The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-12
SENATOR GORDON, OF GEORGIA.


IDENcY AND OTHER MATTERS
Senator Gordon, or Georgia. has been inter-
Viewed by reporter or the Atlanta Herald, In the
sourse Of which he expressed himself IN regard 20
The following among other toplcs:-
TIE PHILOSOPHY or THE GREELEY MOVEMENT.
Now, Just at tnla point, Mr. Greeley, carr ScuuIA,
Grafz brown and Governor Curtin. representing
tnIs GisorganlZeu ana scattered army, proposed
Platform a. ClncinnatI, on whIch " was thougns
minisrr.tiSn mont III uniteI Tne movement
faica Just lnen; not because the liberals ana con-
seryatlyes did not 40 Ihelr pari put because there
was not sullcleal time allowed 10 Orng the uem-
ocratIc party 10 beheve that The movement was 2
sincere ana honest effort Tor reconclnation ana
Ine e.ecIions ofIast TALL were the legitimate and
the necessary results Of that coalition. something
Ike the Greeley movement was absolutely neces-
sary. The Northern people mad become lncrus-
taxed with era ate formation Of passion, prelu-
DIE. ana nate. beneath winch their mellower and
better lerliAgs were Imprisoned. 1t seemed I'm
possible 70 break through THIS horrid easement
Ihat mad cotlned tue kindly Aottaern ana Vest
eIn heart. No plea could penetrate IL; no out
rage coGla shlyer II: no argument could phase IL.
II was q soAd, uncelng mass, against which all
impulses lell impotelt. But Horace Greeley, with
,ac stroke oI ms pen, - with wand, shattered
fnis miserable shell. and threw the words OF truth
ana rghl ana justice. IKE suhpeams. IN upon the
Ioa aud the 9rsin ana the neart Of ne people. 10
lse his own expression, "A chasm yawned De-
tween the people vi this Repuolc, tnaG must be
,.useu or uiled.'N Like another Lurtlus, with as
heroic neart and as nign 4 purpose, 1 am sure,
- moved the ancient Roman, ne hung himself
as sacrifice into the abyss lie gave his peu.
his speech and lie TO the OF recOncllia-
tlon. And ne did not give them ~ VAIN. through
his sacrince the cnasm was closed, and his people
stand over nis grave united and victorious.
Ioppused the Greeley movement AZ hrst, but
AN pot one OF those wno insist Low that It was .
mistake. tnnk that
II WAS TIE wIsESr POLITICAL MOVEMENT
N cur political history. IL was toe carrying out
u the polcy snadoWed III Lincons memorarle
Norus-"Ne have conquered them Dy al ms let US
win them by LagnAnInlty.n | neard Senator
Bayard, VINO, You Will remember, opposed the
coalition bitterly ana denounced 1t on the noor or
Session oil the senate Just lew days ago, that
movement as wise. polIttc anu patriotic move
meat II gave the south tine ear OF tue North and
West. Tbs VAS ali We wanted. We did not need
arguments, We only lacked an audience.
TIE PLATFORM FOR 1876.
REsoRrER-Do you tnnk that We should make
The next national Campaign on the Cincinnati
PLATFORM
General GoRDoN-I think that we should hazard
nothing Oh account Of prejudice or partisan
oplnIon Tor Ue leye tnat the pcrpe ion OF our
Tree institutions aepends Oh the Issue o the next
national mpalgn. ON It's reAult hangs,In my Opln-
lon, the sneiy VI The Republic, "hleh should oe
more estlnla le tnan any mere party tlumpn could
be. There are Tour eaulng ideas that should enter
INTO the democratic platform 4or 1876. These Jour
cardinal principles snUuu pe put IN our PLATFORM
. insure success, ana tnen adhered to BY our
party 10 ensure peace The nrst point Is, that we
mail nave economy, purity and fidelity Ia the
administration OF tue government. All these ele-
ments may De included under the one heac OF
honesty. Ii there Is anything thattne people OF
TINS Countrywide wnoie people, without olstinc-
1T Is an HONEST PARTY;
a party that VIII oppose fraud and corruption;
that viii throttle rugs ana ciIques that will de-
nounce ana detnrone even us own leaders When
they become corrupt; that Will command tue con.
ndence oil home taxpayers and retrieve our Iepu-
then, III the platform saoulu be promise made
not idly bat earnestly, and as q guarantee-thar
larry and honestly run the government and DIS
pose OF It's revenues.
The second point that should be incorporated
into the platform should be "a restoration OF con-
rNnC nat nrtnn rmd
between the sections We must nave q thorough
good VIII aud harmony. We must learn all men 10
honor ana 10 iurtner the national prosperity. We
can solve no question satisiaclorI wnIle We are
rule men It Is Of no use TO address them with ar
gu1ents on pubic policy, or public pollty II Is or
you cannot penetrate their preJudlces; hey are
swept along py passion almost IN spite OF Inc M
Suestlops1iet them come Tps stner a. Droners and
stunu lace 10 lace, and LOOKING eacn other iarly In
the eyes, seek Tor the true and he good and tue
wise, and you will see wnat, IN view OF our MIS-
eraoie hide-oound past may be esteemed poiiti.
cal millennium. There must Dc unity-a oneness OF
ieehnR ana OF purpose an assertion that the peo-
pie OF tnIs Republic seeking common end, de-
lending common rl2nt. Guiding up common
country, snaA move Onward In harmony ana
GIVE THE NEGRO MS RIGHTS.
rne third point In tne Platform should be,
.nink. a DEFINITE and unmistaKable pledge, tnat we
the people OF me South, WILL protect tAe negro IN
All his rights Of freedom and franchise. strange
seen tue white employer and MS negro employe
il Is 0eileved oy great many people IN Ise North
that tue FIRST step vita wnlca we would marx the
democratic reaseendency would DC TO deprive the
negro only OF MS right 10 vote, but his freedom
also; that ~ any rate We would reduce him 20 .
condition Of quasi slavery Iney are exceedingly
Di what they call 'rne results oil the war; Iney
are afraid TO trus: the democratic party with
reactlonary legislation. Let US convince them
that we accept maj the abolition OF slavery and
a. sucn. and we viii nave done very much to-
ward removing the only obstacle that stands be-
tween tue democratic party and an overwhelming
national triumph.
LET Us RETURN TO THE CONSTITUTION
The fourth point OF cardinal Importance that
should put In tue platform Is, return 70 the con-
Btltutional methous Of government. Dotn In the
state and IN nation. Wine We must yield 70 ne
general government all the rights IL mas, or al
That toe supreme Court ~ decisions WILL give 10
< Ne should INSIST upon the right o. tue
nal a1alIs. without ms nght were July pro-
tected and It's maintenance guaranteed /
alarming tendency Just now 70 consolidate TINS
government, 10 gather ali tne power a. Washing
Ton. 70 lessen more aad more the liberties OF the
states and make them dependencies upon the
great central power. Ibis must lie checked. and
IBar, too, promptly and declsIvey. or the Repuo-
lie Is lost. / nave letter from Mr.. William
NJ. Evarts, or New YORK one OF our puresL
hnS ee are 100 msn IL .ns country
realize now near We are 10 q complete change IN
tue form q our government We are drifting
toward despotlsm with rapidity and directness
that cannot iall TO alarm the peo lie wnen Il is
made plain 70 them. On THIS platform. tnen,
with It's fOur cardinal ponts OF honesty, concord,
the protection OF ali citizens 10 all tnelr legal
rights and constitutional Republic, tniak we
should 'enter the campalgn.n
A STRAIGHT DEMOCRAT CAN DE- ELECTED.
REPoRTEK-Do you think that q straight demo-
crat can be elected on this PLATFORM
General GoRD0N-l certainly do. l believe that
any mau who tue confluence OF tue people.
standing upon this platform ana peuRed u Us
support, would carry at least twC-tnlrds OF the
loyal voters or TINS country. | believe that two
thirds " tue people Of America are opp leed openly
ana squarely 10 the administration. There
10 hardly a point In this platform 70
which the radical party II not opposed.
II is opposed 70 honesty IN the government, as
witness It's shameless suppOrt or the carpet Dag
rascals and its defended record Of crime aud
incompetency. IL 10 opposed 70 reconciliation,
because II lives passion anu prejudice; and
because an inquiry into It's policy. cOnductcd
quietly and peacefully, would oveTunem II. IL II
opposed 70 Constitutional IiDertvi Its avowed par