Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-07-13
THE snPREME ISSUE.

THE SUPREME ISSUE.
In our opinion, the friends of De-
mocracy and representative govern
ment need waste bat little anxiety on
the marked divergence between the
financial views indicated by the respec-
tive platforms Of Ohio and New York.
The money question will not figure as
the leading factor in the Northern
Presidential canvass. 1t will enter as
a secondary issue only, in so far as our
present depressed condition is cogent
argument with the people at large
against TIE dominant party OF mlsrule.
1t is, perhaps, better that such should
be the case. Further discussion, fur
Their comparison of views, Will tend to
secure a better readjustment Of our
finances on a permanent basis, and the
Democracy will never be content with
any other.
The supreme issue with our Northern
brethren is to root out the corruption.
lists who have turned the temple of lib
erty into a den Of thieves. This was
the handspring of action that induced
the revolution of last fall This alone
explains the success Of Democracy in
States so dissimilar as Ohio, North
| Carolina and Massachusetts,. This is
the one issue affecting all places and
classes alike, being national in its aim,
and palpable to Observation-Disclosures.
1t is a matter that touches every mans
pocket, and at the same time eyokes
every spark of honesty and virtue in
the land. As Wendell Phillips re-
marks, whole nation can attend to
but one matter at time, and the one
thing uppermost in the popular mind
is 20 scourge out the thieves that have
infested our high places with brazen
effrontery for years.
Among the hosts Of honest Repub-
licans who have no share in the spoils
of Office, there are thousands who will
refrain from voting or even support the
Democratic ticket, under an honest
conviction that their own party merits
rebuke and can be purified only by
displacement from power. They may
have little faith in Democratic princi.
pies or promises, yet they argue that
the latter will be on its good behavior
for a time, after which they hope for g
restoration of their own party, purified
by defeat. So strong is this feeling
against Credit Mobilierism and Whisky
Rings and Indian Rings and Navy
Rings and District Rings, that, if the
people believed the Democrats would
do no better, they would nevertheless
vote the Republicans out of power on
the principle Of rotation IN Office. II
weoffered themno hopefor better things
they would insist on rotation in rascal.
ity even.
No cloudy divergences of financial
views will suffice to turn the people
from their determined purpose to pull
down the public pIunderers who have
rioted on their substance since the
war. No abstract niceties about the
need of a strong central power and the
relative rights Of the States, or the
ghost Of secession, can divert them
from this determination. No moral
crusade against rum, as was attempted
last year, and no appeals to religious
preiudices such as form the staple Of
the Republican canvass IN Ohio to-day
can distract the attention of the PEG,
pie from the freebOoters fattening al
the public crib. Radicalism is doomed
it dies Of its own corruption.
In place of this eminently sectional
as well as rotten party, the people ar,
offered a national party, ons that wal
and the defeats Of sixteen years hav,
failed to shatter, but rather knitted to
gether more closely, so that to-day j
stands forth IN the vigor and buoyancl
Of youth, the one only hope Of tn,
country's future, the star whose shin
ing viii guide all worshiPpers to tn
cradle Of liberty in the coming Centen
NAL year. We repeat that it is theonl,
national party in existence. Owe
nearly half the Union Republicanisu
has never had any existence except Of
the pernicious basis of race antagOn
ism. In other sections it has been helC
together for years by the cohesive
power Of public plumber. Oaker
Ames' Credit Mobilier was exposed
only a few years ago, but 1t was in fus
blastas far back as 1866. Through al
the vicissitudes of defeat, the Democ
racy has been found struggling in ever
State from Maine to California, show
ing that it possesses a vitality cO-exten
sive with our vast domain, and inde
pendent Of sectional interests. Re
versing a much used metaphor, i
knows the North and the South, tn,
East and the West; 1t knows and recog
nizes all. It embraces the entire coun
try and seeks to harmonic the interest
of all sections. 1t would have non,
oppressed, holding all to be cO-equa
heirs TO our heritage Of liberty. Thu
first century Of independence closes
with an era of reconciliation, and De
mocracy is the party of reconciliation
THE FUTURE or THE SOUTH.
An esteemed friend in Alabama, for
merlv Governor of that State, and on,
of the best she ever had, writing to u
} from Montgomery says: Had tn
, Radical majority IN Congress allowed
us to 60 on and attend to our various
business interests in peace, just at tn,