Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-07-07


parture from the rule which limited
the incumbent to two terms would be
attended with stupendOus peril to al
the institutions and liberties of the
country. And the opinion has been
ever since held by The most trusted
statesmen OF all sections, that the
usage, as settled by the examples OF
Washington and Jefferson, is hardly
less strong III moral obligation and
authoritative force than a constitutional
inhibition. l 90 not believe tie c0un-
try cah remain in its present abnor-
NAL condition. We are going to have
either popular self government or
central imperialism. | intend tC stand
for the liberty side as long as frag-
ment of it remains. am opposed to
a third term for the reason that, not
Withstanding the pas, l have faith in
the cause of constitutional free govern
ment. But I oppose some other evils
still more. One of the cruelest calami-
ti,s which could befall all classes and
cOlors at the South would be the social
intermiXing Of the races to result fron
the enforcement Of the civil-rights ia
naticism and harbarism, and it is hard
to conceive what greater evil than
that could be involved in any possible
| revolution OF the Government.
IF the future should bring forward a
candidate impersonating the third
term principle; if he should cut loose
! from Old party trammeis and take his
stand oi. our safe Conservative ground
ground of universal reconciliation
aud peace under the Co!stitution-an
if so standing he should be- opposed by
fAT no
! iquity, then in a contest between the
| two, the Conservative party ought, in
! my opinion, to 90 deCidcdIy. but as an
organized party and not otherwise, for
| the thiru -termeT-yet WITH Il protest
on their lips against the thrti-term
principle and III spite of that princi-
pie.
Having to toucli this subject. it is
but fair tn 90 through with il, and to
develop all | know as bearing upon it
in any Of its relations.
Early in December last, desire,
spontaneously expressed, that I wound
call and Sc the President, was con-
veyed to mo orally from the test
source. / duly appreciated tie cour-
tcsy, and fit an inclination TO accept
it. y very few DAYS alterward / came
a
of able and leading Conservatives as TO
my duty in the premises, and as the
result of such con ference then made
up my mind and then fixed and an
nuunccd to my fri, uds my determine
ton to make that call.
Such have been the relations of The
Conservative party, and such have
been my OWN relations a. Il epraSpita-
s.ff
tive My fultiili3pHt cf those relations
in the past is sc&udaIoua in tI:e eyes Of
Que of tie extreme clisees before char
acterized. What is the scandal =
WaS it q scandal that the convention
OF tile Cons ervatite party IN August
last Determined, Is part Of lis plato III,
Gu ti"atc with Gen. q a 1.-THE be- st re
IaLIOns consistent with lis principles?
Was it scandal that the C0n-erva-
tive Legislature in January last DELHI
erately re-aifirmPd tho same policy in
resolutions transmitted To General
Grant? And after this policy cOncil-
iatlon had Leen thus affirmed, ratified
settled, first by the conventional and
afterwards by the legislative represen-
tatiVes of the whole party, was it 4
scandal that | did not repudate the
pledges OF the party and did not as
sail all General Grants measures with
undistinguishiHg denunciation Is it
a scandal to have practiced towards
General Grant precisely the sort and
degree Of Cancellation sanctioned and
prescribed by the twice affirmed plat
form of the party? After tie party
had OF its own free will put itself in
this attitude towards General Grant,
and after a desire, cotrteOuSly and
spontaneousIy expressed and conveyed
to me that | should call and make his
acquaintance, was it for lie to reverse
the policy of the party rudely to turn
my back on such courtesy, and by my
action to fomcHt arrangement and
anlaSonism in place OF the cancellation
which the platform enjoined? Let it
not be supposed | have any apology to
make, any pOlinode to sing. for having
made that call. l went because, un-
der my convictions of duty and pro-
priety, | made up my mind to gO.-
Under circumstances to Justify it
again, L shall go again. / went when |
such an acknowledgement of a cour- |
t"sy was III logical fulIlillment of the |
declared policy of the Conservative |
party-when ii did neither more or |
less than vindicate the sincerity and |
consistency of the party itself. | went |
when the fate Of our own social sys- |
tenn was trembling in doubtful bal |
ance, when my going might add, and |
did add, some weight, however slight, |
to the southern scale; when my going |
strengthened the rcmOnstrances of the |
General Assembly against the passage
of national civil-rights law. | went |
and had manly, square talk with the
President, and, while | shall not so
violate propriety as to aiiude to its par
ticulars, yet | regret every word of it
could not have been taken down and |
for (althoueh l say it) it's
would have done credit to
him and TO me, and no discredit and
no harm to any part of the country or
the people.
Extreme partisan journals at the
NORTH charge that the Conservative
party has gone. back on the Federal
and betrayed it. Ex-
treme men here charge hat the Con-
party has surrendered TO
Grant Neither charge as any sba-
dow of foundation in truth. The par
ty stands to-day precisely where it
stood cn the 7th of August aud Oh the
Ist of January. Certainly may cbal-
Ienge evidence to show that iii any
action of nRne / have stopped short
DR. gor an iich beyond the station es-
tablished 10y the supreme will of the
party. Some urge me TO go further.
lthers To turn back. | shall stand
where / am. am not yet so old that
shall stretch forth my hands and au
,ther shall gird me and carry me
whether l would not.
AS TO the Federal exc cutive head, ]
Jlall render him not jealous hostility,
,ut fair and unpre. u iced judgment.
1or the sake Of ourselves aud the
Whole country shall re. oice ii he SO l