Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-09-04
WHOLE No.. 4e7..
WORDS OF FAREWELL.

closes, for the present, With this issue
of the GAZETTE. lt'
Called upon some two years since Ia
occupy the chair vacated unexpectedly
by our able, scholarly and venerable
predecessor, EDWIN PAsCHALf, ESQ,
OF Williamson--our career has beer
pre-eminently of our own devising.--
consulting no man, no cliuuc. noI
party, we have sought tobe governed
solely by fealty to the people, or more
properly speaking, the peoples in.
tcrests. 81 ...t ....
Believing that. the true office OF
ljournalismis toiedd the people Alright,
rather than to court mere popularity v
by exaggerating each passing folly or
fancy, we have felt In duty bound TO
expose and oppose the many political
iallacies that have been caught .up
from time to time, rs straws grasped
by drowning men. For this reason
we have found ourselves ON the .un-
popular sideperhaps as often as on the
more congenial one. 5nf,,5f. .1d.r.
Perceiving that the redemption of
Tennessee, and the whole country; lay
in the re-establishment of oid Demo-
cratic principles, we have sought to
inculcate these principles on our peo-
pie, without ceasing. -.
Our utterances have been positive
rather than conciliatory. Some have
accused us of presumption. We plead
guilty to the charge, In the etymolog-
ical meaning of the word. 1t has been
our misfortune, perhaps, to run ahead
Of the people and of our cotempora-.
ffes, But we have had the satfsfac-
ton of seeing every position taken by
us occupied by our party. If we have
been presumptiOus,.e events have come
to our Justification. Looking back
now, the man that condemns our
course quarrels with "the inexorable
logic of events"
In April, '67, we dettounced the ne
gro plank of the Conservative plat
form. We predicted All ignominous
defeat. August brought verificatlon,
and every Conservative Journal I'M the
State, with one notable exception,
came to our views. In October and
November the Ohio and New York
elections proved that we had taught
true Democratic doctrine.
Last November we advocated DEM
ocratic organization. One of our city
exchanges opposed it bluntly l.. the
other ridiculcd it. But the work of
organization proceeded, and to-day
both those exchanges float the banner
Of Seymour and Blair.
We insisted on the greenback issue.
'rimid friends deprecated. 1t would
lose lis New York. Wall street was
too powerful. But the greenback is
sue has been incorporated in the gene
raj platform of our party, and New
York Is ours by 100, 900 majority.
For years we have steadfastly advo-
Gated the prescription of Radicals, iii
self-defense. To-day the blandest Con-
serN ative organ we have advocates
the same course.
We have warned our people against
each periodical effort to secure grace
Of Browrilow by flwning: And each
liumiliating result has vindicated our
refusal to listen to the voice Of delu-
sion.
WV frrvc- nan occus,up To rrfticise
the course Of the President. Wehave
been unwilling that Mr.. Johnson
should use Tennessee or the Ueni0-
cratic party for the prQniotion OF his
personal aiftbitlofs, without return
ing us some equivalent. But we have
ever held ourselves ready to aid him
If he would only act. 70 this day he
has done nothing for the party-has
done nothing for Teffitcsseaifs, except
Intensity Brownlow's hate. The
wholesorftc caution towards Mr. John
sofi that now animatcs tile majority
of our people and their leaders is a
proof that OUR labors have not been all
unavailing.
In these and MANY other instances,
our objects have been achieved. How
much or how, little we may have con-
tributed towards these happy results,
we do not seek to determine. Our
objects have been achieved! We rest
content. pl I..
Descending from the public position
In Witch circumstances, rather than
any inclination, placed us, we hope to
continue the sanfe liiiswefeing course
i'm an humber sphere.
On parting now with our kind read
ers we ueg leave to repeat and empha-
size a few ideas to which we have on
many previous occasions given ex-
presslon: rf
PreseGveyour Democratic organiza-
tion. Preserve 1t for future political
redemption. Preserve It for present
social necessities. Preserve it as an
instrument for the maintenance of
the peace. Preserve il as Il prevent
i've. of Kuklux Irregularities. Pre-
serve IL as the preserver OF society,"
Let your organization be open, HON
est, fearless. Ye are not so few, nor
so weak, nor so craven that We need
borrow the aid of secresy or darkness
from loyal leaguers and negroes.
Persevere In this campaign, for the
sake Of preserving your Organization,
and keeping In connunionw with your
brethren North.
Recognize the Brownl0w re0;me
only as martial law" sustained by
United States layonets. Obey II with
the same strictness and In the same
spirit as you Obeyed the martial law
of Military Governor Andrew john
son. The present teginio is but a con-
tinuatlon of its immediate predeces-
sor. The baypnets have never been
removed from the breasts Of our peo-
pie. When "a Democrat becomes
Commander-in-Chief of the United
States forces, the 6ayorcts win be re-
moved!
Never countenance negro suffrage
In any share or form. The thing is
unnatural and must die. Just IN, SO
far as y0u foster IT, so much longer
win 1t live--so much longer will you
he cursed with its manifest and man
ifoldeyils, Recognized by you, IL viii
deprociate property, discourage immf-
grafton, delay state development, vi
tiate politics and jeopardize society
In the Soitli negro suffrage means
black against white, with the balanee
OF power in the hands Of mean whhos.
No sane man can solve the problem
otherwise than this; and experience
has proven that we have unfortunate