Weekly Clarksville chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 185?-1857, 1857-02-20
From the Republican Banner.l
GAINESVILLE, Tenn, Feb. II, 1857


HssRs. EDIToRs-A communication to
the 'atriot of the I'd inst, dated at Spring
fe, and signed "RobertSon," claims the
y at ntion OF every one who feels any in
o test in the Congressional nomination
= son to be made by the American party of
@ It's district. The writer appears as the
sccial advocate of the denomination of
: en-. Zollicofer, and pleads rule of action
i |hich, if adopted by our nominating Con-
r ,entions, will, in all probability, exclude
every one, except Gen. Zollicofer, from
the honor of a seat in Congress, from our
district, so long as he may live. Robert
son says:
at has been the practice in this State,
and, indeed, in all the Southern States,
when gentleman has been once elected
to represent a district in which his party
have majority, which can be regarded as
certain and reliable, to retain him until he
has served a sufficient number of terms to
make him an experienced parliamentarian,
and most efficient member, or, at least
until he signifies his intention to retire +"
Well, that is certainly generous to an in
cumbent, and the rule may carry, in its
operation upon the character of repre-
sentative, all the excellence Robertson
claims for it, but I opine there are but
few, out of Congress, who will subscribe
to its adoption. "UnH he becomes an er-
perienced pdrlianleatarian, and most efficient
member, or, at least anil he signifies his in
tention to retire" That, Sir, is, certainly,
new rule to me- Under it, as before in
timated, our representation would be,
virtually, confined to one man during the
period of his natural life, for we would
scarcely desire to remove one because he
had become can experienced parliament
tartan. and an efficient member" and we
would, in all human probability never
have an opportunity to do so, because he
had not ''signifed his intention to retire !"
This rule might be tolerable under circum-
stances entirely different from those under
which Robertson proposes its operation
In closely contested district, where our
victory was owing more to the personal
popularity, hard. labor, and superior ability,
of our candidate than to any Certain and
reliable majority we might have" where,
in doubtful cOneict, he had, by his.own
proves, won the honors, it would perhaps
be just to let one man wear them as long
as he could win them; but, not so, Sir,
when our majority is such that there is no
doubt as to the election Of whomsoeyer we
may nominate.
Where our majority is such, the ques-
ton with us is not whom can we elect2
but whom shall we elect? 1t then be-
comes our duty not to invest with political
distinction, for life, any one individual to
the exclusion If all others, but to reward,
With our honOrs, the services of as many
worthy men as we can, consistently with
our interests, and the accomplishment of
the high purposes we have in view Let
every faithful, patriotic, laborer in the
great cause of Amercanising America
share equally if he desire them such
honors as We can bestow l am sure, Sir,
that this plan carries with it more of justice
than Robertson's, and it may, certainly,
be adopteat now, without any damage to
our interests, or ends.
There are in our district, several gentle
men who have been spoken of in con-
nexion with our Congressional nomina-
ton, and 60 either of whom, it would no
doubt be gratifying evidence Of our APP
proval and confidence. Among these
will take the liberty to mention Gen. James
NJ Quarles, Of this county both because
he is the decided choice of this section, |
and because, too he i mentioned byl