Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-07-11
THE TWO CONVENTIONS.

)f the people on the nrst MONDAY In
August, to appoint delegates to the
Convention, in Nash
vile, on the 10Th of said month, and
to the Congressional convention, in
this place, on the. I'd of September.
1t is of the utmost importance that
this business shall be attended to, and
in a manner sufficiently unanimous
to leave no room for cayil and
no excuse for boilers. In Middle
and West Tennessee, there is class
of voters sufficiently strong in mum
bers to tempt demagogues, for the
sake of Office. to pander to their pas
sions and prejudices and thus form a
combination mischievous in all its |
Observation-Disclosures of harmony.
inimical to reform, promotiye of the |
schemes of low ambition and the ad
vancement to positions Of high re-
sponsibility of men incompetent, and
unworthy of public confidence. This
is illustrated by the misrepresentation
of Tennessee on the civil rights ques-
ton, during the last session of Con-
gress.
In this, and many other counties in
the State, the white and black voters
are so nearly equal in number that the
rusult of an election depends, abso-
lutely, upon the unanimity with which
the one or the other party adheres to
its political lines. And though Con-
gress failed in the consummation OF
its iniquitous attempt to draw def
nitely, the line between the two races
the effort and desire to do so, should
suffice to weld together, ina common
bond of unity, all of the white race
whose instincts, education and self
respect spurn political, social and un-
natural amalgamation with an inferior
race. That such an effect has not fol-
lowed the all-suficient cause, is as
manifest in this county, as elsewhere
and is another humiliating proof OF
the deep degradation to which the su
perior type of mankind may be sunk
by corrupt government and vicious ex-
ample in high places. Ten years ago
the whites of the South, would have
shrunk with horror, from the sugges-
ton of their possible utilization, pc
litical and social, with their former
slaves, to the extent now witnessed
wherever equality in voting strength
tempts the mere politician to discar,
every higher motive and sink himself
below the level of the class whose
favor he seeks to win. The cxampl,
of such seekers of official positions
has its influence upon the ignorant
and thoughtless, the instructive disor-
ganizers and soreheads yield to the
temptation to gain nOtoriety by aiding
in the work of Generalization, and
proving to the followers of Sumner
and Maynard, that the civil rights bill;
is not necessary to secure social equal
ity where white demagogues raise the
black flag of African superiority over
pale faced recreancy to blood and pres
tige and honor.
They know not what they do, "
may e pleaded in extenuation of the
conduct of many white men who see
through the eyes, and think through
the brains of selfish and ambitious
place-hunters and hence the import
ance of appealing to the more thought
full and patriotic to assert their right
and exercise their power to control the
government under which they live.
The theory of self-government is
predicated upon the assumption that
the solid intelligence and moral worth
of the country will step to the front
aud, by preeept and example, educate
the less favored portion of the com
munity up to a knowledge Of the main
features of free government, and cul-
tiyate a wholesome determination to
maintain them. Failing in this high
duty, is it TO be wondered at, that the
different classes of professional men
whose callings demand higher de-
gree of cultivation, will not stand idly
by and see their rights and liberties
destroyed because the bone and sinew
of the cOuntry-to whom is specially
eonfded the preservation of free in
stitutions-shirk the responsibility OF
guarding their own rights and inter
ests?
Yet when these same professional
classes, eongregated, of necessity, in
the business centres of the country
exercise their unquestiOned right to
shape the administration of q govern
ment abandoned to chance by its Op-
pointed, but faithless guardians, the
cry is raised against them of " clique,
combination" to wrest from the
people their right of self-government
But if the mass of the people will not
protect the rights common to all, they
have no ground for complaint against
the few, more patriotic and equally
interested, fer eDdeavoring TO steer the
craft that is freighted with the politi.
cal fortunes of all. 1t is fact, which
none can controvert, that the people
have been criminally negligent of the
duties they owe to themselves, and II
is disingenuous to try TO hide thai
negligence under the broad charge thai
town cliques are organized to disfran-
chise the voters of the rural districts
Then we again say to the people-com'
forward and prove your capacity fol
self-goyernment By uniting upon ;
basis of harmony and sound doctrine
bv saving 10 those so anxious to serve
you-stand aside till you are called
for. The town clique. if there be one
will gracefully retire, Whenever the
people come to the front; but some
body must run the machine; the law
yers and doctors, the merchants anC
bankers have as large an interest IL