Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-03-10
AFTER THE BATTLE.

ferent from what the immediate result |
of the battle had indicated, aud the |
loss of battle has told as gain in the
general conduct of a campaign. Such |
battle we believe that of Chicka-
manga to have been in our own late
war, and if military criticism we're the
purpose of this paper We think we
could show that, while Chickahlauga
was one of the most decisive victories
that ever attended the Confederate
arms, it left the two armies relatively
in 4 position which rendered the sab
sequent disastrous retreat from Mis-
sionary Ridge and the weary defensive
maneuvres of Jos. Z. johnson in
Georgia foregone conclusion.
We have just fought as stubborn
and furious political battle as that
of Chickamauga was in military
sense, and, now that the smoke of bat
tie is clearing off, we propose as far az
possible to reconnoitre the position and
condition of the two armies, with
view to ascertain with such accuracy
rs may be found attainable, the proba-
Die result as affects the ultimate prev
alence of the one or the other of the
combatants in the great controversy of
which this conflict, great as it is, is after
all only an incident and episode.
If the result contemplated be the
predominance of the principles for
which the Democratic party contended,
and not the mere placing their men in
Office, then we contend that our seem
ing defeat is already demonstrating it
selfas victory. The Democratic party
occupy their old position, the enemy
are making futile efforts to drive them
from it and obtain possession of it
themselves.
Is it not so? Do we not see the in
coming administration earnestly solic-
iting the cooperation of Southern
Statesmen, earnestly protesting that
their programme is to be as different
as possible from the the dreary tissue
of Radical politics with its frauds and
despotism in the past, and above all
do we not witness solemn pledges that
their iniquitous system of government
which they have practised in the
South, aud against which the Democ-
racy have so sturdily commended, shall
be abandoned, and exactly the prin-
ciples which the Democracy have con-
tended for shall be adopted.
Now does all this look like Repub-
lican victory or Democratic defeat?
The so-called victors are already suing
respectfully to those whom they con-
slider their defeated enemies; and they
can neither drive these enemies from
their vantage ground nor get possession
of it themselves. 1t is true that they
have made raid upon our camp and
possessed themselves of our baggage
and commissary stores, bat they can
not drive US from our position and the
wisest of their leaders proclaim their
conviction that their own is untena bic.
To US the decentralization and prOstra-
ton which is represented as having ia
ken possession of the Democratic party
seems utterly Incredible. We are well
aware that tits by no means certain that
the programme forshadOwed by Mr..
Stanley Mathews and other emissaries
of Gov. Hayes defacfo may never go
into operation. [For we are writing
on the 9TH of March, the day on which
the stupendous fraud is to be consum-
mated by the Inauguration ceremonies
of President defdcio Hayes, and, even
before our date of publication, all
these promises may have been proved
false.
But what if it be so? What if
Chamberlain and Packard and their
miserable rabble should be installed in
power by blOodshed and military force,
what if the old advisers of Gen. Grant
should become the counsellors of Mr..
Hayes and their advice be taken, aad
the old reign of fraud and peculation
and corruption be coutir ued, all which
Is scarcely a possibility even if the
new President has the will to attempt
tin mere party point of view, so
much the better for the Democratic
party. Worse we admit for the cOun-
try, but as a contingency in the party
tactics, it bears on It's very surface the
stamp of a Republican defeat, for it is
tantamount to the spectacle of an ar
my driven back to the occupation of
position which has already been found
unteuable.
Why, with this programme Mr..
Hayes would fluid before bis four years
arc out two thirds majority against
him in both Houses, aud, in 1880, the
% Democratic majority instead of count
ing like that of Tilden a quarter of
million out of eight million votes
would stand, cut of the nine million
Of votes which will then be cast, in
the ratio of six millions to three.
away WIN ut>pOuuCuSg IhCh' away
with Querulous ratings, and let the
Democracy awake to lis duties-and
these duties are of very high order
indeed, for if present indications have
any significance these duties will in
great measure amount to the govern
mcnt OF the United States for the next
four years. 1t has been many years
sipee the constitutional power of an
opposition in influencing the principles
Of government has been felt in the
United States. Since 1861 down TO
1873, there was practically no opposi-
tion at all; two thirds majority in
both Houses enabled the Republicans
to gag and bind the opposition into
silence and iuaction whenever it suited
them and from 1915 TO the present
time the antagonism of the Democratic
House to the Republican Senate has
for the most part resulted in a series
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