Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-08-14


its corruption He was impeached for adhering
to the Constitution, and the next impeachment
would be for dishonesty in office. As a matter
of course, me don't admire Sumner much, and
there being but few colored men-hs especial
wards, rs he considers them-present, although
as n matter of policy" he would perhaps have
wrung in word of praise, but there was moth
ing that could possibly be gained by it.
THE oNE-TERM PRINCIPLE.
The speaker alluded TO the old Democratic
idea of the one-term principle. Gen. Grant
came in for one term and now wanted TO hold
oyer Tor twQ That was embodied in the Gin
cinnati platform, and he endorsed it, He was
also in favor of electing the President and Vice
ment of the Constitution TO that effect. BY that
means the people would get rid of the electoral
college and nominating conventions. Time had
demonSrated that one term was the best in Of
flee. He was likewike in favor of electing Uni
ted States Senators by the people, because IL
was impossible to corrupt the people of an en-
tire State, while minority in the Legislature
could be bought, as it doubtless often was.
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.
The speaker, took a retrospective view--the
present reminded HIM of the campaign of 1910,
whom the Whigs, under the leadership of Mr..
Clay,-galant Harry of the West had
organized against the Democratic administra-
ton of Van Buren,: Very unwsely they nom
mated Gen. Harrison as the most available
man, and he was triumphantly carried into Of
flee in the boat that Clay had built. 1t was Il
great popular change and the great Wing
champion could rs easily have been elected as
the hero of Tippicanoe He wanted 'availa-
BILE men left severely alone and able" men
| only nominated.
The same was true of the present condition of
the Conservative party-the masses wanted
change of administration, and he thought the
. tidal wave" was strong enough for them to
have nominated one of their own political
| creed, instead Of going to the camp Of the en-
envy and selecting as their standard-beGrcr the
| leader of faction.
He was afraid that the Conservatives would
find they had
! COMMITTED A BLUNDER
in so doing, and that they would find it difficult
| to keep the party organization intact, if indeed
| 1t could be done at all. In support of this view
of the matter, Mr.. johnson refreshed his audi
ence with leaf from ancient history, whore in
war with the Samnites number, of Roman
! soldiers had been driven into the Caudine
| forks and inclosed in q triangle, with water on
| their front and TANKS and an active enemy in
their rear, they were cut of from their sup
plies and forced to surrender. The foe then
compelled them to submit to the humiliation of
passing under the yoke and then permitted
them to return TO Rome. But the Romon Sen
ate would not receive them. so keenly was the
disgrace felt and they returned to the Sannites,
but they had no use for them. Perhaps
after using them the Liberal faction would
have no further use for the Conservatives, and
being then disintegrated the once power
ful Consez alive party would be shorn Of its
strength.
GREELEY CROOKED STICK.
He had opposed the Greeley movement, but
as he was unable TO stem the current he would
say to the Conservative party, with all thy
faults love thee still, y and with all its faults,
and the last one seemed in his vewthe greatest of
all, he would follow it in November. He would
say nothing against Mr.. Greeley, but took him
under pressure being willing to take something
bad in order to get rid of what he regarded
even worse. As gentleman from Connecticut
had expressed it, if he couldn't get n straight
stick 10 kill a mad dog with he would take "a
| crooked one He would support Greeley
against Grant, but committed himself TO none
of his doctrines.
The reluctance with which Mr.. johnson made
this statement showed that while he had made
up his mind to 'eat crow" yet he didn't cham
ker after it, and took the Greeley pill pretty
much as child does castor oil, with very bad
grace.
THE BLOODY CHAsM
had been frequently alluded to during the can
vass, but he didn't want to shake hands across
the wanted to fill it up. In this he expressed
the sentiments Of Secretary Boutwell,, in North
Crrolina, who wished it closed by removing the
cause of rupture
He stated again that he
WAS NOT A CANDIDATE
for office, though urged to become one and
hoped that the shafts of malice would not be
leveled against a dead man. OF course he meant
politically, for the speaker appeared in vigor-
GUS health and had he consulted his individual
preferences would have much rather given the
sage of Chappaqua Il stroke under the fifth rib
than to follow his plume.
The audience present fell far short of what
| was expected, well advertised though it was,
and possibly exercised a depressing influence.
The Greeley collar appeared to chafe him and
if all his adherens areas hard to get in the traces
Horrors" Greeley, as Missouri Confederate
designates the late editor of the TFjbURc, will
never occupy the White House.