The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-10-30
Dem ocratio Harmony in Tennessee.

Nashville American. We publish
elsewhere a letter from a gentleman
whose name would carry weight,
were it known, and whose express
ed opinions are sound. 1t is plea
for Democratic harmony, but such
harmony as can be obtained by ad
herence to sound doctrine. 1t is
useless to disguise the fact that the
Democracy is now in position
where, for the first time, it can
make a square fight for sound prin-
ciples. We do not say that such
fight ought not to have been made
before. We do not say that practi
cally the Democracy has followed
tho course usual to parties and to
all parties. There is not an ex
ception in American history, not to
90 beyond our own country, to the
rule that parties evade such ques-
tions as that which is now pressing
upon US for settlement. and appar
emily pass by the best time for tax
ing sound stand, and finally are
compelled by an apparently desper
ate state of affairs to do that which
might seemingly have been better
done before. There are several
good reasons for this, one of which
is that the sound and right think
ing men of a party, beng prudent
and conservative, slow to act, stand
a great deal from the wrong think
ing, and seek by many ways to
reach harmony and carry others
with them, wheb, in fact, they are
themselves being led or driven. So
it has been in Tennessee. We do
not offer this as any excuse for the
pas, but simply state it as fact
and offer to show that, having run
the usual course down hill, we have
reached the point where a bold and
determined stand must be made for
sound principles.
1t has been demonstrated by
each year that the reputation ele
ment cannot deal with the State
debt so as to afford relief. They
have had their full swing at it. 1t
is still upon US, still pressing, still
weighing US down, still preventing
prosperity. Their late success was
not settlement, and it is clear that,
short of reputation, they can sug
gest no means of settlement, 1t is
also equally clear that all they
could accomplish towards repu
Citation would not restore pros
perity but prevent it,while it would
not even be settlement of the
debt question, for it would still be
an outstanding subsisting obliga
ton as binding as if it were not re
pudiated, and to stand there for
ever clamoring for payment.
Then it is clear what is the duty
of the Democracy. 1t is also clear
that the State credit Democrats
have gone just as far as they will
go to secure a harmony that is de
lusive. Compromise only results
in further demand. Such harmony
only carries US each time further
from settlement, and further from
sound doctrine, and further from
the National Democracy of which
we claim part
The State credit Democracy have
the plain duty before them of
standing in line with. the Demo
cratic party of the nation, of being
in harmony with that party and
those who are standing will have
the easy duty of alligning them
selves on a sound State credit plat
form in harmony with the National
Democracy, or of abandoning the
Democratic party. Democracy is
anti reputation. 1t is State and
National credit, and if it were any
thing else it would be doomed to
defeat. There are no two ways of
looking at this question.