Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-05-17
Observation-Disclosures.

enter prematurely, upon the discussion
of State politics. The public mind
needs rest and opportunity for calm re-
fiection-a review of the past and a
careful outlook for the future. But,
agitation is the game at which polite
ians delight to play and the only one
at which demagogues can win. Con-
scious of this, the latter are percepti-
bly, at work, sowing the seeds Of dis
cord and paving the way for farther
disruption of the Conservative party.
The anti-convention movement of last
year-set on foot by, and for the benefit
of, Andy johnson, will no doubt be
renewed and run in connection with
an anti-funding party, the nucleus of
which is the, so-called, Independent
press. And before the work of party
DISCRIMINATION and decentralization is
any farther developed, it will be well
that the people-those of them, at
least, who desire to maintain the honor
of the State and to advance Its pros
perity, TO review carefully, all that
Conservatism has done for them with
in the past few years.
None can have forgotten the disfran
chisement, the utter political degrade
ton to which they were reduced by the
apostle of Democracy, Andrew john
son. Nor can they have forgotten the
insulting domination of the military
over unarmed citizens who spoke with
bated breath, lest some eayes-dropping
detective might hear and report to
headquarters the most guarded protest
against the lawless despotism of the
military satrap at Nashville-himself
the willing and degraded tool of the
Radical usurpers at Washington.
AS fitting sequel to Andy's glorious
illustration of Democracy during, and
since, the war, nonehave forgotten the
the Lrwless, vindictive and insulting
domineering of his fit suceessor-the
bullying BLACKBOARD, w. G. Brown
low. All who have forgotten and for
given the unparalleled atrocities ofthese
two men-or fiends in human form
can find no place so appropriate to
their merits. as in the ranks of the
disorganizing followers of Andy John
son whose fixed purpose it is to bend
Democracy once more, to his will, or
place it again under the domination of
Radicalism. He will do this not be-
cause of i'll will to Democracy, as an
abstract idea, but because its represen-
tative men, in Tennessee, were identi-
fed with the South and its glorious, tho
lost, cause and are living rebuke to
his treason against liberty and deser-
ton of his section and people. To
wreak his vengeance upon all honored
Confederates he would gladly subju-
gate Tennessee and bring its people
negroes and carpet baggers excepted
under the iron rule to which he sub
jected them when illustrating, in prac-
tice, the glorious principles of Democ-
racy. as defined by the Moses who
severed the bonds ofthe Egyptian slaves
and transferred the shackles to the
limbs of those of his own race.
1t behoves all who remember the
dark days of Johnsonian tyran-
nv. to bear in mind, that when that ty.
ranny had become intolerable and the
people resolved to strike a blow fol
liberty, call was made upon the hon
est and patriotic of both the old par.
ties to rally under the flag of Conserva
tism. The call was responded to, il
the spirit of unselfsh patriotism and
by united effort, tyranny was hurled
from its throne in Tennessee, and the
emancipated whites grasped hands il
mutual and heartfelt congratulationi
and vowed to stand side by side, unit
the constitution was again recognized
as the supreme law of the land, anC
military usurpation made to give place
to the peaceful rule of the civil law
Can it be, that the men who banded
together for so holy a purpose ant
gloried in their success, are willin,
now to disband at the bidding of sci
fish ambition, to ignore the teaching
of Conservative wisdom and blindl,
follow the lead of one who is despo
when backed by power, and pa1ayer
ing demagogue when seeking popula
favor? The Conservative party, lik
all other human organizations, is no
perfect. Its blunders may have beel
many-even serious-but withal, it i
immeasurably superior to that com
bination known as the Radical party
and composed of every element tina
enters into the make up" of tn
foulest and most revolving forms of hu
man depravity The supremacy of tn
one, or the other party, is the question
to be decided-the issue that is mad
up and must be met. There are bu
two parties and to them the choice j
limited. Choose We, between them
but remember thatin the face ola stron
and united opposition, the Conserva
tive party cannot divide and conquer
Andy johnson knew this last veal
when he deliberately and willfull
cheated Tennessee of its full ConseI
vative representation in Congress an
brought into its Legislature an incor
gruous mass of conflicting interest
and opinions which made that bod
anything but a blessing to the Stat,
The same game is to be repeated at th
next election the Radicals are pre-
pared for the contest and their willin.
or unconscious, allies-the anti-cor
ventionists and anti-funders-are pre-
pairing their watch-words and passin
the countersigns and their leader wi
come to the front at the proper time an
pilot to the enemy's camp, the desertel
fromthe ranks of Conservatism. Al
the people prepared for the inevitabl
result? Ifso, the fault being their owl
sotheir' will be- the punishment. The