Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-09-25


We lny before our readers, to-day,
the address of the Democratic Execu-
tive Committee to the people of Ten
nessee. And whilst we do not, and
never can endorse it entire, we COM
mend it to the thoughtful considera-
ton of all. IT settles the question of
q canvass for the Presidency i'm this
State. We differ with the committee
on the question of negro suffrage, and
while resolved to adhere to our hon.
est convictions on thatpoint, we shall
throw no obstacle in the way of Others
in the exercise of their right toa differ
cnt opinion, or their efforts to make
that opinion available in the canvass.
Politically, the State isall adrift, and
should tho time ever come when the
ship of state will obey the helm of
Justice and truth, this grave question
will only be one of the many to be
adjusted in order to right the ship and
make the voyage prosperous.
Not desiring to dwell upon this
point of conscience about which each
must be his own father confessor, we
reiteratc the appeal of the Committee
for a thorough organization of the
Democracy in every county, town
and civil district. Canvass orno can
vass, this is an important move; vote
or no vote, it is essential to know the
Conservative strength, and to so or
ganize 1t that it may be available, on
short notice, for any emergency that
may arise. An armed minority con-
fronting an unarmed majority with
threats of determination and provok-
ing collision by acts of aggression and
words of insult, is condition that de-
mands combination and preparation
for self protection. Life, liberty and
property are endangered, and the first
law of nature is the only one to which
we can appeal for redress of wrongs.
-
There was on last Saturday night,
n joint meeting of the Junior and
Senior Democratic Clubs, Mt which
several electors were appointed for
the county. AS the report is publish
ed in another column, we shall offer
no comment on the proceedings, but
proceed to express the hope that the
electors will enter, early and ear
nestly upon the canvass, resolved to
do all in their power to win over to
the cause of peace and liberty every
man amenable to reason. Even
where love of justice is dead, appeals
to self-interest will have their weight,
and it is not impossible to convince
even the negro, that the ruin of the
whites Of the South, involves his
own, and that the overthrow of the
government must entail upon them
slavery far more grinding than the
one from which they have escaped
the slavery of hopeless poverty, to be
followed by ultimate determination.
When the demand for labor ceases,
through the ruin of those who now
need it, the negroes will learn, to
their sorrow, that the right of suf-
fragc will furnish them no homes
and boosted freedom, no bread. Their
carpet-bag and scallawag friends will
fill the offices and fill their pockets,
leaving their collored dupes to die of
starvation, without aid or sympathy
from their present pretended friends.
are begged to work, do not look into
the future far enough to see that the
farmers here, staggering under the
weight Of Radical taxation, are be-
coming, every day, less able to hire,
and that ultimately, their waning
fortunes will result in little land to
work and little need of labor beyond
that of their own hands. Then the
negroes will beg for work and not
find it, and curse, too late, the devils
who have ruined them. This is the
future of this country under Radical
rule. Teach the negroes 70 see it, and
that rule will cease. =. ..