Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-22
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Way to Win-HIOn. JnO. Netheriand
| to the FrOnt-WhO Shall be Gov.
ernOr?

A few plain words of counsel to. tn
peopleof Tennessee, who call themselve
Democrats, Conservatives or Independ
ents, now that they are about 10 ente
upon important campaign, will no
be considered out of place. For it il
understood that all alike are animated
by the same patriotic spirit, and though
theymareh en- escheIOn, yet theobjective
point of attack to which they are al
tending, is Just the same. They have
it in their power to achieve Just such {
triumph over the cohorts of Radicalism
as Texas has Just achieved-if they viii
but do it. 1t was an axiom of common
sense, even before Napoleon uttered
the sentiment, that no man is fit to
govern States, Empires or parties, who
cannot govern himself. The conserya-
tive majority in this State, if it could
be fully marshaled at the polls, is not
less than fifty thousand. In conse-
quence of our own distracted councils
last summer, the State camenear being
lost, and indeed, was lost, SO far as the
Federal elections were concerned. I'm
less better spirit animates us this year
Il hOISC 1CSu4J VIII lOllOh. WISH W
suggest plan upon which all can have
a voice, and do it as a citizen and a
voter merely, and not as a politician,
for have never been, and am not now
a politician, and do not expect to be.
And first of all, let US bury the toma-
hawk as between ourselves. Let our
public journals throw editorial polem-
les TO the dogs, and stop the atnproft-
able controversy about names. There is
absolutely nothing in a name. The
name of FEDERALIsT was at one time
the most Odious cognomen in American
politics. And yet gigantic, but dis
solving party, now sits like an incubus
upon the government, which has both
IN its theory and practice, gone infin-
itely beyond the most extreme idea of
Capitalization ever dreamed of In the
philosophy of the old Federal party.
Names are nothing then. Men and
measures everything. When old parties
arein state of disintegration, it is not
an easy matter to find new names for
new parties that Will not encounter
some prejudice. The word Democracy
now, does not import what it imported
before the war, exceptthatitstill means
a government of the people, and by the
people. and for the people. And the
present party of that name Is an aggre-
cation OF men of every race, color,
nationality, orprevious party affiliations,
united for the holy purpose of rescuing
the Federal government from the armyof
plunderers and corruptionists who are
now destroying it-and who are bring
ing our institutions into merited con-
tempt Where Is the man in Tennessee
of the Democratic party who would
change the present free status of the
colored citizen, or who does not recog-
nize the present state of things In re-
gard to that people, as the ''fnality" of
our late struggle, or who does not wish
them to become educated and useful
citizens: Not one can be found. Where
is the old Democrat who is not willing
TO support an old Whig-or the old
SecessiOnist who is not willing now to
support the Union man for Office, if
they be IN accord on the issues Of the
present hour? Our late elections show
that no such jealousies have survived
the bloody ordeal from which both alike
have Just emerged. ButParty managers
in the selection of candidates. for high
Office, have toooften ignored the UNION
ELEMENT which has acted with us in
discriminating our people from the des-
pOtism of IS and '67-and 10 whose
answering boldness and magnanimity
we are actually indebted for the very
elective franchise we now enjoy. 1t
has occurred to us plain people of the
country, that this has been not only I'M
Just and unwise, but a grievous blunder,
and right. grievously will we repent ii
unless 1t Is soon corrected.
In selecting a candidatefOr Governor
do not look alone to West Tennessee, be-
cause of any supposed claim she has
to the honor. No man and no section
has any such claim to the great Office of
Governor Of this commonwealth. Our
public men are well known to the peO-
ple-and this great trust should seek
its man. Let him be the chosen man
who is worthy of the high trust-and
lUho can lUin it. There is a man of much
civic service in East Tennessee, who
was an uncOmpromising Union man
through the war, and indeed through
his whole career, and yet did as much
in his sphere as any living man could,
in smoothing the rough places the war
had made for our people, and in bring
ing them back to their Inheritance Of
liberty when they were down with
chains about their necks He is man
beloved and "hOnOred Of al mem
an adroit and able debater, and one of
the finest popular leaders in Tennessee.
If the Conservatives of the State would
win back their great majorities, let
them put the Hon. JOHN NETHERLAND
on the track for Governor. Then let
the prudent, thoughtful men of every
county talk over the important matter
of representatives in the Legislature.
Put none on guard but men of probity,
good morals and good sense-and
If they be not Radicals, do not enquire
lchether they irOre the blue or The gray
during the 1Cdr. If these suggestions
be adopted, Tennessee Will be the banner
State, not only in this election, but in
the next national race And then
Senator is to be elected, and whether
he De OcO. W. OOItS, D. -. DTOWn OF
Giles, T. W. Brown of Shelby, Brown
of Madison, Andrew johnson, Harris,
Senter, Stephens, Etheridge, Jordan
Stokes, Bates, Quarles, Marks, Turney,
Caruthers, Edmund Cooper, Williams
Of Knox, or any other one of the emi-
nent citizens who have been named in
that connection. we will certainly have
a good one. The way to win is to put
forward men of known integrity and
ability who are in evry respect person
ally acceptable to the people, and in
selecting standard bearerfor the whole
commonwealth, let us ignore geo.
graphical divisions and act as one
people.
It's not in mOrtals to command success,
But well do more, SempTOnius-we deserve it,
DEMOCRAT.