Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-05-27
pEM0CssiCr>IyT IEE SOUTH AND
rrS DUTIES.

pEMoCstCr,IvT IEE SOUTH AND
frS DUTIES.
We learn, with pleasure, through
our southern exchanges, that De-
nocracy is looking up, In Mississippi,
where treacbery and lawlessness have
NO long held undivided sway under
the fostering care Of q (once) trusted
Confederate General, now she plant
tool Of a central ,Iespaisln. Tie
same cheering prospects are, more or
less, apparent all over the South, Of
which no better evidence b. needed
than the infamous KukIux bill aud
the proclamation of our besotted
President, who looks for q Reelection
only through the agency of force and
fraud. Another cheering sign Of the
times, is the fact, that, with few ex-
ccptions, t..erc exists, amongst the
members Of the Press, but little Of
that lIead-iong zeal which blinds so
many 10 the necessary tl!scrimlna-
ton between the rights we are Justly
entitled to, and those we may yet
rescue from the wreck OF free
government. We say necessary. dis.
crlmlnution, because we esteem 1t
the part Of wisdom and patriotism
10 submit, with the best possible
grace. To what is done il, by so doing,
we Gun give active vitality 10 q por-
ton OF tisosc elements Of political
liberty which once Constituted our
glory and prosperity, and which held
out the promise Of freedom to the
oppressed of other lands.
Were this an age of reason such
discrimination between our rights in
the past nnd In the future, so far from
being necessary, would be a criminal
evasion Of a sacred duty, and an in
vitation to usurpation to proceed
with its work of degradation and OPP
preston. But reason Is dethroned
and, in its stead we have reign OF
the brutal passions of ignorance,
made drunk by the fell spirit of ia
natlcism, and It's countless victims,
like the herd of swine possessed of
devils, are rushing, heedlessly, into
the sea of political destruction. Can
we stay, this mad career, or exercise
the devils that instigate it, by 4launt-
ing the Constitution-as IL was-in
their hcess Can we appeal, with
any hope of success, to those whose
sacraliglous hands have torn, into
shreds, that instrument, once held
sacred by every true American citi-
zen? We, Of the South, by inter-
posing our 'misdirccted efforts, can
aggravate the evils of which we so
justly complain, but are powerless to
overthrow the tyranny that grinds
us with remOrseless cruelty.
Our true policy, then, is to leave to
those who perpetrated the wrong, the
task of redressing it. The northern
democrats, who aided and ubetted
the abolitiouists in their work of
crushing the South, We're the iiistru.
ments, unintentionaly, no doubt, by
which the conspirators overthrow the
the government and erected des-
potism upon Its ruins. AS the active
allies Of the Radicals, and of kindred
blood, with those traitors to liberty
and the Constitution, they are better
prepared to make successful war up
on them, than a distant and uncon-
genial people against whom stood
combined "the world, the flesh and
the Devil" t -
Let us stand aloof, then, from the
contest, until the time arrives when
we can strike an efficient blow in aid
Of the friends of constitutional liberty
in the mean time leaving to north
crn democrats the choice Of leader,
the organization of the forces aud the
adjustment Of the tactics for the
coming campaign. Through cour-
tecy, we shall be allowed represent
tation in the Democratic Convention;
let III delegate to that Convention
our very best men, not to take con
spicuous action therein, but to give to
northern delegates such information,
in reference To the South, and its true
condition, rs they may deem neces-
sary to II vigorous prosecution of the
campaign, which, to he successful,
must bc aggressive in the highest de-
gree. The platform, If one be deem
cd essential, should be well prepar-
ed aud specific arraignmcnt Of the
Radical Administration, upon eharg-
as of high crimes and mis,lemeanors
In every department of the govern
ment and n prenjusted system for cor
rupting public morals, with view
10 n consolidated government in III,
hands oi sho,idy aristocrats, AMI the
leading monied Rings" plethora
with embezzled millions OF the PEG
pies money. Tho primary Object o.
every Democrat should he to save all
that remains Of our free institutions
instead OF making fight over thos,
elements that have been lost through
the active agency, or cowardly con-
nivanccof the democrats themselves
Save what we can now, and trus. I,
the future for restitution Of the lost
portion, Is the best policy, unless W,
are prepared ~ regain by force tina,
,,,l.l..i, $50. s.,la., from, ma ly tnnn,