Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-09-09
REPUBLICAN RULEINTHE SOUTH.

The State of South Carolina illus
trates more fully than any other, not
excepting Mississippi and Louisiana,
the enormity of the Republican system
in the South, its negro population is
the most ignorant and besotted in the
South It is the least removed from
barbarity. The insane and criminal
folly of keeping up State government
in which ignorance and barbarity and
corruption domineer over and assume
control over the social, political and
material interests of intelligence and
property, appears there In its strongest
light. A State which should be a hap
py and prosperous community, con-
tributlng to the wealth and prosperity
of the whole country, is burdened with
taxation, its wealth squandered, every
condition of progress and development
destroyed by an irresponsible, reckless
crew of adventurers banded with the
ignorant and semi barbarous negro. A
State government exists which has de-
stroyed all business confidence, all
hope for the future, all security for
life, liberty and property. The unaided
effort of Gov. Chamberlain to control
berry under legal form and legislative
sanction, is futile so long as his party
is in control 1t is that sort of reform
within the party which is doomed to
utter failure, because one man cannot
disinfect a mass of corruption and
ignorance.
The democracy of South Carolina
have wisely demanded change. They
are right in making an earnest effort to
obtain it, because relief can only come
in that way. After arranging the Re-
publican party for its venality and cor
ruption, its fraud in elections, its ut
ter ruin of every material interest, they
call upon all races and parties to join
them In the work of restoring the State
to peace, order and prosperity. Right
ly charging the Republican party, which
has controlled the State government,
with the disorders and the failure to
secure peace and order. they request
all citizens, of all parties and eolors, to
exercise forbearance and cultivate good
will, and pledge themselves to protect
the persons, rights and property of all
the people. and speedily bring to sum-
mary justice any who dare to violate
them"
The pledge is squarely made, and the
course of the Democracy In other States
attest their sincerity and the certainty
of their performance Of their obliga-
ton.
Under Radical rule the State of Ten
nessee was hot bed of disorder and
crime. The discussion of the question
as to who committed, who provoked 1t,
would be simple charge and counter
charge. In every disturbance there
are two parties. The fact stands that
so long as ignorance and adventures
were exalted over the great mass of |
intelligence and property and business |
interests of the State, there was no |
security for life, person or property, no |
real freedom and no vigorous prosecu-
ton of crime. Tennessee had greatly |
the advantage of South Carolina too,
in the fact, that the Republicans here |
contained more intelligence, more men |
of honest intent and mistaken views. |
Still the great fact stands that the |
honest men were either misguided by /
war prejudices, or they were commit |
ted by false theories to mistaken |
policy and wrong system. Theywere
really unable to control or oppose the
corrupt, the ambitious and the design
ing. The fact stands that the two OPP
posing classes were organized ignorance
against the intelligence and solid in
terest of the State. AS result of this
there was disorder, crime, violence,
robbery, and no security, and no GER
tain swift and energetic punishment.
The advent of the Democracy work
ed new era and presented wonder
fnl contrast. In the main we have
had peace and good order. Political
disturbance has ceased except for one
brief period, and that, and the occur
rences under it, exceptional. Crime
was energetically and impartially pur
sued. Tennessee will compare favor
ably for its good order with any State
in the Union. We are far from as
serting, too, that the administration
of criminal law is all that it should |
be. The machinery is too cumbrous,
too slow and too costly. 1t may be re-
formed and rendered more efficient
and more economical. These reforms,
however, are the work of time, and
they have already been begun. Even
in respect of efficiency and economy it
will compare favorably with most
States.-E:rchdnge.