Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-02

governor. mat 1act was reported by
the Senate Committee In February,
1873, and spread broadcast over the
land. L did not come here to ask as
sistance; but l came IN the hope that I
might hear from the wise men Of the
Northern States. 1t is for you to take
this matter in hand. We are power
less. Let US know thsre is hope for us,
Applause.
Ex-Gcy. Hoffman spoke next, re-
ferring to the fact that he had for two
terms held each of the offices upon
which the guests of the evening, Messrs.
Tilden and Wickham, were 'about to
enter. He had no faith in boards, COM
MISSIONS and bureaus. The best steam
er in New York harbOr might be sent
to sea under a board composed Of che
three best captains, and it would be
lucky if that vessel did not shipwreck
in smooth waters. He also laid empha-
sis on the fact that the people now do
a great dealoi thinking for themselves.
They look to their representatives for
decisive and effective action. Men
without courage can never be respected
in war or politics. They who do the
most for truereform are the brave men.
Those who advocate home-rule, intelli-
gent government against mob assertion
and liberty regulated by law, are the
men Of the future. 4.
Gov. Joel Parker. Of New Jersey,
was the funny man of the evening.
There had been a good deal of advice
given to the incoming Tilden by the
other Governors and ex.Governors
present, but Joel claimed to outrank
them all. He had been Governor Of
New Jersey for six years. Besides was
he not the Father Of all the Democratic
Governors we have? Nine years ago
he was the only Democratic Governor
in the Union. He had been left for
seed. Now we have twenty.one Gov
ernors Of that political faith. He
claimed them all as his children. He
had borne the ark through the darkest
days. He did not mean this as per-
sonal; be spoke of it for the honor Of
little Jersey. The Republican party has
shown that it does not know how to
govern this country, and the Demo-
cratic party is the only party that ever
governed it successfully, and the people
are beginning to find it out. I say
here tonight that the policy of this
Administration towards the Southern
States is a crime, the political crime of
the nineteenth century, and that for
this, if for no other reason, they should
be hurled from power. 1 look forward
to 1876 for this reformation of the
country, and then we viii inaugurate a
Democratic President and bring into
the Cabinet men Of brains, men VINO
have the confidence Of the whole cOun-
try without respect to party, and give
to the people Of every State the right
Of self-government and home rule.
These are our notices, and, by the
help Of God, these we will carry out.
The closing speaker was Jno. Z. Tar
box, one Of the newly-elected Con-
gressmen from Massachusetts,. His
peroration was as follows:
Let the Democratic party Of the ma
ton take this counsel: If it would re-
gain power IN the land, if it would re-
tain that power, let 1t make the party
organization so pure that 1t shall be a
fit temple In which Democratic princi-
pies may dwell. They tell Us that the
issues we have fought over are dead,
and SO some are. l 90 a most cheerful
mourner to their funeral. But, gen
tlemen, the eternal truths Of the De-
mocracy are immortal and imperish-
able. (Applause.) Those principles,
as enunciated by lips that, now silent,
yet shall speak forever, are principles
which must endure cOeval with the Re
public and last until it dies. Gentle
men, l DO not know If the Democratic
party, as an organization, may endure
if it becomes corrupt; if 1t becomes
unfit to be the representative Of prin-
ciples that are pure, then it will die.
When it dies there viii be an organiza-
ton formed, under whatever shibbOleth
or Orihamme it exists, IN which shall be
embodied its immortal spirit. (LOng
applause.)
Letters of regret were read from a
large number Of leading Democrats in
the various States who could not at
tend, as well as from n. P. Banks,
Chas. F. Adams and other Liberals.
Among these we notice communica-
tons from Ex-President johnson, Gov.
Brown and Hon. E. Ewing. In the
letter of Hon. Clarkson n. Potter, we
notice the following passage:
The principle Of local and limited
government is eternal; but the condi-
tons to which it is TO be now applied
are not the same as those which existed
before the war. Strict construction |
and States rights Will no longer alone |
suffice us. Just as amendments have |
been found necessary to the State Con-
SO we must have further !
to the Federal Constitu- !
ton itself, to protect vested rights, TO
restrain the Congress from pri- /
vate and local legislation, and from
gifts AID bOunties and subsidies |
and grants Of monopolies.
Hon. John 7. Bird, Of New Jersey, !
declares for a specie basis, home rule |
and free trade. In like manner We
find Gov. Smith, of Georgia, expressing
himself as follows:
Prudent action on the part Of the |
Democratic party pending the strug- |
gle for the control of the Government |
is not all that will be required of its mem /
bers, though that IS of the utmost i'm
portance. It will be necessary to adop6 I
a policy and agree upon a platform Of
principles such as Will conduce to the |
public welfare and satisfy the Just de-
mands OF the people. In the discharge 1
Of this grave duty / trust that what
ever else may be incorporated into the
creed Of the party, the following great