Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-02-20
GAINESVILLE, FEB. 20, 1875.
THE SOUTH THE LAST HOPE OF
THE REPUBLIC

The car of Juggernaut is rolling
steadily forward, and the fanatical ne
gro worshippers are prostrating them
selves before it, resolpedTto sacrifice
all the blessings of liberty in order to
illustrate their faith in their idol. The
idea of a centralized despotism, laughed |
at by Radical politicians, as a southern
bugbear. to brighten northern fanatics, |
is fast being realized-afew more turns
of the car wheels and the self-immo-
lated and their victims will, alike be
the slaves of a central power as abso-
lutte as it is corrupt. Grant, with the
will Of tyrant and the instincts of
demon, is gatheringi into his iron hands
the reins of power, federal and State,
and by securing obedience through
force, make his will the supreme law
of the land. His mercenaries in Con-
gress. TO hasten the consummation of
his absolutism and the ruin of the gov
ernment and people, propose in single
bill, to sweep away the last vestige of
the States and make him sole monarch
of all he surveys.
In addition to the dangerous usur-
pations already so quietly submitted to
by knaves and fools, Congress now
proposes to confer upon Grant the
power to declare martial law when and
where he pleases, and this implies the
unrestricted employment of the army
and navy in the way best suited to the
promotion of his ambitious schemes
aid the efiectual suppression of any
and every manifestation of discomfort.
1t is also proposed to make it felony
for any portion of the citizens of
State, no matter how previously op-
pressed by carpet bag rule, to conspire
for the overthrow of such lawless ty-
ranny. And to give greater effect to
this blow at State sovereignty, the pow
ers of United States Marshals and Su-
peryisors of elections are to be enlarg
ed, and the latter to have last count of
the votes polled at elections. It is to
be further provided that the southern
States shall be restricted by federal au-
thority, in the mode of their elections.
andin the amendments ftheirconsti-
tutions. Under this authority, Ten
nessee can be debarred the right to re-
quire prepayment of poll tax as con-
dition of suffrage, although the con-
stltution enjOins it. Our law requir-
ing voters to vote only in their own
precints can be anulled at Washington
and, of course, will be because then the
negroes can repeat as often as they
please. What other acts of tyranny
may be enacted before the 4th of
March, we cannot say, but those emu
merated suffice to ensure the destruc-
ton Of States rights and the consolida-
ton of all power in the federal govern
ment
1t can not be otherwise than mani
fest now, to all intelligent men, that it
is determined, at all hazards, to retain
his hold upon power, and that his
plant tools, in, and out of Office, are
equally determined to aid him to theex-
tent of their ability, hoping to share
with him, the emoluments of power
and the unbridled licence it confers
upon those who delight to hold
high carnival amid the ruins of their
country. The enthusiastic shouts
which greeted Grant as the savior of
the Union, are destined, at no distant
day, to be followed by the groans of
oppression, and his blind followers will
learn, when too late, that he was hon
ored and trusted, that he might more
effectively betray and curse those who
madean idol ola sensual brute. To this
point, is the evident tendency of pass
ing events, and the hope that the curse
may be avoided, is based upon no ex-
pectation that Radicalism will adopt
wiser or more patriotic concil; but that
thatthe higherinstincts andnoblerpur-
poses of the brave southern people
will arm them with fortitude to bear
yet little longer, for the sake of ex-
piring liberty, the brutal outrages of a
faction that cannot long exist without |
the blood and strife which it hopes to
force the South to furnish. Disappoint |
Grant and his blood hounds in this
cherished hope and Radicalisn is
dead forever.