Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-08-05
English opinion on the Circinanti Nom.
nations and Platform.

nations and Platform.
From the London Standard, June 10.
The American news of Saturda,
morning is very important. The Re
publican Convention assembledat Gin
cinnati seems to have made two grave
mistakes. 1t has issued q nearly col
orless political programme, and il has
nominated candidates for the Presi.
dency and Vice Presidency whose
names are almost unknown in any ca
pacity, who represent no ideas and nc
principles, and whose selection indi-
Gates the ascendency of the corrup:
electioneering element in party coun-
| ellis. 1t was a matter of course that
the Convention should declare for
equal political rights-that is, for che
inviolability of the negroes newly-ac-
quired franchises-for specie payments
aud speedy resumption. On none of
these points is there any serious diff
ference of policy among American
public men, whatever difference of OPP
inion may exist in their own minds.
In objecting to the free Importation
and civil equality of the Chinese, the
Republicans go directly in their most
distinctive party principles, and OF the
constitutional amendment carried by
them as a measure of hostility to the
South, forbidding any distinction Of
political privilege on account Of race
or color. It may be remembered that
they were disposed to 20 further than
this, and to enforce the admission Of
negroes to association with the whites
in schools, hotels and railway carri-
ages; though il was always understood
that the Civil Rights Bill intended to
enforce this association would be prac-
tically null in the North, and would
only be carried out by force of Feder-
al bayonets in the South. Now, the
men who were prepared to convulse
the Union, and to provoke bloodshed
in every Southern city and village in
the name of human equality, propose
to prescribe a race far higher than the
negro, merely that they may secure, if
possible, the vote of Oregon and Cali
fornia. They will hardly attain their
object, for the Democrats will 60 as
far as they, and the question will real
ly be settled by the State of Califor-
MIA, and not by Congress.
The compliment paid to Gen. Grant
and the declaration that he-the re-
sponsible source and cause of the un-
precedented corruption of the last
eight years--deserves the continued
gratitude of the people, is nothing less
than a condonation aud even an ap-
proval of the devotion of Federal
patronage to the reward of party SER
vices; and its effect on the respectable
portion of the public is sure to be
most unfavorable. The Convention
has not only failed to associate the Re-
publican party with administrative re-
form, but has actually contrived to ac-
cept for it the responsibility of Gen.
Grants mal-administratiou And If
the party lately represented in the Fifth |
Avenue Conference are true to them |
selves, and have the courage of their |
convictions, they ought unanimously |
to secede from and oppose the Repub-
lican party.
Considering their attitude in regard
to reform, the colorless and irresolute
character of their platform at time
when public feeling and National ne
cessity demand decided and vigorous
course, the selection of feeble and
unknown claimant for the Presidency,
when the strongest possible hand is
needed to sweep clean the Augean
stable of corruption which President
Grant will leave behind him, and to
deal fearlessly with the resistance of
influential partisans, implies either ut
ter mismanagement and ignorance OF
the situation, or profound contempt
for the character and intelligence of
the American people--a contempt
which will almost be justified if by any
chance Mr.. Hayes should be success
full.
The ballot has resulted in the NOM
ination of one of the most obscure of
the avowed candidates as the repre-
sentative of the party in the Presiden-
tial contest. Mr.. Hayes is known only
as having served during the war with
Ouv uiDsf-~t:--, II 80 a--:-ey hann fnr
at least two years Governor Of Ohio
without having earned any other notice
than such as he derived from being
the representative or the "hard money |
party.
The selection of such a man is, of |
course, a very significant fact, and has
a great bearing upon the character and |
result of the contest. The Republi- |
cans have thrown away whatever force
they might have derived from the per-
sonal character and political autece-
dents Of their candidate. They have
renounced the credit of honesty and
good faith which would have attached
to the name of Bristow. They re-
nounced the advantage of ability and
public distinction which the candida
ture of Blaine would have given them,
and have formally repudiated the red
rag" cry-the force, whatever it may
be, of sectional jealousy and hatred
towards the South-which his name
would have rallied to their cause; feel
ing perhaps that in any case they are
sure of the votes of all who hate the
South.
1t seems to us that the game is now
in the hands of the Democrats; that
everything depends upon the course
which they may take. If they 80 will
t, their enemies are delivered into
their hands; and they have only to
profit by the error committed at Gin
,innati, aud to appeal to those higher
motives and better instincts Of the
people which the Republicans have
'ather insulted and defed than simply
neglected, in order to insure signal
The election of Mr.. Hayes would
1e the triumph of proven aud convict
ID immortality and profigacy, not be-
'ause the man himself is guilty, but
because he represents and is supported
" the guilty of his party; the victory
# such Democract as Tilden would
'e the first step to the reassertion of
uch purity and honesty as are consis-
ent with American institutions and ]
with a Government based