Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-12-23
THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
Its Approaching SesslOn--Finances---
Election Of Senator.


Election Of Senator.
The present is our last issue before
The approaching meeting of the State
Legislature; it will therefore be ex-
pected that we shall have something to
say in reference to the anticipated de-
alterations of that body. The unusu-
al amount of excitement attendant
upon our State Elections would seem
to portend State legislation of unusual
aud many men look to the
present session as pregnant with mo-
mensous results affecting for good o.
for evil the permanent welfare of our
State. Perhaps less will be done to
this effect than ia anticipated. The
questions which have been discussed
before the people in the recentcanvass
have been almost exclusively financial,
and, if political affairs we're advancing
In their customary routine elsewhere,
questions of absorbing interest would
doubtlessly be sprung at Nashville.
The unprecedented excitement howev-
er in federal politics, the uncertainty
of the future, and the grave appre-
tensions of increased political dis
turbance which have resulted have
produced complete stagnation in bus
mess which render our financial difh-
culties more iDsoluble than ever and
we see no possible alternative before
our legislators elect, except to carry on
the necessary business of the govern
ment as may be found practicable,
holding the question of our State liza
bilIties in allegiance for future solu-
ton.
But one most important matter will
come before our legislators for imme-
diate action, the selection of two
Statesmen to represent Tennessee IN
the national Senate. Who are to be
our Senators? Never has this ques-
ton been a matter of such profound
importance as now. The difficulties
attendant upon the Presidential eiec-
ton have been such as to render it GER
tain that, whatever the result, import
ant changes will be made in our con-
stitution, affecting the fundamental
law of the nation, by the national body
of statesmen in which our new Sena-
tors will sit. Is it not therefore of
primary Importance that the gentle
men selected should be men profound
" versed in national jurisprudence and
constitutional law.
We are far from a desire to dictate
to the legislature; electiOneering in
behalf of personal preferences is gen.
orally in these cases pushed to an in
furious extent, whereby we not only
fail to put the right man in the right
place. but lay the foundation for flu
ture heart burnings and animosities
where all should be harmony and una
nimity of feeling.
There can be no improperly how
ever in calling attention to the special
qualifications of one candidate for fill
ing the high position now vacant.
Judge JAMES Z. BAILEY's reeogni-
ton as a iurist of great eminence
both at the bar and on the bench is by
no means confined to his own county
or district. He has been called more
than once to give the aid of his great
abilities as an assessor at the Supreme
Court of the State, and we question
whether there is another lawyer in the
State whose judgement on all difficult
questions is as much relied upon.
1t is not merely knowledge of the
law which will be required, but an APP
probation of that supreme common
sense, that highest practical wisdom
which is the basis of all law, that we
now demand in our national statesmen,
and if there is any one distinguishing
characteristic which specially stamps
Judge Bailey's character, it is the APP
probation in a high degree of this
common sense in the application and
Interpretation of the law.
Exactly such a man is now needed in
the Senate. The constitutional law of
the nation has now to be modified and
defined in such a way as to preclude
the possibility of a recurrence of the
present dangerous crisis in our nation
al existence; the law has to be made
so clear that no excuse in future can
be made for the substitution of mill
tary force for its authority, and that
this may be done we have to place our
profouudest jurists in both Senate and
legislature.
Disclaiming again, then, any purpose
Of debating to the legislature We ven
ture to call to their attention the speci-
al qualifications of Judge Bailey for
meeting the responsibilities which will
fall upon our Senators, whoever they
may be, when they take their part in
the oounsels of the nation; We can af-
ford no trifing on this subject; we
must place our best men in positions
of legislative responsibility, or there is
no hope of restoring the supremacy of
law in the couusels of the nation.
PRIMARY MEETINGS in Ohio, Indi-
ana. Pennsylvania and Kentucky, are
being rapidly organised for the pur-
nose of assembling State Conventions
ON Jan. 6, to take into consideration
the threatening indications of execu-
tive Intervention and military intimi-