Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-01-17
THE NEXT GOVERNOR.

We had hoped that the aid and COM
fort given by the Independents, of this
State, to the Radical party, in the
election of seven, out of ten, members |
of Congress, would have stated |
their thirst for disorganization. We |
hope still, that as gentlemen and pa
triots, they will sicken at the thought
of giving aid and comfort to party,
whose disgusting corruption is of pub
lie notoriety and every days develop
ment. This hope, however, has no
other foundation than that the indie
pendeDss are not without the intelli-
gence to see the rapid decline of the
government towards corrupt despot-
ism, the honesty to despise official
thieves and the patriotism TO direct
their energies to the salvation of the
Republic and its restoration to its orig
inal purity.
But scarcely had we given written
expression to this hope, than the an
nouncement is made that an Indede-
pendent candidate for governor, is al
ready in the field. 1t is difficult to re-
alize the existence Of an ambition so
selfish as to prefer Its own advance
ment, even if ruin follow, to the honor
and prosperity of the State, secured by
he organized efforts of its more pru-
dent and patriotic citizens. But, away
with Conventions-says Andy-they
are corrupt conclaves devised for the
purpose of cheating the people, and
what Andy says, is the gospel of the
disorganizers. Why not away with
Legislatures-they are only the repre-
sentatives of the people empowered to
make laws Why are they any more
honest than any other reprepresenta-
tive body? Is it only because they
act under oath? Then swear the Con-
ventionsl or what is still better, let
the people choose delegates that do not
need an oath to bind them to an hon.
est discharge of duty. The trouble
is, not that conventions may misrepre-
sent the will of the people, but that
they may not endorse the aspirations
of some selfish politicians, with just
patriotism enough to accept a nomina-
ton and glorify the honest wisdom of
the nominating body, and meanness
enough to repudiate its work, denounce
it as corrupt because he was not the
nominee, and then proclaim himself
the choice of the people, as their can
didate, and then spread himself to
ruin the party he could not lead. 1t
is not matter of surprise that such
men can be found in any party; the
matter for surprise is, that men of
standing and intelligence, men pro-
fessedly conservative and patriotic
should lend themselves to the work of
Dissemination and under the cloak of
friendship to their betrayed party, give
active aid to the corrupt enemies of
free government and national honor.
We had hoped that the disastrous
result of the last election, the daily
developments of the grossest Radical
corruption and the continued Oppres-
sion of the people for the aggrandise
ment of theiving rings, built up and
fostered by the government, would
have taught lesson of wisdom by
which the most reckless disorganizer
would profit. But that hope is for
lorn one. The voice of discOrd is
heard. even whilst Tennessee Radicals
are voting for the Preside equality of
the negro with the white man, and up
holding the very administration which
seeks to make corruption respectable
and to degrade honest labor by making
it too poor to have an expiration
above the provision of its daily bread,
and too weak to raise even a protest
against the crushing tyranny of con-
centrated capital. Men with too little
sense and sensibility to see and feel
the curse of wrongs so mOnstrOus, are
the ready-made tools of tyranny,
whether it be welded by government,
ora selfish, local demagogue When
such arguments as are daily telegraph
ed from Washington, in the shape of
corrupt abuses of power, fail to con-
vince Independents that they are not
guiltless of participation in uphOlding
and prolonging the Radical " reign of
terror" he is vain, indeed, who hopes,
by abstract reasoning, or by appeals to
patriotic love of liberty and country,
to produce happier results, upon those
victims of delusion and prejudice.
Theirs is the feeling and the reasoning
of the man, who burnt his barn to get
rid of the rats. They would burn
down the government to get rid of the
opponents of those immaculate indie
pendents, in whom are concentrated
the wisdom, the patriotism and the in
tegrity which distinguish those who
are independent of every considera-
ton that might endanger the success
of their contracted and selfish ambi-
tion 70 rula or ruin
For one, we shall endeavor to shape
our course by honest conviction, pre-
ferring to support the nominee of a
popular convention, rather than a self
nominated demagogue, and more will
ing to risk the possible blunders OF
such a convention than the certain ills
of Radical rule inrited to return by
senseless discord and foul ambition,
Upon these, the North looks with a
secret feeling of contempt for people
who lack the common instinct of self
preservation, and would rather endure
wrong and dishonOr than unite to
avert both.
1t is too early to open the next cam
paign. but not too soon for the people
10 begin TO consider the situation and
To resolve that the disgraceful defeat,
of the last election. shall not be repeat
81 in the next. There will be no Jack
e o.,l.I,.os o,d Tho Ennvanfian ovS