Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-12-01
WATTERSON.
What He Says of the Southern side
of Public Opinion.
New York Tribune.

of Public Opinion.
New York Tribune.
The Hon. Henry Watterson, ex-
member of Congress from the Louis
vile, KY, district, and editor of the
Courier-J ournal, came to New York
last week. In conversation on Sat
urday with a Tribune representa-
tive, he expressed frankly his opin-
ion on current political questions,
and on the probable action of par
ties in the next Presidential cam
paign:
"What effect has Mr.. Hayes visit
and policy had upon parties in the
South?" Mr.. Watterson was asked.
"NOne whatever. How could it ?
Parties do not spring, full fiedged,
from hand-shaking. Mr.. Hayes
made an agreeable impression on
the Southern mind. He is ready
and affable, what is known iE the
South as "a Mixer and, being not
only President who proposed to
do what the people considered his
duty, but Northern soldier speak
ing words of kindly cheer, he was
warmly and sincerely welcomed.
But his coming did not, could not,
and should not from the nature of
the case, make one single Republi-
can out of one single Democrat"
"Why has it made no cOnver-
sions ?"
"Why should it? The Southern
party joined the Democratic party
by a species of enforcement. They
came out of the war committed to
no party. In 1860 they had, of their
own volition, broken up the Demo-
cratic party. In 1865 they had no
motive to join it again, for it was
pOWerless to help them. But the
Republicans slammed the door in
their face, and, after floundering in
the chuck-hOle of Andy JOhnsonism
for four years, their sole refuge was
the Democratic party. They had
no where else to go. This was in
1868. Ever since, in sun and show
er-but principally shOwer-they
have stayed there. The policy of
the Republican leaders has been de-
voted to keeping them there. Now,
just as the consequences of the Re-
publican blundering are on the eve
of bringing the Democratic party
back to power, what sort of idiots
would theS/ Southern people be if
they shoulL pc diverted from their
allegiance b, a few sweet words
from Mr.. Hayes, unsupported by
any particular response from the
leaders of his party? I waive the
question of gratitude. Parties, like
republics, are proverbially migrate
ful. AS a mere matter of policy,
desertion of the Democratic par
ty would be suicidal. AS a trans
action between men and men, it
would be little short Of infamous.
The only hand which has been
stretched out to the South from the
North has been that of the Demo-
cratic party. If the South should
take Mr.. Hayes at his word and
fall into line under his lead, it has
no assurance that it would not find
him another Andrew Johnson"
"Do you mean, then, that the
South can not be relied on to sup
port the Administration ?'
''It will support such of its meas
ures as it apprOves-in the char
acter of isolated transactions-inde-
pendent of mere partyism. In other
words; it will sustain the President
against the extremists, taking
pains, meanwhile, to vote the DEM
cratic ticket"
''Then the President has made an
empty haul of it?"
GAS far as the Republican party
is concerned, he has. AS far as the
country Is concerned, he has not.
His policy has re-established conf
dence in the South. 1t has removed
a load of uncertainty from the pub
lie mind. 1t has put the people upon
their responsibility, and left them
to work out their destiny for them
selves. 1t lis a testimony of the
most conclusive kind to the Demo-
cratic policy of cOnciliatiOn and re-
uniOn."
"What about the Old Line
Whigs?'
"They are all dead"
care there none left in Ken
lucky 2"
"Those who did not join the Re
publican party have been among
the most irrecOncilable politicians.
The idea of an Old Line Whig re-
vival in the South is simply laugh
able"
"What effect will these things
have upon parties in the North ?"
"They will encourage the Demo-
Gratis with the assurance of an over
Whelming victory, and consolidate
the Republicans on General Grant.
About the time of the national con-
ventions there will be a reaction
against dilettanteism. The machine
managers and the file leaders will
reappear at the front and take things
into their own hands. There will
probably be three tickets in the field,
the Democratic party, the Republi-
can party and little side-shOW ar
rangement of amateurs and Molly
Coddles enough to give every State
in the Union to the Democratic
nominees"
"After this, what will the South
do? ?''
81 am not a prophet. / can only
speculate upon current and conting-
ent probabilities. AS matters stand,
it seems to me that we shall get rid
of sectiOnalism in our politics, and
be able to run our attention to work
ofsubstantial and practical moment,
such as a Southern outlet to the Pa
cific and the reconstruction of our
river and harbor system along the
Southern seaboard. On these points,
we shall rout the abstractionists and
level up somewhat on the vast inc
quality which exists as to the bene-
fees of the Government"
A FARMER of Tucker county Vir-
ginia, who has been annoyed by
cattle trespassing upon his grain
fields, has posted the following: