Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-03-10
CLOSE RANKS.
Mr.. WattersOn's speech On the Ore
gon Decision Delivered In the
House February "a
Submission to the UsurpatiOn IneYi-
table, but No Compromise
with the Republican
Party.
The Lost Opportunity.
From the Congressional Record.

Auc AOSt VpJOA tuHttys
From the Congressional Record.
Mr.. SPEAKER-I shall join in no
movement to obstruct the progress of
the presidential count If the deed is
to be done, and sure all OF US know
that it is to be done. ''itis better when
It's done, 'twere done quickly. No
man has worked harderor longer than
/ have to prevent it. No man is more
hurt by it than | am; but, as matters
stand, it is inevitable. The power
does not exist to place the man whom
the people elected in the presidential
Office. The power does not exist to
put an estoppel upon the Inauguration
of the man whom the people did not
elect. The army. led by the general
in-chief, is here ready to escort him to
the door of the White House; the
chief magistrate stands at the door
ready to receive him the chief justice,
attended by majority of the Supreme
Court, stand within ready 10 admins
ter to him the oath of Office according
to the forms of law. There is not so
much as single unarmed kentucklan
to resist.
The House is able neither to resist
nor obstruct. 1t. can only refuse to
proceed with the count. What then
Why, the Senate, aided by the minor
ity on this floor, will finish the job,
declare the result, and carry out the
original programme of conspiracy with
which the Republican leaders began
their past election campaign. You
say this is lawless You say it is usur-
patton. Well, suppose it is, what do
they care? Are they worse off for the
Electoral Commission than they were
before? Are they not better off for
our impotent and blind fury?
Let US see. | hold that futile resis-
tance is always to be avoided, partieu-
larly when the act Of resistance has
no objective poiut. The time for sue
cessful action on our part was three
months ago. We knew the desperate
character of our enemy then as we'll as
we know it now Nay, his plans aud
schemes were all before US. Organi-
zation, preparation, was pressed upon
US. Did we raise hand? Why, the
very suggestion was hoofed. At length
there came moment when, unable to
set squadron In the field, we were
offered an alternative very Hobson's
choice indeed-the electoral bill or
back-down. | fought this bill for
hours in the committeeof advisement.
| fought it until | was no longer able
to answer the arguments and facts
brought to bear on the question by
Senator Bayard and Senator Thurman,
and even more notably by my friend
from Virginia (Mr. Hmton), a Demo
crat whose manhood no less than his
ability has won the respect and regard
of this House. Then, failing to es-
tablish my view, did what / always
do and always shall do under similar
circumstances-bei beingnnabie tofurther
meet and contest the case IN friendly
debate with my colleagues, ] accepted
their view and joined them in the
measure proposed But | was by mo
means lured into feeling of security.
| perfectly understood that the bill
was choice of evils. In the remarks
which | had the honor to submit to
this House | said, Il accept this
measure with the full. consciousness
that it may bitterly disappoint me and
those who think and feel with me if
it does, | shall still have performed
most unpleasing duty in that manner
which was best calculated to preserve
the public peace at a time when the
people are not preparcdsfor war"
The result has vindicated my dis
cernment most sadly. | deplore it,
but | see no means OF escaping it.
Many members of this House, whose
judgment has obtained the public con-
fidence, are of the same opinion. Those
who affect to think differently propose
nothing definite. They have no eb-
jective point, except chaos or case in
law.
God help US we have enough of
law w'-such ''law" as the Supreme
Court has to give US.
We have also had enough anarchy.
There was never but one chance to
seat Mr.. Tilden in the Office to which
he was elected by the people That
was for him, and for those Immediately
about him, to announce his election as
soon as he was elected, to proclaim the
conspiracy that was already organized
to defeat his Inauguration, TO bring the
people to some concert of action
..
to the country and the world that they
meant what they said, and were not to
be brow beaten or thwarted Nothing
of the kind was done, though it was
proposed. Congress met in a fog of
uncertainty. We had a deal of talk
and much beating bout the bush and
finally our great cause, the peoples
cause, degenerated into a aisi prlus
case before packed jury. The result
is before US and, as | said before, we
cannot escape it. Our sole power now
is to make the best we can of a very
hard bargain, to close ranks, to pre-
serve our morale, to accept the contin-
gency provided for by our own net, to
appeal from the Electoral Commission
to the ballot box, to pick out flint and
try it again, or to sulk, put finger in
the eye, divide, and go to pieces.
Which is the better course? For my
part, | have no mind for leaping from
the frying pan into the fire. l urged
a resolute policy when there was the
occasion to give it efficacy. The time
has passed when bold movements could
avail U.S. To-day, we have little i'm
pulse but our anger left, and no sup
ports at all. If we are wise, we shall
take into account all the circumstances
that surround US, we shall resume pos
session of ourselves, we shall give our
enemy the full rope and line of his
wrong doing. Does any man think
there is no penalty fixed to political
excess? If he does he is mistaken.
In public, as in private life, the infrac-
tion of Gods laws and the peoples in
terests meets its due condemnation and
punishment soon or late. The Repub-
lican party is a great sinner, and has
withstood its destiny long time do
admit. But the last four years have
witnessed the taking off of many Of its
guiltiest leaders. Year by year they
will continue to come to grief. In its
order the party itself will fall, crush
ing those that remain with it in its
complete and final wreck. | take this
''on faith, and my faith is strong and
pure faith in the great creative prin-
ciplc of the universe faith in free in
stitutions; faith in the people, and
| faith in the future | have no faith in
the violent method proposed by some
of our friends who are grown warlike
after the event. They remind me only
of Swift's Irish Engineers
"When all is lost that's worth defense
! They build magazine"