Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-09-14
THEN AND NOW.

THEN AND NOW.
The restless discomfort, which seems
TO have become a part and parcel of
mans perverted nature, is the prolific
source of evil in business, government
and social life. TO let well enough
alone aud to cling to advantages al
ready gained, is lesson as difficult to
impress upon the popular mind, as the
facile solution of the most abstruse
problem. For some time after the
close of the war, how universal was
the determination of southern men to
cling together, as one man, in the effort
to gain and TO maintain their rightful
asccndency in the administration of
their own domestic affairs and to eX-
clude from prominent participation
therein, those who deserted them in
the hour of need as well as the car
rion crows of the North, who hung
upon the rear of the armies to CLEAN
the oiTal and riot amid the desolation
and ruin of Christian warfare. And
~ long as the pressure, from without,
was heavy enough to mass the conser-
vative elements they had all the
strength of solidity and all the unOni-
unity of an honest and single intent to
accomplish noble and vital purpose
That purpose being partially accom-
plished aud the pressure relaxed, the
work of disintegration commenced,
wise resolutions were forgotten, selfish
ambition and criminal Indifference
Sundcrcd the once compact mass and
there now seems to be but one object
in view, and that is to give to Radical
ism every opportunity to regain its for
MGR power, Unity of purpose and
action ceased as soon as organization
was rcpudatcd and conservatism pre-
SCENTS divided and broken front TO
the solid array of Radical opposition,
Can we hope for, can we desire, sue
cess when we tolerate the efforts OF
Colyar, Andy johnson, Travis, or any
other disorganizcr, who, from inordi-
nate ambition, or some still bascr mo-
tive, opens the way for Radical tri-
umph2 Every Independent candidate
is a Radical ally, no matter what other
motive prompts him. The facility
with which Andrew johnson deserted
the Democratic party, when Chcatham
WAS bearing its banner into the midst
of hostile invaders, leaves no room to
doubt that the same spirit and the
same motive solt-aggrandiscmcnt--
dictate, his effort now, to botray for the
second time, the party he Processes to
love and the constitution he PROCESSES
to reverence. AS military Governor
he laborcd solely, in the interest o.
tyranny and usurpation--confining il
the Pcnitcntary, or banishinC to tn,
iuhnspitablc North, his supcriors il
every noblcquality DISTINGUISHING tn,
whites aud attempting to Subordinst,
them to the colorcd racc-lcyying pc
vlal and oucrous taxes 10 crafty hi
mrlirc and to impoycrish those horoi,
men who wcrc riskiug life and fortune
iu the clIor, torcpcl the invaders whom
h. welcomed with open arms Wha
iohm at that crisis were the gloriou
principle, OF Democracy, as he nov
hvpocritically terms them? What /,
him was the sacred charter of popula
liberty, at time whom he was tn
willing tool of the party which de
nounced il a. covenant with dealt
and = league with hell?' What T.
him, were patriotism, honor, justice
and humanity, when the road to pre-
lermcnt lay through treason aud un
ohstructcd save by the constitution
RIGHTS OF man aud those tritling con
celebrations without which no man ca
bc patriot or gentleman.
Have TcnnesSccans already forgot
ten the improcations suggested b
Johnsons tyranny, but unuttercd be
cause their mouths were gagged by hi
hlyouets? Have they forgotten thei
inlnlyre live never more 10 trust thei
bctrayer nor honor him with an eli
cial position 20 long as there was a
hoaest man or brave soldier TO whor
81 can be gwen as fitting reward 70
patriotic virtue? 1t must be tina
Johnson's despoiic exercise Of poSe