Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-04-03
THE sOUTHI-uER COURSE AND
POLICY.

South asks of General Grant, says
the New Orleans Times, is that he SC
administerth Executive Department
of the Government as to protect om
people from wrong, injustice, and the
confiscation and plumber Of their sub.
sistence and the product of their toll
and industry. ..t.
SO far as the political principles and
policy of the party in power are con.
cerned, we have not the power, if we
had the will, to oppose them with
any other result but that,of increased
severity and bitterness of persecution
and oppression.
On past and settled issues we have
no desire to keep up agitation and
discussion. We have fought vigor.
ouslv and earnestly against the sew.
eral schemes by which II was sought
to humble and punish our people,
We have strlven to maintain the
Constitution and the principles of the
Government and the rights of the
States and people in their original in
tegrity as provided for and declared
by the fathers of the Republic.
1t has all been in vain. And now
having discharged our duty as free
men, our welfare, our self respect, and
the eventual triumph of sound Con-
stitutional views, demand and justi-
fly course of mastery inactivity on
the part of the South, n dignified
biding of events, q withdrawal from
bootless and embarrassing partisan
entanglements and responsibilities,
and an exclusive application of all
our energies, intelligence, and zeal to
the restoration of our material pros
perity. Having no voice whatever
in the direction of the policy of the
Government, we are reduced to the
position of respectful petitioners foi
~ fair, honest, and just administration
thereof-a protection Of our civil and
personal rights. That is all we
can safely or with self-respect ask.
1t may soon come to pass that pa
triotism, TIE intelligence, the expri.
cnce in public affairs, and the high
personal qualities which history as.
signs to those from one section, who
have borne prominent parts in the
government of this Republic, hereto
fore now so ruthlessly excluded and
ostracised, may be missed in the pub
lie councils, as they are so sadly de-
manded in our local governments il
IL not improbable the embarrass-
ments, the serious losses, the general
deprivation Of the character and
morals Of those exclusively eligi.
bic to responsible public stations
will be seriously delt by the
new administration; and that such
experience may produce more liberal
sentiments toward our countrymen
but That conclusion will be sooner
reached by our prudent reserve and
digniiicd silence, than it would be 10y
n course Of effective, irritating and
heated opposition. Such a course too,
may be made more impressive and
effective Ivy the concentration of our
intelligence and energies in the de-
vclopment of our great internal rcve-
nues and in the accumulation of that
powerful means by which political
power must eventually be largely in
lluenced, If not swayed and CON
trolled. The South has suffered great
~ heretofore by the large share OF
talent, zeal and industry it has given
10 political andpubllc affairs. Whilst
its sons have filed the high office
of the Government, and thereby
withdrawn from the productive in
dustry of their section II large number
of her most capable citizens, who
have reaped scaut honors and graft.
tudo and much poverty and humilia.
ton therein, their more prudent and
thrifty brethren of the North have
been absorbed in the pursuit of solid
Independence, that substratum of all
real power which has at last drawn
into their hands the whole control OF
tloadministratiOn and destincs ofthis
Republic. Let the South profit by
tllis lesson and II may achieve like
victory. Leaving the whole respon-
sihility of tho Government TO our
Northern brethren, yielding to them
without murmur its vast patronage
with all it's cnorvating, corrupting
and impoverishing influences, let IL
be the pride, the ambition, the sole
aim of our people, TO amcliorate and
advance their social, industrial, intel
loctual and material improvement,
elevation and prosperlty-to Gevelop
the wealth OF their scctiou-to slim.
ulate The improvements of their coun.
try-to raise the standard of educa-
ton AMI morals, and to realize that
victory which captive Greece, by her
arts, her commerce, her skill, and
wealth Won over her proud conquer
or
Grccid capita tcmen,
|tctorcm cCpH.
\ member of the | rYIsIat,,r, q, r,,.,t,,,.