Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-09-07
A SLIGHT MISTAKE.

Brownlow, Gerritt Smith and man
"hcrs of the same kidney, are tryin
to Brighten the people into the sup
port of the Radical party, by assert
i"g that it is the purpose of tn
Northern democrats and Southern
rebels, to inaugurate another war
We have seen nothing from demo
cratic or rebel source to justify an,
such inference, whilst evidence i
abundant that the Radicals propos
to maintain their ascendancy by force
should peaceful means fail to secur
the same end. The mistake, however
consists in supposing that the PEG
pie of the South contemplate a wa
for any purpose-for or against an.
party. Disarmed and DISTINGUISHED
VIC are quiet spectators of passin!
events, awaiting results, at the North
with faint hopes of better day, Blu
prepared "for every fate" This i
the attitude of the South, and the,
who charge us with billigerent inten
tons to do SO for the sole purpose o
concealing their own designs by put
ting the public upon the wrong track
There may be war. The villainy
and madness of Radicalism may over
look every consideration of prudence
and national interests, in its eager.
ness to retain power. Should the
fall elections 60 against the party
desperation may precipitate bloody
struggle, and should the elections be
favorable to the dominant party
Congress may take such steps against
the Executive as will force him ia
resist its attacks upon his constitu.
tional prerogatives, and to enforce
the laws at the point of the bayonet.
Such a state of things is not imposs-
ible, but it is absurd to charge that
the passive South is, or can be, a
party to revolution for which the
Radicals would, alone, be responsible.
With as much justice might it be
charged that the bone is responsible
for the fight, between two CANNES,
that is to decide which shall gnaw it
The smile is homely one, but whilst
disavowing any offensive application
Of it, we claim that it is an apt illus.
tration of the attitude of the South
towards the contcnding parties in the
North.
Our position, at this time, is truly
anomalous. 1t would seem that one
Northern party is ready to go to war
rather than see us back in the Union,
and the other will incur all hazards
to reinstate us. When we wanted to
dissolve the partnership, both of
these parties united in an aggressive
oar to prevent it; and having sue
'ccded, they are now ready to fight
Zach other, in order to decide wheth.
'r we arc in or out, or whether we
'hall come in or stay out. IF this
"mplex question can only be settled,
" the satisfaction of these parties,
~ resort to arms, it may be better
ar both, and for the interests of hu.
nunity, hat they agree "to let the
Union Slide" and the South go in
ace. This is safe and easy solu-
ion of the difficulty; and since the
dominant party is so bitterly oppos,
ed to our restoration, they will hard.
~ throw any obsticle in the way of
an arrangement that must relieve
them from pressing cmbarrassments,
and the North from all the horrors of
civil war. If they are in earnest
about lighting to keep us out of the
Union, We are Just as earnest in our
determination not to fight them, in
rider to get in. Where then is the
difficulty Of settling the question to
our mutual satisfaction? And where
il the ground for the charge, that
the people of the South are conspir-
ing, with portion of the North, for
Il renewal of the war? We can't
fight to keep out Of the Union, and
We nre not going to fight, to get in.
This is the security we offer for keep
ing the peace; and if the people of
the North choose to get into 'muss
about us, let en- rip, but we protest
against being held responsible as
Il party accessory before the fact.
The free niger Convention in