New-York tribune., 1876-07-01
TIE PEOPLES CANVASS.
THE PURIPlcATloN OF POLITICS.

NECESSITY ~ FORMlN0 AN OkGANZAIlON i" ~
ErRi crvE woRK-Tnr NATIONAL RSF"sh
LtAGUkls PURPOSE-iIs POSITION WITH REPEk-
RNCE To PAKTiEs--THE NEW SOUTH IN POLITICS.
TO the gdtor OF The Tribune.
SIR: All good citizens will rejoice to see the
daily multiplying tokens that tue Naons Centennial 10
to be the distinguished by the re-
OF fratenai feeling betweep the citizens
and south. aud revival o that Intelligent
paiptsn which essential TO the success ot repnbicn
institutions As of tho any hopeful indications
refere cd to, desire to call ATTENTION to some w"rus
from an addess at the recent decoration OF I'd"
graves OF Federal soldiers buried Nashville. Trnn de-
liveIod by Mr. Prznk 4. Reid. able lawyer Of NASH
Vile, and formerly Confederate soldier Mr. ke'd
frankly charactezes Slavery terrible and threat
euing danger the Republic"-"s radical hseas
which only surgical operation conid remove b'"A
ing a from Ills present point OF 'iew' NC sS
that IL was to determine whether " the highest und pest
hopes aud aspirations OF humanity we're to be frl'ateu
AMI nipped tile bud" To dstsrnine ti.s question
Men marched o battle singing. death. ". slinte thceF
uDriitri te @,iuiarus! Common ivcime herr,es
under the touch oi warm idea and emot ca Inc
..d .Ts Df K, public died that the piloirs nlssioi
the CnrisliinzaUD of all human forms Ot government
aud goverIut roty, might be aceo npllshed tIat
a government Of tLe people, by the poople, anu loI
the people might never pass away Ana oY.r
yondcr at Mount Ofvet (rofe,nne TO the Con edrrae
dcaD steep these mems Lrotl"rs-'1ildrcn of the
same great R,pubIie-tne breilsSworh. wLcn once
divided them all thrown down; Tney int'n i; inG,r
uands as | did mime, against tie EIiS O l;i'ic's;
They knew not what they did! Ihesr oIe fe.eIoi fe
sOdiersl were tue heroic aviols VI tho "a pubic moss
were it's martyrs Upon tnen were visited tue rnnisn-
nent the sins of thcr iOrrfai es- Tbcy pofe titm
selves with snch ord conrg they stood ~ Tue arh 81
hour with sucn nUyable cOnstaucT to the cause tney
believed be right, yet knew 10 bo lnst Icy o" the
s;iug deca, with such kuighty grace that the uon
has reason 10 be- aud H. prond OF th 'ir m'mor Upon
r graves IA laid, IL not the laurel, yet tue cypress i
hhor'elie on" o,ea ,,,,.n fouts tl,a .,tr.I
ensign OF their common connbrV
When men can stand above the gravrs of their late
enemies battle. with Inoris Of the fearful conn ci
ye in mind aud it, evdeces all about thsn. and speak
words like these there Is re is0n surely Tor oee'hs
til !. new era Of peace gooi-.ili between North
and South has fairly begun.
A. nave to know from recent correspondence
r. Reid only ultiIudes VINO share ~ his noble
aud patriotic s.ntments Through the agency oi Tue
National Reform League, whose WORK is sti In It's III
fancy, much of t.s nticDt Is bciag bfonSht iorth
with u reasonable hope that 1t Will be- made eniHent IN
tho crusade which Intelligent and pai9tosic
people OF the whole land called upon
10 make against tho political corruption of
Ihr day Slavery With its corroins AID denaiionalslhS
influences - hn2 of the past. Neither the s1aio" o
war; nor sporadic Ills which follow in Its train can
now be said directly Ia threaten tie nation. But
danger rcnaiH-, t'e ess mcnacinS hhd not less
uotent because s deadly 2wr lies below the surface OF
tIugs, like desir'rDs IA srtow Of icc'tin waters
For tine laI tty yea a citizens have been rlIn-
ming IN a common race .S.id the gal Of wealth.. Al
faiis Of sIto ecred. parlaly oratos'tber
AMI 40 here been given 10 thn uutes
n citizenship which l. essential 10 the webe-
pg Of republican Institutions. Tie cuStUdtlns
lave been careless OF tAeir treasure. Tie slrep
II honest men . the opportunity OF roglrs
What more natural than hat tie estate neglected by It's
law u owners should become the spoil OF adv nneis'
rIe left IN rust for tie control al honest nen-th"
acrubc with all tho word signlh s-ias been per
trd pass from tnc direction OF ITS Lawful rulers the
Aeli gent, bOues aud patriotic MAJORITY VI lS citzehS
u0 nc hands Of an irrespsDs bic Ollg rchy OF pr"es
.Ional pOltcians who snstiiu themselves IN power by
q mos, cunning aud dan zero OF hces Under Tue
ul ience sptciols sUpnstry. hon 81 III n are male tIe
unconscious slaves Of t1s dig gIrcdy wlcas ais them
t e,. boi-b,x iudcr tuo daius.on tdIt tloy free
,oters, wd1le thuy arc, truth, Ike 50 many cogs
n IA mac inc w..pse operation Is controller
9 men with wnOn tney would b'iIsh t0
l,soca,ei In i, Of al ira lies the danger of tu-
day Questions OF lUo,sn or Internal polly oi revenue
y dnauoe, however importddt ara but side issues ~
comparison with great problem N how to secure
.unest government .
# is al no avail that attempt to make party issues
any qnts.ions affecting puDic pOhty "hiIe We permit
corrupt men to AL Minister tne affairs Of state Tue
80 ciis promises such Gcn, II not broken would ne
,ept ouiy as Of parry policy. aui then ~ the
expeI tue natnns honor Fist OI al, Intelligent
citileus uee, to uAc upon the ISSUE wcu To-
ay Its Itself into parI unit I'm Jo.tance-that OF le-
storilg to tho ooanay IncirrtDlibr ciVi Sr'ce A.
,,,publclnS, uS Democrats, must rumrTb.r TINT
L will be zaicr trust the country In tie hands
Il honest ami intelligent men. who ara PREPARED To-
consider qucsti ns stItecriit in spirit Of ,rIe pa
triutsIn. hut bdye never tucl tncir hlS 60 the
Htter..nce of the hollow sHiD6JctBs of a.Y school
N poitcS an TO trust IL IN the nan Is Of men whose
adherence any p0lich creol Is hatttr oG policy
ana OF ccpy.cto3 We may safely Iisi tr Wisdom
Of patriots dcternnc that wnch sll cOuucc TO the
1 # Z AMI IA 10.
,iaud upon NJ plltIoru otLer Than tuat embodied ~
tIor Own tcter and nat of tie houtst voters who
ca them 10 oil rht stoty ~ sP - IN tle eh irac'
er not tn pr-tensons Of those WAC seek a. glle H.
iiut tins principle applies % crew anh captain alike An
Impression elel Lately prevail that he work OF re-
ur could be- llshed by the election NJ an Adams
Or Brislow the Office of PresdSt. There was never
d, more trias laront talIcy. such IN event would br
,ouetnns h.; thankful for BIt tue oNi ls not con
lin "a t0 one plao.: Is widespread We have To sccUrr
reform In Gle Onc, bat III "a u'lhds ofinslnceS
To deal villa n gigantic evi, prriueAt.ng the
wlo.e budy polite, aud we mast deal VITA II,
not olly at Wlslin -toh, bnt N every village and
Town which has contribuicd growth. wHer-
ever freeucn. IN Toe wears past, have bnntiy and
su?acy sdrrcdd rcd their rsiis io The keeIhG OF mrn
yno d tye made connection pG.it "s-JbIt which
should be inDst uDnJrIO5 tht osLcn oi repdDhc-'
,lssrace-tnerc Is tho h'il for action.
d, "thc plrtlas" promise rrfOlml They have always
done 50 In Immaculate speech, AMI wJn captivating
SLOW OF clrncstness. W. prove the manner in which
they have kept their promises by blnsnng before the
world Let mako thom our instruments aud NOS
1ir ma ors they were u,ol ~ od, Ia
express the wl of We do this, 0uL Jo do II
needs power strUuser Gdaa words WO need an army
oT o.sauiEel aud willing with 'nl.nos la every
ltmel. men who c.ald VITA pretense. capJl
yatod by raetorc, corrupted with gold
and In tnis work OF reform there must bc
leaders to devise aud lead the
Upon the finding or upon taeir cou.isc ana
their action de pend the salvation O the AZ; puD Can