Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-09-26
For Mayor,
THOMAS A. SMITH.
THE CRISIS.

lOrtn tue enOrmlty OF the 1ederal
wrongs perpetrated by Grants admin
istration, upon the State of Louisiana,
and painting the future of the South
in no exaggerated colors. Whilst that
paper expresses the feelings of every
true man in the South, and many in
the North, we are not prepared to en-
dorse the remedy proposed. Had the
South to deal with brave and mag
nanimous foe, bold and fearless stand
upon the broad principles of justice
and constitutional guarantees would be
an irresistible appeal for that justice
so long withheld But in the power,
as the South is, of an irresistible tyran-
ny whose glory it is to Cypress the
weak, and whose .mercenary desire it
is, to wiring from the South its last
dollar, to erase the last vestige of its
political rights and destroy its last
hope of resuscitation, is itwise, is it
polite to invite the impending catas-
trophe-so long, at least, as there'is a
possibility that the tyrant may be dis
armed by the better class of his sub
jects in the North.
The northern Democracy, conscious,
at last, that it has not preserved the
Union for which it protested to have
fought, is bestirring itself actively and
the leading idea of its platforms is,
that Louisiana is as sovereign as Mas
sachusetts and equally entitled to a
placein the, now, discovered Union
and, under the egis of the Constitution,
and equally secure against lawless fed
eral interference. Such being the fact,
is it not wiser to cooperate with that
northern ally-however faithless here
tofore-than to court more complete
ruin by inaugurating hopeless strug-
gle for that which may be peaceably
attained ? Were the southern people
prepared, 20 a man, to die rather than
live enslaved, the treatment of Louis
lana by consolidated despotism, pre-
sents glorious occasion for such a
Curtain leap into the yawning chasm.
But not being so prepared, let US bear,
yet longer "the ills we have" with
that conscious rectitude which is a
stranger to the Radical North, and
with that patient forbearance which
brings more honor and happiness than
the corrupt tyrant ever dreamed of "in
his philosophy. The Indications are
that the South will be reduced to such
a state of desperation that it will, with
one accord, strike the blow which
must involve both sections in a com
mon ruin. But that time is not yet.
Louisiana may survive the forcible re-
instatement of Kellogg, and there is a
chance that the blow at its liberties
may fell the brutal tyrant who infiicts
it. If sympathy can alleviate the suf-
fering of an oppressed sister State,
Louisiana has it, not only to the ex-
tent of the South, but wherever liber-
ty has a votary and humanity an advo-
cate. But would the ruin of the en-
tire South redress her wrongs, or strike
down the tyranny which glOats over
her weakness? ~
We can not agree, with the Courier
Journal, that the South desires an en-
peror. As between one man power
and mob rule, the former will be pre-
tered by every sensible man but the
dread alternative is not yet forced
upon us The lunacy which has so
long afflicted the North, may not be
incurable The symptoms of returning
reason are becoming more and more
favorable, in spite of the occasional
paroxysm induced by the Nasty mis-
representation of the condition of
the South, so freely circulated by the
hirelineS of the administration and the
pcnsioned liars of the northern press
With the return of reason. patriotism
will revive, the love of liberty become
once more motive power of human
action under which tyranny will be
crushed, public virtue regenerated and
peace prosperity and happiness once
more gladden. the Republic, restored
TO its pristine strength and glory. But
should this dream be dispeIled, leav-
ing the South still upon the ragged
edge of dispair. then will be its OPP
portunity to bring the north under the
iron rule of a single despot, thatit may
share with uS the curse so Indignantly
provided for our especial use and ben
eft. Until then let us strive to
strengthen the arm of northern De-
mocracy by discharging, so faithfully
the duties of good citizens, as to give
the lie to paid slanderers and interest
ed disturbers of the peace. This is a
wiser policy than TO hasten a common
ruin, because justice is tardy and truth
temporarily buried beneath the mass OF
error accumulated by fanatieism and
knavery, and through which the
hypocricy Of the one, may bear
the semblance Of christian piety
and the roguery of the other assume
the legal semblance of justifable re.
prisal, under the martial code and the
infamy of reconstruction.
Were the South prepared for defense
or aggression, we could conscientious.
". have advised its citizens to rally tC
the defense of Louisiana and the broad
doctrines Unpopular liberty, violated by
her assailants; but unarmed, without
money nd without sources of continu
Gus supply, such proceeding could
have been justified only on the plea of a
desperation which prefers death to