother. and the pettiest
peccadillo on our side has been exag-
gerated INTO absurd dimensions. in order
to reach the ultima thule of sublime IN
difference. that both parties were equally
corrupt, They have fomd this role
ratbt boibfiicult to carry out. because
Radicsuhsm has given them little oppcr-
tunity for laudation, and the Denoc-
racy has afforded but few excuses for
blame. They have struggled manfully
under this double difficulty, but never
have they permitted their pretended
impartiality to hetray them into q good
word for the Democracy. They have
been eminently Independent of JUS
tee and reason, but IN no sense impair
tial,
But now that these same organs
which have been preaching the funeral
Of Democracy for years. begin to dis
Germ the cal'signs ofthc times and con-
fcss that it is Radicalism which is
doomed instead of Democracy. it is
time for us t. bcstir ourselves and sri
our house in order, to De prepared for
the coming catastrophe. The dominant
party is indeed doomed bY the people
of the country: and the party whose NJ
tality has been proven by the shocks of
thee-quartcrsof a century, eliminating
in a civil and social revolution that
freed four million slaves. sho,,!d pre-
pare for the SUCCESSION. While push
ing Radicalism To the wall bv
the continued exposure II its widely
ramilicd uttenncss. we must not
forget to prepare for the
work Of national reparation that viii
d"volve on us after victory in the Ecld.
This work viii bc the more arduous BE-
cause we will fall heir To- "a government
drmoralized in al its branches, with a
public crcGij strained TO its utmost linn
it. The ProdigaIs have sqUandcrcd the
substance OF the country in riotous liv-
ing, and our task VIII he the uuscliish
oncof rctreBchmcnt and economy. For
the past decade the most effective work
Of the Democracy has been CRITICISM
aud the exposure Of the rascaiitics Of
the rrigUing party. For tie next three
years. We layr different work. that
of divisiu@ national policy ut once
homogeneous and ronsouant with the
principles 81 local self-govcrnUent.
Hilbert, ourpulirv has been tigr ne..a-
tive one of Opposing and denomicing
successive usurpations. Hencrforth If
must bc positive one looking
Ia the rcparation and conservation
If our free instit ltions. We have
often urged the duty Of organization.
The duty now bccquacs no,e iupe,n-
tive than eyer. and We are prone To be-
liryr that. with the goal of victory fully
in siyi,t. ihs progress Of organization
IN our ranks hcnccforti will bg i.pid. /
Indeed. our only fear nn the subject is
that il may bee more rapid than healthy.
and therefor, we sound thus raliv 4,
note Of warning tn our brethren. A.
RAdicalisIu disintcgratrs. the lmoc-
racy should become NOR, closely
united. We have ng ar.-i 4. borrow
anything from the dying party. The
living bFiu-iI,irs II the Constitution