Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-12-09

Vic 4ClOcI 11ttCSocA W OuAtsC OAe-eA "
the participants IN the Democratic
banquet at the Continental Hotel,
Philadelphia. on the evening of the Sd
inst. We make room for it entire:
Gentlemen: / am honored by your
invitation to the dinner Of Democrats
tomorrow evening at the Continental
Hotel, and ] beg you to believe that
nothing prevents nae from attending
but an imperative duty which calls me
elsewhere.
l think / can understand how sim
cerely you all rejoice over the great po-
litical events of the last two months. If
you wish TO know what my feelings are
1 must decline to tell, simply because /
cannot do justice to the subject. De-
mocracy-Which is the common sense
and common honesty Of the nation or
ganized for public purposes-was sup
posed by its enemies TO be effectually
killed. Tt was but natural that the
heart of every patriot should burn with
In him when he saw 1t rising again,
facing the oppressor with front as
determined as ever, and denouncing
corruption In high places with the same
mighty voice which in former times
went over the land like the tones of a
trumpet.
But let us not merely congratulate
ourselves upon the recent past. Think
nothing done until the work Is finished
The victories of this year viii put only
one House of the Federal Congress into
our hands, and we must wait year to
realize even that. Our perfect inde-
pendence must be achieved IN 1876 by
struggle which win prove that we are
worthy TO be descended from the men
who proclaimed the rights Of the States
and the liberties of the people hun
dred years earlier. If we fail we must
sink into q servitude even more de-
grading than that which We have en-
dured for the last dozen of years. If
we succeed, then viii this puissant ma
ton, like the awaking Samson, "shake
her invincible locks" and start the
new century under auspices SO grand
that nothing can arrest her free carer.
We must bear it always in mind that
the triumph of Democratic principles
means the restoration of constitutional
government on basis which viii give
absolute security to the rights Of men
against the nights of men. The
brokep walls Of the Constitution are to
be built up anew and made too strong
to be thrown down again by the ruff
fans of the higher law" Our oppo-
nents themselves viii become recon
ciled to the principles of American
liberty when they pass into the mi
nority and find the magnanimous De-
mocracy taking every possible precau-
ton to guard them IN their weakness
against the oppression which they In
hieted upon US In the days of their
power. Peace will come, too, sectional
strife viii be ended, and the public
robbers who now swarm over the South
ern States viii cease their nefarious
occupation when We revoke the license
which the appropriate Legislation" Of
the last nine years has given them.
But we cannot reasonably hope to
accomplish the object of our mission
without much labor and faithful exer-
ton after the machinery of the Gov
eminent shall be put into our hands.
Fifteen years of domination by an anti
constitutional party has utterly de-
morahzed every branch of the public
service. Thesecorruptions have become
so numerous and so diversified, have
sent down their top roots so deeply,
have been practised so openly, and have
become, In a certain sense, so respecta-
bic, that for many of them a mere
change Of administration Will not
speedily furnish a remedy. But the
abuses may be ended by the impulsion
of the same moral force which carries
their authors out OF public life. When
Hercules undertook the task of cleans
ing the Augean stables, he did not
use the fork or the SHOVEL, but turn
| ed the current of river upon 1t and
so swept all its filth to the sea. The
stream of public opinion if rightly
directed will In ike manner aid Dem.
ocratic Administration. This hydraulic
method Of reform being necessary, the
freedom of the press and the untram-
meled right Of the people 10 speak their
sentiments-eYerything that lets the
water on-should be sedulously en-
may It come to pass IN due time that
we VIII remember the days of the gag
law, the practice of kidnapping free
men, and the murder of innocent peo-
pie by military commission as we re-
member the years of mildew and
potato rot and cholera to only shudder
at them and try to prevent their recur-
renee.
If / should close hereyou might mis-
understand me. l have not the least
idea that we ought to unsettle anything
which has been fixed and determined,
or take from any human being right
vested in him by existing laws. We
propose no counter revolution. While
we mean to be Just, we are determined
also to be liberal in the broadcast sense
Of the word. The faith of the Govern
ment, no matter by whom pledged, is
irreVocable. The whole civilized world
knows that the public credit is safer
with US than with our opponents, and
this is shown by the fact that since the
November elections American securi-
ties have risen in every market. We
submit to the amendments of the Con-
stltutlOn, though they we're carried by
fraud and force, and the two last were
intended to take away our inheritance
of self-gOvernment and give it to an
other race of men without right and
without ability to hold it or to use it.
But we viii execute the whole instru
merit, amendments and all, in a way
that viii save the rights of the honest
white man as well as those Of the abo-
htiOnist and the negro.
Another thing: large and most re-
spectacle body Of men who, until late
ly, acted with the Republican party,
voted for our candidates last month.
We are not to forget how much we owe
them. The debt can be paid by show
ing that we deserve their confidence in
our moderation and fairness toward all
Glasses of the people. 1 am fraternally
yours, etc. ]. S. BLACK.
THE statue of Stonewall jackson,
l. l.. Il