Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-08-29
DEMOCRATIC SUCCESS
Depends Upon Democratic Unffy-The
Party First, Last and All the Time.

To the L iitors of the Appeal:
A gentleman of fine ability and no little
personal influence, who lives in the Western
district of Tennessee, disguised with the re-
suit of a congressional convention in which
the nomination of his friend was defeated,
writes me, "When man or party are so
lost to decency as TO make the blatant boast
of the reputation of an honest debt its chief
claim for glory / think it time for dec,n.
and honor-loving men TO pause before FOL
lowing them for any cause or assisting them
to any measure. Am l right"
l take this public manner of saying de-
cidedly, no; you are wrong in your premise,
and still more at fault with your conclusion.
No leader OF the Democratic party boasts OF
the glory OF reputation. In ordinary cases
of debt between man and man, the embar-
raised debtor seeks from his creditors such
mitigation or remission OF their claims as
their kindness and wisdom may allow, bnt
when sovereign people who at a time when
they were fsttered in abject slavery, became
saddled with an enormous, unjust and op-
pressive debt, and whose creditors are ipnu-
merable and intangible, soulless corporations
and parties deaf to reason or mercy, essay to
scale and compromise that debt BY agreed ng
to pay what the sense of the people at large
regard Just and fair equivalent for value
received, cannot regard that people as lost
TO decency or as Boosting blatantly of repu-
diation.
But let US suppose that the Democracy are
glorying in the prospect of scaling The debt
10 fifty -and-thrse; let Us go further for the
sake of illustration and suppose (although ii
is hardly SUPPOSEDLY that the Democratic
party are willing TO repudiate every dollar of
the debt Leaving out tie question that be-
fore such conclusion could be arrived at
there must be or have been weighty reasons
for it, and looking at it in all its naked and
tSI Il
simple, would that be valid, satisfying
reason TO sensible man for declaring thai
he will quit the party at once and forever?
In republican government / mean repub-
lican in Its original sense) one must either
be for or against a party; If one quits the
Democratic party to-dsy-that is, fails to aid
and support the regularly nominated candi-
dates of that party, he becomes de facto a
Republican. No matter whether he votes
for Hawkins, Russell, or don't vote at all, he
strikes blow at the only parry which con-
serves liberty and equality In The South. If
he is dissatisfied with his opinion as 10 what
heaven is, and swears he can't stand the
company of Cherubim, very well, there is
one other place he can go to-
Although the Republican party may pro-
fess to be debt-payers, and possessors generally
of every high morsl quality that can be SER
viceable 10 the people, there is but one plank
Maine TO Texas, and that is party success,
no matter how won, party success; and the
way 10 retain ascendancy is to gain over
CT rtain Southern States by dividing the white
people SO that the African vote, always Re.
publican, can hand over those States TO The
Republican party. To gain this end the
Southern white Republican will promise
anything. He wuld be a repudiator to-
morrow if it would defeat the Democrats; he
watches in Virginia, IN Tenne ssee and in
Mississippi for any difference OF opinion on
domestic topics which are likely 10 divide the
Democracy; he notices every precinct where
rival aspirants are likely to divide the vote,
and he has his wedge ready. 1t is the case
in State, county and municipal contests. The
freedom OF the South is to-day owing 10 the fact
that Democrats forgot, or at least laid down
all domestic differences and united on one N an
for each office, whose sole platform was lib
erty from oppression by the Northern Re-
publican party; and our only safety is and
will be for at least another generation, this
very same policy. If we forget il, or If We
permit personal views or private ambition
or attachment TO individual prefere noes for
leaders to distract US from 1t, we yield our
States to Republican rule; and do you realize
what that means? 1t means colored sheriff,
constables and magistrates in every other
county in the South; it means a mottled
Legislature and mot.led Judiciary; it
means that the balance of power will be held
by race which was emsncjpated yesterday
from centuries Of barbarism and slavery; by
a race which has no experience in political
government, which is ignorant of history, and
which knows no meaning 10 the fact CT lib
erty except that one need not work unless
hungry. l do not blame our colored people
that this is SO. 1 sympathize with them in
their honest aspirations for knowledge and
power; but nevertheless 1 cannot ignore SIM
pie facts.
When these things cease TO exist; when
the Republican party has died OF rottenness
or been torn TO pieces by intestine ware;
when it has no longer the power nor inclina-
ton to enslave and degrade the wealth and
intelligence of the South il the Democratic
party springs question of doubtful honesty,
and you ask me if an honest man ought TO
support il or go over to its enemies, L will
reconsider your question, but not until than.
ARKANSAS