The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-01-15

conformed to principle. And, though |
have been commonly called Democrat,
yet when Democracy parted from what |
conceived to be principle and the Constr
tuition of the country, was found stand
ing upon the Constitution Of my country.
And the time has come for the people
proper to take things within their own
hands. Ihave never been partisan IN
politics, nor have | been fanatic IN re-
igion."
This will be easily recognized as the
thread-bare apology OF every apostate IN
politics or religion. Again we ask, could
Brownlow have shown less zeal for the re-
organization and success of the present
Democratic party than Andrew johnson ?
Again, what was Mr. JOhnson's course
in connection with the recent canvass in
Tennessee between the Democratic party
and the Radicals? Did he come into the
ranks? Did he endorse our action in
State convention Did he square himself
to our creed and to which our nominees
stood everywhere committed? Did he
depOrt himself so as to secure most SYM
pathy and support from Radicals or from
Democrats. These are pertinent ques-
lions. Let US pause and reflect. Soon
after the nomination of Judge Porter, he
again appeared at Gallatin, and made
speech in which he expressed himself at
ter this fashion?
My name has been again mentioned
for the United States Senate. They have
had their Convention and have fixed
things up. You know | am not much of
Convention man. Conventions have
contributed materially to bringing about
the troubles we have had. Look at the
Charleston and Baltimore Conventions
and at the work accomplished. / ask
has not the country been serving parties
| long enough? Parties have brought all
our troubles upon US, and it is now time
that parties were made to serve the cOun-
try He continued farther, and referred
to his life since 1885" in explanation of
has platform. Now without stopping to
expose and properly characterize this
| demagogical clap-trap, let us proceed
with Mr.. johnson through the canvass.
| He returned to Nashville, and according
to information from reliable Republican
sources, was engaged for some time in
| hob-nobing with certain leaders of that
party who afterwards appeared at Chat
tanooga in his interest and sought to
prevent nomination for Governor, hope
ing thereby to derive greater profit for the
| Radicals and for johnson, and greater
|
failed, but the fault was not with Mr..
johnson nor with his Radical hackers.
| Nevertheless he forced himself into the
canvass, encouraged Reorganization, had
Radical candidates championing his
cause, with declared readiness to place
him in the seat now occupied by Brown
low.
Again we ask, were we not justified in
saying that BrOwnlOw could not and has
not done more to disrupt the Democatic
party than did Mr.. Johnson in this in
stance? Was he ever more consistent
in his hostility to any party than he has
been to that party upon whose shoulders
rest our present wise aud conservative
legislature?
Why is it now that he is the special favor
tie throughout the State, with the Radl-
Gals, with few exceptions, for Senatorial
honors? Why is that he is able to rely
confidently upon the support of every
Radical member over any and all of his
Democratic competitors? These ques-
tons are conclusively and emphatioally
answered by Radical correspondent OF
the leading Radical paper in the State,
the Knoxville Chronicle who concludes
his communication as follows:
Firmly convinced of these facts, 1t
| seems to me that the hepuDncanS III the
| Tennessee Legislature could not do bet
ter than to vote for johnson and laying
these considerations aside, and putting
him on an equal footing with the other as
prants, his effective war upon the mal-ad-
rninistration of Bourbon Democracy in
Tennessee, entitle him to preference, as
against the adherents of this incubus
which has been a curse to our State.
If this be true, and who can question
it, we again ask, what claim has Mr.
Johnson oyer Mr.. Brownlow to favor from
the present Democratic organization; anC
E where would be the wisdom in removing
; the one to make room for the other, more
dangerous and less scrupulous in his de
signs? Let us remember that there are
such things as truth and honesty, as wei
as falsehood and duplicity-tha the
world moves and that each day goes into
history. OLD GUARD.