Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-01-10
DECLINEAND FALL oFTHE REPUB.
.es sa~ LICAN PARTY.
From tho Nashville Banner.

| 1AOAH \ AnLAs
From tho Nashville Banner
The Republican party is fast going
to the dogs. Of course this is net to
be understood as applyingto individual
members of once powerful organiza-
| ton, but simply to the political faction,
as such, which has ruled the country
for decade and half. The signs of
the times, exhibited in all sorts of
ways, manifestly pertend the coming
collapse. A special telegram, pub
lished elsewhere, speaks of the party
demoralization which prevails in Con-
gress, something that has not been
known in that body for years. The
causes Of this are transparent enough
TO even the casual reader of the daily
newspaper. A dissatisfied, turbulent
and rebellious constituency must pro-
duce more or less effect on the average
Congressman, and when the whole
country raises its voice against the
thieving and corruption which has
disgraced the National Legislature, is
it to be wondered at that high officials,
wise in their generation, and with an
eye to the future, should be making
their preparations to stand from under.
or, like rats, be ready to desert the
sinking ship? ~ n tfr-.--7
The corruptions and abuses of the
dominant party produced the reaction
which found forcible expression in the
fall elections. The hard times of the
last few months is naturally enough
mainly attributed to the inefficiency
and mismanagement ofthose in power,
SO that, added to all its other sins of
omission and commission, if general
election were to be held tomorrow,
the Republican party would be hurled
from its high estate, and forced into an
oblivion which knows no waking.
Notice the political rumblings which
precede the inevitable doom. The
election of Gov. Booth, of California,
to the United States Senate, and the
public withdrawal of the Illinois farm
ers from all existing party organiza-
tions, are frait of the same tree. They
are the result of movement in poll
tics which may be seen everywhere,
but which the farmers have espoused
with such heartiness as to make it al
most sure of success in the agricultural
States. This new political activity has
been at work only few months, but
has permanently destroyed the ascen-
dancy of the Republican party in more
than one State, and prepared the way
for the supremacy of an opposition
party in a majority Of all the States.
Whether this coming party is to bear
new name, or seek affiliation with
the Democratic party, reformed and
remodeled, is, as we remarked the
other day. one of the unsolved prob
lens of the hour. At any rate the re-
suits already achieved, show that the
future is in the farmers hands. They
hold the balance of power now in the
greater part of the country, and their
political strength will be pretty fully
developed and illustrated in next
year elections. -.
In the meantime Republican party
leaders crack their whips louder than
ever, as they see their power gradually
but surely passing away. 1t is really
mirth-moving to read the comments of
the Republican newspapers and poll
ticians of California on the dreadful
crisis in their affairs. They are aghast
at the treachery of Republican who
dared be candidate for the Senate on
an independent platform they lack
words to express their amazement that
other Republicans could vote for such
candidate. The Republican men,
bers of the Legislature who voted for
Booth are held up to public scorn in
the party journals. When Governor
Booth became prominent as eandi-
date for the Senate, nothing could be
| said against him but this He is an
enemy of the party that elected him"
Now after his election, say the parti-
sans, the Republican Legislators who
voted for Booth were chosen to serve
our party; they have not done so let
them resign. Says one of the party
organs: THE official must not change
his party without resigning his office.
He is not chosen to serve the public
alone; he has pledged himself to the
party as well as to the State" And so
on. All of which shows the desperate
straits to which Republican magnates
are reduced on the Pacific slope. But,
bless your soul, just wait until the
people of the other States get chance
at the corrupt party leaders,! Won't
there be slaughter, though!
The New York Herald, which gen.
orally manages to sniff impending
danger to the politicians, has word to
say on the signs of the times. in con-
nection with the disintegration of the
Republican party. Says the Herald
We are informed from Washington
that the Republicans Of the South are
indignant at the milk and water course
of the Administration In the Virginius
affair; that they are moving for new
organization looking out for the domI-
nant party of the future, and that they
will probably unite with the Grangers
on new departure that wide-awake
and progressive Republicans are freely
discussing the shortcomings and the
blunders of the Administration party
and its bungling in the State elections
of last October and November, and
that the plain men of the party from
the rural districts are disgusted with
the silly working of civil service re-
form. Ina word, the cohesive power
of the Republican party, as the party
of the Administration, is broken, and
the work of disintegration in the party
has commenced, and from all the signs
of the times the party of the future
that will next come to the front will
begin to crop out boldly in the West
and South in the elections of 1874 for
the next Congress.