Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-09-11

doeS tne banner think that party has
failed of its dutyin that respect and
needs 1t as an ally, in defacing the
only monument to constitutional
liberty that stood erect during the
rage of Radical vengeance? 1t would
be hard to believe that any one not
In sympathy with the Republican
party, could pen such paragraph as
the following. Speaking of Johnson,
the Banner Of the 5th inst, says =
"As President, he was more COM
plets failure, perhaps, than James
Buchanan, and of all the Presidents
who had preceded him, no one ever
retired from the White House amid
such volleys Of sibilations and other
symptoms of popular disfavor."-
"Volleys of sibilations!" Who fired
those volleys against Buchanan's adj
ministration The same men who
fired their volleys against the South
during the war and have kept up the
fire since. And why were they fired?
Because Mr. Buchanan dared to stand
by the constitution of his country
and use all his efforts to prevent the
war. His defence of his administra-
ton written 10y himself and left as n
legacy to his country, is a monument
to his integrity as statesman that
will survive the cloud that phrenzied
malice raised about his name. If the
administrations of Buchanan and
johnson were failures, then the con-
stitution itself is failure and the
government established under it. No
two men, in American history, ever
stood up more firmly for the consti-
tuition than James Buchanan and
Andrew johnson, and to speak of
them sneeringly as failures, because
they were unable to breast with sue
cess the torrent that beat against
them, is to give aid and comfort to
their enemies, whether so intended
or not. We do not agree with the
Banner, that Andrew johnson as a
President, was failure. Such an
announcement, to say the least of it,
is premature. Nor do we agree with
it in tho statement that the only
reason Mr.. Johnson's supporters wish
him sent to the Senate Is to fret and
annoy the Radicals. If ever the con-
stitution needed a fearless and able
defender on the floor of the American
Senate, now is the time. fever the
government bequeathed to us by our
fathers needed q friend who would
stand to it through all perils, now is
the time. In looking around for such
defender and such friend, the pop
ular mind turns instinctiveIy to An
drew johnson He has the intellect
to comprehend the situation, the
moral courage to defy every threat,
and the honesty to scorn every bride.
Power cannot appal, titles seduce,
wealth corrupt, nor opposition in
timidate him. He has in him all
the elements of great and success
full leader; just such a leader as the
country needs at this time. Hence,
we believe the best interest Of the
country demand his election. These
are the reasons the people are fol
him. They know that corruption
foul and reeking stalks unrebuked in
Washington City, at MONDAY. They
know that this government is drift
ing to ruin--that the constitution ha.
become byeword, and the rights o
States a reproach. They know tina
Congress has bullied down all oppo
sition in the capitol, and reels IL
drunken revelry above the libertie
of the people. They want.to send al
honest man there whom these cor
rupt spoilers cannot frighten or buy
one who has the will, the nerve, thu
power to meet them and dare to strik'
u blow for the constitution in thu
= very ranks of its enemies.