Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-03-11
THE CANVASS OY Is72.

piatiOfm, o tnat year., reItecp tne va
Nious shades of opinion expressed by
the would-be platform makers, 1t will
bsa piebald, motley document, as in
comprehensive as varigated. Some
are afraid that it will he iusufferably
offensive, because of the dead issues
IL will embody, and others, that the
structure will not hold together m
Tess it is framed and dove-taiLd in
accordance with their peculiar views.
We apprehend, however, that the
chief difficulty the Democrats Will
encounter, in the construction of n
platform, will be found not, IN a scar
city of material, but In n proper se-
lection from the abundant supply and
infinite variety, which the Radicals
are daily furnishing. Their platform
is already built, by Moxa Morton.
the foully diseased organof North
western Radicallsm, and is composed
If only three Decentralization,
rebellion and Southern outrages
which, taken together, simply mean
that they will make the canvass up
on that implacabie Northern hatred
Of the South which has kept the par
ty in power v since the close of the
war.
There can be no efficient argument
against n platform embodying prop
ositions every n of which is q pail
pable lie. AT this game, the Demo-
Gratis can bot win because passion and
prejudice are both on the side of Rad
icalism, and hatred of the South is
the strong card in tho Radical hand.
1t Is manifest, then, that the only
hope of democratic success is in en-
tightening the public mind in regard
to the villainous wrongs inflicted up
on the pcople-North and South by
the party asking II renewed lease of
power for four years more. The line
of argument indicated 10y this, the
best policy will, necessarily, lead to
the discussion of the past acts of the
Radical party-acts which weak
kneed Democrats have buried as dead
issues.
We have no desire that the Demo-
cratic platform should, for instance,
demand the repeal of the fourteenth
.ald fifteenth amendments but it
ought to demand such legislation as
will disarm those amendments of
their ~tyranical and hurtful Influences
upon the we'll being of the whole
country. Its conceded even by Rad
icals, that Congress has full power to
pass u general amnesty law, thereby
placing the best men of the South,
on a level, ut least, with their former
slaves. Is this digging up a dead
issue! :. Agnin, Congress has unuues-
toned power to repeal the Enforce
ment laws which give to the Presi-
dent authority to control all elections
by armed force. This can be done
without any interference with the
Constitution as it is, and the two
amendments be disarmed OF Their
sting, aud permitted only TO blur our
organic law and be u standing stigma
upon the character of those who,
feloniously and by force ofarms, en-
grated them upon the original char
ter of popular rights and State SOW
ereignty.
In addition to these two measures
of prime Importance, we think the
National debt should be paidin green
backs the currency In which it was
contracted, and thus relieve laboring
men from a burden that is becoming
intolerable destroying their sub.
stance to enrich bloatcd l,ondholdcrs,
and all the monopolies that are culs-
ing the country with increasing pow
crty and corruption. We have the
right and it is the duty of the Demo
cratic party To demand the d.sband-
mcnt of the army of officers who
feed upon the earnings of the people,
and play the spy for hondholders,
bankers, manufacturers, and the 9th.
rr monopoIics for which the govern
eminent is exclusively manipulated.
There are other interests to be conSid-
cred and discussed that are of vast
Importance 10 the liberty and wei.
fare OF the people. And while We
confess an unwillingncss to arouse,
unnecessarily, the foul and mischiev.
Gus pasSionSof Il misguided and blind
itnaticism, we have no fellowship
with those who would read the burial
service over the Twin issues to which
we have briefly advcrted. The ONLY
hope for the defeat ofthc Radical par.
ty IL, rs we have already said, in an
efficient exposure Of their misdccds
But how can this he done If we re
solve that all it has done, in the past
is to bc treated As settled, If not dca,
ISSUES, and that it il s%acrilege 10 ro
viVc thomr The Democratic part,
had better di,haud than tamcly as
sent To the crimes of Rndicalism-t,
"onnive at them is to become equal,
guilty, and without the backbone I,
meet that Radical party, squarely
upon the issues itself has made; re
si-tance is rs foolish rs it is vain. |
II Is dangerous to arouse the NurtherI
fanatics 10y telling them wholcsom
truths, what is gained 10y bearing pa
tivntlY their wrong, aud their insult,
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