The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1859-10-07
Presidential Movaments.


New York. throws out the following re-
Elections in regard to presidential move
ments":
A universal prcscntimcnt that the
Presidential contest of 1860 will hc the
most momentous and the most critical in
the history of the country. and very
general belief that for good or evil it will
decide the fate of the democratic party.
arc aihobg the principal causes OF this
early agitation of the great subject.
Apparently, upon the conflicting sla-
very distractions of Wise, Douglas, Davis,
Hunter, and other apostles of the faith,
the democratic party is hopelessly torn
to pieces. There appears to be no hope
of escape from q tremendous explosion at
Charleston, if we may credit the profess
sions of democratic leaders, sections and
factions, as to what they intend to do If
this man or that man be rejected, or if
this doctrine that or the other on slavery
shall be set aside. But when we look
into the declaration of Mr.. Calhoun. that
this great party is not party of princi-
pies, but party "bound together by the
cohesive power of the public plumber"
we must recognize the probability of re-
union and cohesion of the wrangling de-
mocracy at Charleston.
Unquestionably this reunion will re-
quire the suppression of all such impracti-
cable sectional slavery doctrines as those
of Wise and Douglas, and the dropping
of all the party candidates involved in
the scramble for the nomination, from
Douglas and Wise down to poor Pierce,
Dickinson and Seymour. But what of all
this? Do not the democratic conventions
of 1874 and 1852 show that the spoils
managers of the party, when put to the
pinch are equal to all emergencies? Let
not the opposition, therefore, rely too con-
fidently upon row and a split among
the happy family at Charleston, upon
such empty distractions as squatter SOW
ereignty, Congressional sovereignty, or
judicial sovereignty over slavery in the
Territories, when the substantial spoils
and plumber of one hundred millions
year are at stake. Some candidate never
heard of before, and few glittering gene
ralities on niggers, (which, forwards or
backwards, will read all the same" may
recombine the party as firmly as they
stood in 1856 upon the solid platform Of
Mr.. Buchanan's name and public history.
In anticipation of this possible contin-
gency, what is the true course of the OPP
position forces of the country? In the
aggregate they represent a popular ma
jority, and heavy popular majority of
the Union ut large. In 1886 this ma
jority was nearly four hundred thousand
over the democratic vote, and yet Mr.
Buchanan was elected. How? Between
the two opposition tickets of Fremont
and Fillmore. Indeed, since the last
election of General jackson, in 1882, the
Presidential victories of the democracy
may be set down as the triumphs of a
united minority over distracted and
divided popular majority opposed to
them. Thus, upon three or four candi-
dates the opposition strength was frtter-
ed away in 1886; thus, upon Birney, the
abolition candidate, in 1914, the opposi-
which would have elected Henry Clay,
was thrown away, and thus, in 1859, be-
tween the drawback of Seward and the
disgust and chagrin of Webster and
Fillmore and their adherents poor Pierce
was permitted to walk over the course.
On the other hand, when the opposi-
ton elements have been united, they have
carried everything before them, as in the
memorable carnival of 1910 and the
handsome victory of 1918. But what was
the opposition elements? A popular ma
tional man for the succession and plat
form sinking the slavery agitation in the
practical issues of federal retrenchments
and reform Thus the road to ruin in
the one direction or the way to victory
in the other is at the discretion of the OPP
position leaders. If the republican man
ayers are resolved upon nothing less than
'the irrepressible conflict" of Seward,
they may surely count upon two opposi-
ton tickets, as in 1856; but if they can
be persuaded to turn to the teachings of
experience and consent to fight the bat
tie OF 1860 upon the general plan of 1910,
they may sweep the country again as by
a whirlwind.
In this connection, we understand that
some of the sagacious opposition leaders
contemplate in the approaching Congress
a succession of investigating committees
into all the alleged abuses of every de-
partment and every bureau of the gov
eminent at Washington. This general
indication of this budget of investigations
will suggest to the reader, in connection
with the House investigations of last
winter, budget of corruptions, wastages,
extravagances, jobs, frauds, embezzle-
ments and Fleeing contracts which may
be turned with prodigious force against
the democracy in the campaign of 1860.
SUICIDE OF AN Army OFPICER.-News
reached Baltimore on the 2Sth, by the
Norfolk boat that Major w. w. Chap
man, ,Quartermaster at Fort Monroe, COM
mitted suicide on Tuesday, by cutting
his throat. He was found lying on the
beach outside the fort, dead, with the ra-
zor with which the deed was accom-
plished by his side. No reason was given
for the acts. Major Chapman was a ma
tive of Massachusetts,, entered the army
in 1887, and was made Major by brevet
in lS47.
Mrs. GoosEy's Observation-Disclosures,
old Mrs. Patington's gone to settin'v'
"On how many eggs, Susan? ?"
well, you know that tin box full of
pills you threw away, because pa wouldn't
help you take 'em when you were sick
well, she's settin' on that, and on two
brick bats, and one old sardine box ~
''She's an ambitious hen certainly =
Remove them out of her nest, Susan, and
put in fifteen or sixteen eggs"
"Yes'm. But I'll let the box of pills
stay, ma, you know she might hatch us
out q little young doctor might'nt she ?"
sob! dear what horrid idea Go and
do as l bid you, Susan"
Ds1~ The pulpit, the press and the pub
lie rostrum may continue to warn, to
teach, to admonish, to persuade, to en-
treat-they may war upon folly vice, i'm
morality and crime till doomsday, yet so
long rs every man considers these shafts