The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1876-11-23
Correspondence of the Pulaski Citizen

ton must necessarily read like q
The probabilities in
crease day by day that the Radical
party will carry the next Admins
lratiOn by a grand coup d'etat, IN
which, through their corrupt instru-
ments in South Carolina, Florida
and Louisiana, the electoral votes
of these three States, which are
doubtless rightfully claimed for
shall be transferred to
Hayes. What results are to follow
such an act of usurpation must be
a matter Of conjecture. Violence
and disorder of all kinds are fore
BODIED, but these would only aggra-
vate the calamity without affording
any remedy. The unhappy results
of such a national fraud on the bal
lot would be far more serious than
a little cOntempOraneOus bloodshed
A government usurped by fraud
would be such a spectacle of public
disgrace-such an ever-present wit
ness of a total national demoraliza-
tion-that thousands upon thou
sands who now rejoice in the con
temptation of it would hide their
heads in shame and fear when they
should see it working out its Iegiti
mate and inevitable results. No
sane man could entertain any conf
dence in the future of such a GOV
eminent. Such a stupendous piece
of roguery would remit our history
and our fate to thieves, until public
indignation should take the form OF
bloody revolution, and evolve re-
dress out Of the no less terrible tu-
mults and disorders of civil war.
The present Radical party is the
first political association, since the
world began, to put forth the theory
that a corrupt party. will reform it
self. The experience of mankind
does not furnish a single practical
illustration of that process, but
demonstrates with unvarying Ger
tainty that corrupt parties and as
sociatiOns Of bad men always sink
rapidly from bad to worse, until
they 90 down to destruction under
the weight and infamy of their own
crimes, and generally engulf with
themselves, in a common ruin, le-
giOns of the innocent, virtuous and
patriotic. There is nothing in his
tory or in reason to justify brighter
hopes in the present instance. In
vain do we look among the fierce
partisans now controlling by VIC
lence the destinies of the country
for a single example of patriotic re
gard for the public welfare. 1t has
been a dreary waste and monotony
of self-seeking from first to last,
until their crimes are about to cul-
inmate in the usurpation of the
government, to save themselves from
further exposure of their long and
reckless career of national spolia-
ton. The instruments they en-
ploy in this work, under their own
construction of law and with the
support of the national army. are
the basest and most INSCRIPTIONS
of mankind, and through them they
would perpetuate robbery by steal
ing the government itself and de
frauding a defenseless people of
their only remedy-the ballot.
Against this high crime l am afraid
it will be found there is no practical
remedy in the way of force which
will not involve also the most fright
full and deplorable of consequences.
Resistance will only bring the mis-
cries of the worst kind of anarchy
and internecine strife upon the
country. If reason and the re
straints Of law prove insufficient
the only rational course, it seems
to me, will be to leave the whole
matter to the solution of time anC
experience, as uncertain and slow as
! these processes are, to bring abou
a safe and healthy conclusion.
1t Is pleasing to observe that al
such a time as this, when unguardeC
language might do great harm, tn,
press Of the South has been very
careful in expression. Intemperatt
utterances can do no good. Thu
present condition is one which
should make men of al parties rist
above the questions of partisan
zeal. 1t is true the sober mind eC
people are alarmed, because the
danger we see is one new in thu
country's history; but all we can d,
at present is to demand to know
the truth. 1t is to be hoped, how
ever, that some plan will yet be de
vised to enforce the will of the ma
jorIty of the people, as expressed by
the ballot, and that Mr. Tilden MAJ
be peaceably inaugurated.
The effects of the political situa
ton upon the commerce of tn,
country are very trying to business
men. Great expectations and cal
culations were awaiting the election
which all thought would be def
nitely decided within a few days
but an unfortunate deadlock ha:
come, and has totally destroyed
confidence for the present. 1t is ;
sad blow to the merchants here
Nashville was never in a better con
dition to transact a large business
She has ample stocks of goods II
every department, and there il
plenty of idle capital awaiting in
vestment 1t needs hut the magic
stimulant of confidence to empty
and refill the shelves and ware
houses, and open the vaults of the
banks. But business is no wors'
here than elsewhere; it is at a stand
still throughout the country. Col
lections cannot be made, nothing
can be sold-and all because there
is a dread that the people viii b'
cheated in the election. If this sus
Pense continues for many weeks
the effects can not be foretOld
With a peaceful solution of The
present troubles, many active bid
ders viii be found for desirable 10
cations in the rural districts of I en-.
nessee. The mineral wealth of thC
State is attracting the attention Of
/ capitalists, and in the good time
yet to come our resources will be
/ developed and our great riches made
available. May the clouds of IN.
certainty soon disappear and the
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