Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-08-08
iIEMPHIS APPEAL
THURSDAY. AUGUST s, 1878
THE DEMOCRATIC MASS CONVEN-
TION TODAY


The mass convention of the Democratic
party Of Shelby county, called to meet this
morning at the courthouse at eleven o'clock,
has very important duty to perform in the
selection of delegates TO the gubernatorial
convention which meets at Nashville on the
fifteenth. AS we learn through the press of
the State, every other county proposes to
send to that convention the very best men
the party affords. The rank and file of the
Democracy are conscious that a crisis has been
reached in political affairs that calls for the ex
ercise of the greatest wisdom in order that
we may pass through it strengthened in num-
bers by the adoption Of policy that will
meet the wishes of large majority of the
voters of the State. None but men of expe-
rience should be selected by Shelby
county, and if they are to be in
structed In their duties, those instructions
should be clear, plain and explicit. What
ever the views of the party as to the green
tured the Democracy of other States, and
whatever the general desire as to
the settlement or adjustment of
the State debt, we trust it will
be put in language so comprehensive as to
leave no room to doubt where we stand. We
believe that large majority of the party are
for paying the national debt in greenbacks,
aud for aIsettlement with the creditors of the
State at not more than fifty cents on the dol
lar, inl four per cent bonds, or as much
less as can be mutually agreed upon. For
FIVE years business, under the financial policy
of the Republican party, has been going from
bad to worse, until pail of bankruptcy and
ruin overshadows every industry in the coun
try. Out of this depression there is but one
road, and that was blazed by the
Democratic partylin the house and senate
at the last session of congress. The re-
sumption act must be repealed and the bonds
must be paid in greenbacks. There is no
reason Why the great body of the working
classes should be forced to carry seven hun
dred million dollars of non-interest bear
ing debt, while the pampered few are paid
from four to six per cent. per annum (some of
it in gold) for carrying twelve hundred and |
fifty million of bonded debt Besides this, |
the national banks should be abolished and |
banking be declared free. These are the
vital questions of the day. They are the |
questions that lie at the basis of the prosper |
ity of the country and until they are carried |
we can not hope for the change for which we |
have looked in vain since 1873. All the |
great journals, and most of the leading |
statesmen of the Democratic party have ex-
pressed themselves in strong terms in favor
of them. The people must
have relief. Not only must they have relief
from cormorant and greedy creditors, but
and they must, by State legislation, have
laws that will put the laboring millions on
the most favored footing, and enable them,
without strikes and without ill-feeling, to ad-
just their differences with their employers.
The class legislation of the Hayes party must
be repealed, no matter what Key says. Ever
since 1862 the law-making power of congress
has been expended for the bondholders and
railroad magnates. 1t is time we were
having change. What was done last win
ter by the Democrats in congress was only
the beginning. The rest is to follow when,
after the fourth of March next, we are
to have a Democratic senate and
Democratic house. This we believe to be the
wish of the Democratic party of Shelby
county, and in this spirit, united to a man,
we hope they will be represented on the if
teenth at Nashville. Let the past be forgot
ten, all breaches be healed, ali differences of
opinion be compromised, and let US unite,
heart and hand, for the State and national
contests, in which so much that vitality con-
Germs the people, the working people, is at
stake.