Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-01-21
DEAD ISSUES.

mite, II not n meaningless express
ion, plays a conspicuous part among
the catch words of the Radical party.
Even among Democrats 1t is not en-
tirely unknown, and Is occasionally
used as a bugbear to frignten those
who are disposed-too boldly perhaps
to utter uuweIcome truths In lin
dication Of political justice aud po,-
ular liberty.
And what are the dead issues which
II is treason to revive? The first of
them Is slavery which, though abol-
ished by force, is not now, and never
a be, an issue between parties, or
sections, aud any allusion to 1t is for
The sinister purpose of maddening
fanatacism and perpetuating Sec
tioaal discor,l.
The next I'm Importance Is secess
ION. This was n living issue before
the war; Is as old rs the Constitu-
ton itself and was the vital consid-
Grafton which brought the States
together as a Federal Union. 1t is
characterized now, by the Radicals,
as a dead issue, killed by the war;
So it was, but only to be revived in
the guise of the natural and. inaliena-
BILE right of revolution. The Consti-
sutton contemplated secession as n
peaceful remedy for sectional wrongs;
the war has changed it into a reme-
dy by force. This, like slavery, is a
dead issue, and would cut but IL poor
figure on any party platform, but the
right to discuss the guilt Of its MUIR
derers is still "a living issue and will
live as long as history is u faithful
record of important events.
State sovereignty Is another issue
which Radicalism would feign nuke
US believe is dead. That party has
tried hard to kill it. But as long as
patriots and statesmen recognize the
doctrine as the true basis of popular
rights and national liberty, s. long
will it be u living issue, and he is no
friend to his country who repudiates
It at the mere bidding of a despotic
faction.
But why are the Radicals so anX-
ious to make 1t appear that these is
sues are dead? 1t is because they all
know that the war was waged, first,
for the abolition Of slavery and, sec
Ondly, for the overthrow of the then
existing government. They also
know how iniquitous We're the means
Nthey used to accomplish these villain
Gus designs against right and justice
and humanity. Their hourly eXpe-
rience Is that the ghosts of these dead
issues constantly confront their gull
ty consciencies, like horrid spectres,
and that their only hope of exorcis-
ing them, is to lay their W guilt
at the door of the South. or this
wicked purpose, there is evidence in
every Radical enactment in every
Radical speech it is proclaimed from
every lecture-hall, is re-echoed from
every blasphemous pulpit in the Rad
ical North, and is read in every ele-
mentary school book issued from
Radical presses.
These wicked efforts at exculpation
not only furnish proof of conscious
eHiit, but show how even their ho"d-
eued consciencies writhe under the
conviction that the damned spot
will not out" that the ghost of Ban
quo still pursues the guilty Macbeth.
But not content with the three dead
issues, above enumerated, the Radi-
Gals propose to kill every II that
lived before the war. Then wisdom,
patriotism and integrity We're made
conditions Of high official promotion.
The Radicals aimed a death-blow mt
this issue when they elected Lincoln
and Grant. Before the wal the SUI
preme Court was looked upon as the
imprcgnahle bearier between Consti-
tutional liberty and usurpations OF
the Executive and Legislative De-
partmentS. Is this a dead issue be-
cause the Supreme Bench is filed by
hirCling politicians who are willing
tools in the hands of u usurping Con-
gress, and traitors to the constitution
and their country? Before the war,
the freedom of elections was a live
issue. Is it dead because Grant and
Congress dare {. wall In the ballot.
box with bayOncts, in the hands ol
ignorant and submissive Foreigners
and degraded natives aud headed 10y
mcrccuarN officers, who, through ODE.
dirucc TO the will Of tyrants, seek
promotion?
II these, aud ether important is
sues are dead because despots will it
where Is reform to begin? Not an
inch of vantage ground is left upon
which honest patriotism and love o
liberty can make n stand against cor
rupt tyranny and its damnablc de
signs against h'oo government. Thei
away with the pu,ilanimous cry O
dead ISSUES! M issue can be dcat
upon which hangs the destiny, 70
good, or evil, of forty millions o
people. No issue can be obsolete, tn,
e isal aud enforcement of which
promises freedom, prosperity an,
happiness Ia people, now the to-
tame victims of a despotism nstcnc,
upon them, through the Intervention
of n war wicked in It's inception, bar
harous In its prosecution and vile il