Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-11-24
TREASON! (!
TO the Alleged Democratic
Party.
Host Un.demOcraiic-Li Talk
from Capt. Washington.
Tennessee Convention
Says About 1t.
Sensible Views ON BOurbOnism
and the Policy of the South.

and the Policy of the South.
Knoxville, Tenn, Nov. %, 1880
Mr. EDITOR Per nit me TO inter
pose espectful denial of that ener.
gttic paragraph wherein am said to
have enlisted in the noble army of
choppers" 1t doubtless originated
in the rather muscular criticisms with
which I have lately seasoned my re.
marks concerning the democratic
party.
These remarks, uttered in the most
public aud emphatic manner, soon put
on their seveI-mi!e boots. To this, I
had no objection, for the emphasis of
their ct erance was surpassed only by
the deliberation with which my con-
clusions were reached. AS might be
supposed, however, In travelling
the circuit. they underwent a met
amorphosis SO compltts that 1 was
unable to recognize my own bantlings.
And presently I found myself being
congratulated by sturdy brethern of
the republican pursuasion upon my
growth in political knowledge and
grace.
/ have nothing to recall. The views
which I enter tain, so far from being
hastily formed, are the slow growth of
years. as is well known to many, and
as may be seen from a communication
of mine, published more than eight
years ago. They are the product OF
the most anxious desire to reach
sound political conclusions, wholly
uninfluenced by selfish or narrow con-
siderations. And when man reaches
that point, he can we'll afford
to decline the questionable honor
of receiving his opinions. ready-
made, from those who take in their
politics through the pores of their skin
aud whose political and intellectual
horizon is just comprehensive enough
to take in the corporate limits OF Q
small town.
It is no part Of the purpose OF this
Communication to air, in extenso, my
convictions. For while they are strong
enough 10 compel my obedience, they
are not, in my opinion, OF sufficient
impoltan TO ju>tify O gratuitoui
bowling of them in the public ear, jus
at time when we have quit politics
and gone 10 work.
One thing, however, is certain. I
democracy ls desirous of future, i
must turn over a new leaf. 1t mus
unload the dreary and unprofitabl,
8 traditions of dead eras, and take aboarG
few ideas. What the devil do WI
E care about t1e past? If we 60 back a
all, why stop this side of Pericles? Th,
r best way to honor the past is by catch
Q ing the inspiration Of the present
l Pretty soon we will put our feet upoI
t the Threshold of the tWeI tieth centu
Q ry. The world moves-ideas move
4 there are thlrty~eight states in tn
= Union, and will be fifty, perhaps. Fo
= all national purposes, under tue con
. stitution, this is Nation, and with
e big N. The credit of the governmen
e is sky-high; and don't let's lie aboutli
r and say it isn''. Our notes are tn
: equivalent Of gold, both at hom
anu aOEOau. INTERCHANGEABLE
dead; fiatmoneyism Is dead. Wha
y a pity the democracy can't claim tn
: honor of its murder? Nevertheless, j
o is its privilege to attend the obsequies
. and see that it is buried beyond resur
: rection; and mean while quit congratu
q lating greenbackism upon ephemers
y successes, and claiming them as "grea
l. democratic Victories" Quit seltin
% Springs to catch wOodcocKs." 18th
+ American people are net a darne
II fool.n We have jus t witnessed a cam
paign in which no democratic Orato
- assigned solitary substantial reaso
). why there should be change just 9
is this juncture. But, instead, we behol
10 a once great party crawling over tn
d continent on its belly, disfiguring pr
1t vate property with 329 brand, an
l. only stopping long enough in semi
q occasional way, to catch its breath
y and howl centralisZ ions" howl.
L. must be admitted, possessing deligb
p full flavor of originality and freshness
"a since it begun with great vigor /
g. Washington's time, and has been kel
in up, ct Intervals, ever since. 1t 81 teu
Te to me that il proceeds from those VII
t. underestimate the intelligence an
l. character OF the American people. s
= far as I am concerned, feel entirel
s. safe. This is not an age calculated
s. fostsr mOnarchical systems. except IL
n monarchism Of brain. The .endenC
ID is otherwise. The schoolmaster
be abroad; the newspaper is abroa
lr so are railroads, telegraph
D. postoffices. aud frequent ele
ic tions. The north Is just
be jealous of local self government as "
be are, the issue being passed. They lo'
II, liberty just as well. They are busine
Is from head t, foot, and tt essenti
q az characteristic Of business is conservi
~ ~ tism for business is but another nan
70 for capital. They haven't got time
* hate any body. So let's drop the SCUM
it ing brass of politics, and fight over Il
on tariff, and other.quest tons OF polite
es economical nature. This is the way
Ii split the solid north, as well IS Il
be solid south; and the time has arriv'
,r when the south may safely divid
" Let's both preach and practice the I
a. a. most toleration-thel largest intellect
Of al liberty and freedom of conscience
,it politics and religion. It's the tr
ed civilization. The party which can n
elf stand this deserves to have stone I'll
,es around its neck, and tumbled into q
Ic- Atlantic. The most damn and 9
cursed of all despotisms is that whi'
enslaves the better part of ma
'ol his mind and his conscience. AS Il
og "Iand of the free and the home Of Il
,d brave,n we become, under such 81