Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-07-10


day, the Democratic Platform. 1t is
a document which, we think, will be
readily endorsed by every true pat
riot, and that thu candidate who will
stahd squarely upon it, will receive
the earnest support of every man
who loves his country and its origi-
nal system Of government. We have
no room for comment nor does it
need any. a..
So
THE financial condition of this
State is creating some excitement
but no surprise is expressed that
bankruptcy should follow the mis-
management of an ignorant and
thieving set put in power by the bay
onet and kept in power by stupid
negroes and villainous adventures
drawn hither 10y the love of plumber
and fear Of punishment for offenses
committed in the localities whence
they fled. The appropriation of the
school fund, by the party in power,
prepared the public mind for finan-
eial disaster, and the absorbing pow
ers of Railroad Receivers, and the
money-getting proclivities of Legis-
lators and all Others in Office, have
emptied the treasury, destroyed the
credit and exhausted the resources of
the State. And now amid the ruin
they have wrought, the last hope of
extrication is reputation, unless
Congress will refill the pockets of
portion Of the people by making lib
eral compensation for loyal losses.
Reputation by the perpetrators of
the mischief, would be impudcnt
roguery; but reputation by the bona
Gdo people of the Statc-those who
own the property and pay the taxes
without being represented-would be
measure of relief justiflable upon
moral and constitutional grounds
Against this it is argued that the
present government is dc .fdcto, and
that its acts are as binding as though
1t were q government de jure. We
feel the force of this argument as APP
plicable to the ordinary administra-
ton of public affairs by de fdcto
government, acting within the pale
of law and common justice. But
when n government established by
force, ond actuatcd by no higher mo-
tive than vindictive cruelty and
passion for robbery, seeks, by every
means within its power, to destroy
the rights and appropriate the sub
stance of those over whom they claim
authority, the law of selfpreservation
supercedes the cnactments OF wanton
tyranny and auth,riz $, and justifies
n sweeping reputation of such gov
eminent and the reversal of all its
infamous acts.
fhe government of Tennessee,
since the close of the war, has been Il
government by federal officers and
federal bayonCts, and the administra-
ton, at Washington, is justly re-
sponsiblc for the debts incurred and
the wrongs inflicted 10y its agents at
Nashville. The substantial and real
people of the state, who, according
10 the theory of our institutions, are
the source of all power-are the gov
ernment-have selected no agents OF
their will and can not, by any rule
of right, be held responsible for the
acts of bogus agents forced upon them
by the arm of the military and in de-
Rance of the Constitution, Federal
and state.
Under this just and common sense
view of the subject, il is idle TO assert
that the disfranchised property hold
crs and tax payers Of Tennessee are
bound to accept and aSquicSce in fl
nnnoial ruin as the legitimate result
of a de .Jdcto usurpation. lfnothing
short Of reputation will avert utter
ruin, reputation will bc resortcd to,
and for its consequences, If they bC
evil, Congress is alone responsible
Reputation, by the contractors at
the debt is sanctioned by mono Of tn,
above considerations. They have
squandcrcd the money and are tho
sole benctici0ries of their lawless OK.
trayagance. But rs the mere tools o.
Congressional usurpation, and tn,
guilty robbers of powerloSs people,
there is no law, civil or moral, thai
cNacts tame submission TO thcil
nj use Of usuTpod authority.
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