Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-02-14
ORGANIZATION.


as federal officials are concerned, may
be averted. The history of parties,
from the foundation of the govern
ment, demonstrates that the purest
doctrines and the wisest measures are
no security for the success of the par
ty advocating them, without organ
ization and the machinery necessary to
make it effective The Grand Army
of the Republic, " with its perfect mill
tary drill and its bond of union-ha-
tired of the South-has given Radi- |
calism its victories year after year,
whilst the opposition, with superior
numbers, weakened by the absence of
organization and want of concert, has
been beaten and demoralized like a
mob by disciplined troops.
With large conservative majority,
Tennessee can point, with no higher
feeling than shame, to its Congression
al delegation, and need look no father
for the cause of its humiliation, than
its want of proper organization, and the
proneness of men, without such bond
of union, to stray off after demagogues
who rely upon the gullibility of the
masses for the success of their selfish
schemes. If there ever was time
when honest men should desire COM
pact union, in defense of liberty and
country, it is now that the backbone
of Radicalism is broken by the weight
of corruption it has been so long car
rying. Rapidly losing its prestige, its
dependence for future success, is upon
the immense patronage of corrupt
Executive and the money power of
the mercenary rings, born of tyranny
and usurpation, and fostered as agen-
cies, for the perpetuation Of the des-
potic power of lawless combination.
One united and hearty effort, and this
stronghold of corruption can be level
led with the ground, the governmentre-
scued from the hands that have defiled
itand the sunshine of prosperity again
gladden. the hearts of oppressed and
impoverished millions.
We unite with those of our contem-
poraries who have spoken out, in urg-
ing upon the Executive COMMITTEES of
the various counties, the importance
of prompt and efficient measures for
thorough organization preparatory to
the county elections in August. The
loose administration ofjustice, so much
complained of at this time the heavy
expense attending it, and the general
inefficiency of officials, are all the fault
of the people themselves. And until
they make it their bushes to select,
and elect, competent men to I'LL every
county Office, they have no right to
complain of bad laws, badly executed,
nor of burdensome taxation entalled
upon themselves through their care
lessness and folly. As regards this
county, the census shows very small
difference between the Radical and
Conservative vote. The former has
all the advantages of thorough drill
and unity of feeling and purpose,
whilst the latter, or portion OF the
latter, too proudly independent to be
trammeled by party obligations and
Observation-Disclosures to the result
of conflict between tyranny, on the
one side, and constitutional liberty, on
the other, impose a herculean task
upon the more patriotic-that OF saw
ing the county Offices from the grasp of
Radicalism. In view of this condition
of things, we would suggest that or
ganization, among those who know its
value, will tighten the labor imposed
upon them, by making it easier to win
over, or neutralize, enough of the OPP
position voters to counterbalance the
independent deficit But, be this as
it may, let US organize, in every coun-
ty and in every civil district. 1t will
strengthen all who enter into it, and
the high objects in view, if backed by
zeal for their attainment, will do much
to win over the factious and the indif-
ferent, as well as to demoralize the op-
position.
We impute no dishonesty to those
who rose in arms, against the conven-
tions. They, no doubt, thought they
were inaugurating some gigantic
scheme of political reform, to emanci-
pate the people from the thraldom
of intriguers, and make every man pa
triotic and wise enough to discharge
his whole duty to the country without
the aid of cooperation. Still we do
believe they mistook the means and,
so far from working a reform, they
succeeded only in fastening upon the
State, for two years, at least, the evil
they attempted to cure upon the by
pothesis, that like cures like.