Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-04-06
THE FRIENDS OF SELF. GOVERNMENT.


is sovereign and ruler. Could.it be de-
monstrated to the satisfaction of the masses
that any political party entertains ideas
hostile to the principle of fself-government,
we are persuaded it would command but
little support
While protesting to be, par, erce'ence,
the friends and the exponents of the most
liberal system of popular government, the
Democratic party, especially in Tennessee,
has assaulted the very groundwork upon
which the republican system must depend,
not only for efficacy and stability, but for
existence in any form.
Our hest and wisest statesmen, of any
and every political faith, from the days of
Washington, Adams and Jefferson, up to
the present time, have coincided in the
opinion that upon the intelligence and vir-
tue of the people would depend the success
of our theory of government, then, as now,
looked upon by the world as an expert
Inent not unattended by danger. That our
statesmen, i'm entertaining this opinion
were not mistaken, is sufficiently proven
| by the current history of the country. In
stances where, in our popular elections,
frauds, violence and corruption are made
! to triumph over justice, virtue and intelli-
gence, are now, and have been, alarmingly
frequent through the length and breadth of
the land Scarcely less frequent are the
instances wherein well-meaning, though
| ignorant men, have been practiced upon
by dishonest politicians and made inno-
Gently to subserve schemes at variance with
the public good.
Notwithstanding all that has been done
publicly and privately in behalf of the gen.
eral diffusion of knowledge outrages of the
character referred to are constantly increas-
ing. The means employed for the educa-
ton of the masses in virtue and intelli-
gence are inadequate to the demand, and
in consequence popular government, at
least in certain localities, is becoming the
merest farce, ,.and the existence of the ma
ton as a free republic is constantly grow
ing more precarious. Surrounded and adj
monished by such circumstances we would
naturally look to the ranks of those who
advocate free schools as the only available
means recognized equal to the work OF
, combating those evils, to find our citizens
who believe in self-government, and pos
sess sufficient intelligence and patriotism,
to realize the situation and appreciate the
importance of promptly sustaining the
right. Yet our Democratic friends, in the
face of the fairest and most patriotic pro.
: fessions, have not only not been found in
the ranks Of those who advocate free
schools, but have demolished the system o.
schools established by the Republicans
: during their ascendancy in this State
While protesting to be the especial friend.
Q and champions of the peoples liberties
e they have dealt a blow, above all othel
: things, calculated TO render this last, bes
and only perfectly organized attempt a
e self-goyernment failure.
I The fact that prominent members of ou
n late State Convention opposed free school
and popular education, from principle, de
: claring they could educate their own chill
dren and did not wish to pay for the educa
ton of others, does not augur well for tn
future of Tennessee; nor does 1t commen'
: the Democratic party, of which they ar
y representative men, to the masses of tn
y laboring people, or to sensible men of an.
20 profession or station in life. All who thu
= act indirectly oppose free government; .m
], the mere fact of their opposition being in
III direct, but renders il capable of bein
Il clothed with deceit and rendered NOR
l. powerful. The action of the Convention
rs Il body does not refute the doctrine {
C. opposition to free schools promulgated b
y, some of its most prominent members. Th
AZ passive endorsement elicited from tn,
,a1 iat