Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-07-02
HHArIsn ErOREnS-

viii have to be settled in next years
Presidential contest. We appreciate
how closely the currency question is
connected with the evils from which
the Western and Southern States have
suffered and are still suffering;
but there are worse evils than these
to be remedied. Of the two political
organizations in this country, the Re
publican party has now had control of
the government for fourteen years,
during which time the affairs of the
nation have gone from bad to worse
until the limit of forbearance has been
reached and a reaction has at
last set in. The tendency of
this reaction is in favor Of the
Democracy, which, under reverses no
other party could have survived, has
continued to battle for the principles of
free government, and sought TO restore
peace and harmony to the country.
The question for the people to deter
mine is, to which Of these parties they
shall give their SURFACES. Cues
tons of finance, the relations
of church and State, internal improve
ments, cheap transportation and many
others which have been mooted for the
purpose of distracting public attention
from thereal business in hand, cannot
be settled at this time by mere
partisan ipse-dixit; they must be
referred to the careful con
sideratiOn of the repres. natives
of the people, and upon their proper
settlement the future happiness and
prosperity of the nation directly de-
pend. The highest duty of voters is
to select and elect good and true men
to represent them, from whose deliber-
atiOns they may have reason to
expect wise and honest action.
General principles in party
platforms are, of course, right and
proper; but it is not the province of
primary organizations, so to speak, to
conclude discussion, and to announce
Judgment arbitrarily upon all matters
which it may be the duty of our rep
resentatives when legally clothed with
the requisite authority to investigate
and determine. The broad
and eternal foundation of popular rep.
resentative government is the welfare
of the great body of the people, and
any legislation or executive policy
which is inimical thereto, is contrary TO
the spirit and purpose of our free In
situations.
As the Republican party has been in
power for a long course of years, with
large majorities in both branches of
the national Legislature, and its own
political leaders in the Executive chair,
and in every department, not only in
Washington, but IN every State and
Territory in the Union, there can be
no question as to its responsibility
for the animus which has actu-
ated it, for the laws 1t has enacted
and omitted to enact, and for the
manner of their execution. This re.
sponsibility does not admit of division.
The majOrities given by a confding
people, or, as IN some cases, secured by
trickery, have been too decided tC re-
heve the Republican party from any of
the odium which may justly attach to
their bad legislation, and to the uncon-
stitutional or wrong acts Of their exec
utiye head and his appointees. If the
people Of the United States are
favOrably impressed with this
long continued Republican rule, with
It's animus and its actions, there is no
need of political change. If, on the
other hand, the people find great
cause Of dissatisfaction arising from
the harsh, vindictive spirit which has
been constantly manifested by the
party in power; from their repeated
bad legislation, and the unjustifable
methods pursued in executing these
wicked laws, their remedy is as simple !
as is the fact of the existence of two
great political parties. The remedy is,
to change the political complexion of |
the government, By substituting Dem
Ocrats for Republicans in Office. There !
is no other possible remedy; for, if |
those who have been for years honestly |
misrule and corruption in
Office are not now to be trusted with |
the control of our government, who |
can we trust 1t IL entirely too
late in the day for the Re-
publican party to attempt to save.
itself by the aid of platforms, or
through promises Of what they might
or would DO IN the future, or by denun-
Citations of the Democracy as rag
repudiationists. The people
Of the United States are full OF shrewd,
practical common sense, and see
these lodges; tEey perceive
that under Radicalism, capped at last
with Grantism and with a third
term Of corrupt rule looming up
in the future, the country
is steadily drifting away from demo-
cratic principles toward Capitalization.
The tide has now turned. Shall we of
the South 60 with It en- Blasse to re-
stored prosperity, or divide on other
issues than those in which our most
vital interests are involved and risk
the disastrous shipwreck Of all our
hopes?
THE REVENUE RAID ON SMOKERS.
Notwithstanding the fact that the