Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-09-21
READ.


ton to Andrew johnson and his can
didature.
This is from John G. Burch, who
has stood 80 long as the firm friend Of
the great Commoner. He leaves him
now because he deems his present
movement but calculated TO destroy
the party he processes to love 30 we'll ;
THE RUBICON PASSED.
Ex- President johnson uuequivoeal-
ly announced himself candidate for
Congress in his speech at Gallatin. All
hope of an adjustment of the dissen-
sions in the Democratic ranks produc-
cd by his candidacy is at an end, and
Democrats must now determine wheth-
er they will stand firmly by their or
ganization, or assist in shiveriug il and
thus hand over to the keeping of rad
ical rulers the welfare of the people
of Tennessee.
In May last az soon az the bill was
passed. giving us an additional mem
Der of Congress to be elected by the
State at large the Union and American
gave unmistakablc evidence of its
preference for Mr.. johnson for that
position. II was announced that he
would be candidate. Soon after it
was stated that he had not fully deter
mined to be candidate, that he was
indisposcd to make struggle for the
position, and that his final determina-
tion would be reserved until he came
to Nashville, which it was expected he
would do in short time. In the
meantime the name Of Gen Cheatham
was announced as candidate. This
increased the doubts in the minds of
the friends of Mr.. johnson as to his
becoming candidate, as it would re-
quire a struggle to get the position
Nothing occurred to remove those
doubts, but continued silence tended
to further increase them.
BY a resolution of the Democratic
Convention, of the 9th of May, the
State Executive Committee was au-
thorized to select the Democratic can
didate for Congressman for the State
at large, in the event the bill then
pending in Congress to give Tennessee
an additional member should pass
That bill passed, and when the State
Committee met on the 10Th Of June,
the names of Ex-President johnson
and Gen. Cheatham were before the
people, the latter certainly candidate,
the former probably. The friends OF
Gen. Cheatham were in the majority
on the Committee. 1t was insisted by
some that the nomination should be
made by the Committee in accordance
with the resolution of the Convention.
1t was insisted that if Mr.. johnson
intended to become a candidate he
would not submit either to the action
of the Convention or the Committee.
His friends declared that he would ac-
quiesce in the action of the Conven
ton. 1t was finally determined that a
Convention should be called ito meet
at the Capitol in this city on Wednes
day, the 2lst of August, for the pur.
pose Of nominating a candidate fol
Congress for the State at large" That
call was published on the morning OF
the 10th of june, two months before
the assembling Of the Convention.
Time passed on and it was still un.
known whether he would be candi.
date. In his speech at Knoxville a
few days before the Convention, he de.
clared that he was not candidate
His friends throughoutth State could
not make fight for him in the COUNTY
Conventions because they did not know
what his purposes or wishes were. His
! friends who came as delegates to the
Convention could not organize and
work for him on the two days immcdi,
ately preceding the Convention because
they still did not know whether his
name would be before the Convention
1t was not generally known until tn,
morning of the Convention that his
name would not be presented to that
body, The Convention met in accord.
ance with the call of the Executive
Committee, was regularly opened and
organized, aud Gen, Chcatham received
FIVE hundred and sevcnty-ninc out OF
six hundred and fifty-six votes cast, be.
ing largely over thirds, and over
two thirds Of the whole vote even il
the Convention had been full.
Under these circumstances, notwith
standing our preference for cx- -Presi.
dent johnson, we felt il TO be our du
" to place the name of Gen. Cheat
ham at the head of our columns as the
Democratic candidate for Congress fol
the State at large. 1t was stated thai
,Mr johnson would be candidate in
opposition TO the nominee. We knew
in that event there would be ruinou.
dissensions in the Democratic ranks
which would inevitably lead to Radi.
cal triumphs. While we preached or.
ganization, organization, organization
from day to day, VIC did not tear a pas,
sion to tatters nor strike wildly right
and left careless of who was hurt SO
somebody was hit. The jeers and
taunts of avowed Radicals or equal,
bitter haters of Democracy did no,
drive US from our purpose to accom-
plish by every means OF Cancellation Q
restoration of good feeling between
conteudiug Democrats.
We determined to utter no word oi
irritation to increase the existing dis,
sensions. We have worked aud wait
ed and hoped for harmony and unity
fully convinced that in union il oui
strength. But il seems all in vain.-
Up to Friday night We hoped that cx,
President johnson would not be a can,
didatc. Ii was not until late Fridaj
night, when we saw Col. Colyar's an.
nouncement as an independent candi
date for Governor, that we dcspaircd
of an adjustment. Tx -Presidcnt
Johnson's speech yesterday remove,
all doubt. The Rubicon is passed
As Caesar said when he crossed thai
little stream in his march to Rome
Jacta est alea, The die is cast Will
lour views of duty to principle, and tC
party as the advocate of principle, W,
shall stand by the Democratic Orgau
ization, its rules, customs aud usages
and give TO it, nominee a cordial anC