Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-06-26

| sohic iutuc uay recurrence OF unt
troubles which have so long agitated
the country? Would il not be the
part of wisdom to take for our guide
the Federal Constitution rather than
to resort to measures which, looking
only to the present, may, in few
years, renew in an aggravated form
the strife and bitterness caused by leg
islation which has proved to be so Ill
timed and unfortunate.
lSignedJ ANDREW JOHNSON.
A LETTER OF AGENTLEMAN.
1t has been long time since any
production in political literature has
appeared, which is so entirely COM
mendable as the following letter from
ex-Federal General Chas. p. Stone.
declinging nomination for State
Senatorship in Virginia recently ten
dered him by the Democratic Conven-
ton of the district in which he re-
sides. Gen. Stone is a West Point
graduate, and one of the first Briga-
der Generals commissioned by Mr..
Lincoln in 1861. In January 1862, he
incurred the displeasure of Stanton,
and was removed from his command.
and confined in Fort Warren, where
he remained for nearly year, with
out trial on the charges preferred
against him.
The sentiments expressed in this
letter sufficiently explain the hos
tility of the late brutal War Min
lister. Gen. Stone is gentleman
Every line breathes the spirit of a
high minded man with fine sensibili-
ties and sense of propriety. 1t is an
admirable and merited rebuke to the
carpet-bagging cliques who are try
ing to monopolize all the offices in the
Southern States. We copy it entire
for the qualification of gentlemen,
and the reproof of those engaged in
the business Gen. Stone pungently
reproves :-NdshviNe Dispatch.
GENTLEMEN:-I received your let
ter informing me that i'm q conven-
ton of delegates duly appointed from
the counties of Goochland, Powhat-
tan and Fluvanna, l was unanimous
ly chosen as the candidate to repre-
SAINT this Senatorial district i'm the
General Assembly of Virginia, should
the Constitution now before the peo-
pie be ratified. While expressing nv
thanks to the convention for this eX-
preston of confidence, and to YOU
gentlemen, for your fiattering COM
of its action, i must res
decline the nomination, for
reasons which will surely be satisfac-
tory to you and the convention.
When perilous times come upon
people it is proud position for a man
to find himself selected as their free
choice from among all his feilow-citi-
zens as their representative i'm the
public councils-the defender of their
protector of their inter
ests. Being so selected, any man is |
bound to answer the call, and, leav-
ing all thoughts of private interests |
behind, to devote himself to the duty
thus imposed upon him. The knowl- |
edge that tens of thousands of his
fellow-citizens freely select him for |
such duty ought to excite to action
everything of noble, everything of
ability which man may possess.-
But TO become thus inspired one must
know that the choice is perfectly free,
the confidence entire and unrescrved. |
1t is not to be supposed that il can
have been perfectly free choice in
this case. 1t is not TO he supposed that
in Virginia Senatorial district, com
prising three large counties, free
choice should set aside all the gentle
men who were born and bred i'm the
district, and who have lived honored
In 1t from youth up, and select one
who, while yielding to no one in a
and earnest devotion to the
welfare and in II desire to protect
rights, and advance the interests
Df the people of the district, vet has
been II resident in it onl Y two and half
years; one who was born a Yankee.
in Yankee land, and who looks back
10 hVe generations of Yankee ances-
tors, glowing in the lineage. Public
luty demands of man that he shall,
i necessary for the public good, sacri-
nee everything that is his, save his
That can never be re-
lnired, and if required, cannot be
yielded.
should lose mine did | accent n
publ lc trust not freely offered, and
limb to office byreason ofthe present
IF the present peculiar condition of
public affairs.
While, by our Constitution, our
country claims to be free republic,
'esting upon the consent of all the
whole people, no voluntary act of
nine shall appear to admit that it is
lot one; and ii would be apparent,
should l now be elected from among (
ny peers for the trust in question,
hat one strong point governing the
'oice Is my mere ability freely to take
IN abomniable test oath which dis
traces the proposed Constitution of
he state, rendering ineligible large
numbers of the most honorable and
most trustworthy voters and taX-pay-
ms within its limits.
can never accept Office under such
! have the honor to be, gentlemen,
WIN great respect, your obedicnt SER
'ant,
CHARLES u. STONE.
THE District Conference ofthe Meth
,dist church Mt this place, on Satur-