Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-11-02

differences which shall burst these
sacred ties and lay our county at
the mercy of that common enemy
against whom Democrat and Wing
have fought for twenty years. Take
the living testimony of John T.
House, a man whom Esq. Slaughter
saws he would vote for for Presi-
dent. Once he was a Wing, but at
the death of his party he joined the
ranks of the Democracy, and Is to-
day one of the strongest of the sect.
Is there a man who is laboring
harder or sacrificing more of health +
and comfort for the Democratic I
party than our gallant, brilliant and /
beloved House? By Mr.. Slaughter's +
own testimony he is worthy to be /
trusted, not only with seat in the |
councils of the nation, but is worthy |
to advise and sway the destinies of /
this great nation. In our contest /
surely his testimony is worthy to be |
received, and the admirers and |
friends of Mr.. Slaughter will abide
by his advice and follow his exam
pie. While / have never heard di- |
rectly or indirectly how this gallant |
son of Montgomery bears his lance
in our county contest, /, on my own
responsibility, pledge him to the
support of the only Democratic
nominee, Thos. M. Reynolds, the
''Bald Hornet" of the Democracy.
Here / take occasion to find fault
with the leaders of the Democracy
for exercising more discretion than
Valor in handling the question of
the State debt, but they saw fit to
adopt platform which, according
to Esq. Slaughter's own reasoning,
leaves that question out of the can
vass; yet he makes his otherwise
distasteful canvass odious by drag
ging into it the corpse of the dead
issue. Then | charge that it is not
manly nor square in him to be pro-
| Tossing such love for the Democratic
| platform to break ranks and form
an alliance with party that either
| from lack of nerve, honesty Or abll-
4 ity failed to draft a platform of
| principles of their own upon the
merits of which their standard
bearer might run with your favor
able consideration.
Next / challenge that it is neither
manly nor honest, having deserted
! the Democratic party and formed
an alliance with hostile party, to
continue to claim allegiance to the
Democratic party and to their plat
! form, for the evident reason that he
hopes thereby to fool enough of the
Democrats and secure their votes
and thus defeat the party and secure
his own election. It is hardly nee
essary for me to remind you that
the Independent party had no voice
in the convention which enacted
the principles which Esq. Slaughter
proposes to advocate. 1t was
Democratic convention composed of
Democrats. He has stolen the liv-
ery of heaven to serve the devil in.
| We come now to the Esquire's
parting blessing, his valedictory, or
whatever you may call it, i'll his
book of st. Bethlehem, of Cherry
Station ''There are my principles.
If they are Democrat, | am Demo-
crat; if they are Republican, l am
Republican if they are Independ-
emf, am Independent; if they are
Greenbacker, / am Greenbacker; if
Reputation, | am Reputation"
etc, etc. He hopes to be everything.
Let US see. The Bible says some
thing to the effect that if man
thinks he is something when he is
nothing he deceiVeth himself. He
reminds me of a man travelling
during the war, who, riding through
the country, was captured by lot
of men who required the traveller
to say what he was. 81 am rebel"
! FHI,nyy hit hi Fl ffx- l.sS hoe nd n6
him loose. Next he was captured
you?" 81 am Il Yankee" They
hit him fifty lashes ane turned him
off. Again he was captured by q
third lot of men. "What are yOu?"
The old man, smarting under the
blows already received and in doubt
as to which would be the popular
side of the question, replied: "Well,
gentlemen, L aint nothing, and
damned little of that" Fellow
citizens, make your own applica-
ton.
In conclusion, / would advise
you to-vOte the straight Democratic
ticket. Should Mr.. Slaughter be
elected, he would go to Nashville a
member of no party, and no party
would advocate his principles or
forward his measures. He would
return having caused a chagrin to
himself and a disappointment to his
friends. On the other hand, should
T. NJ. Reynolds be elected he would
go to Nashville bearing the seal of
the great Democratic party. His
principles would be advocated, his
measures forwarded. He would re-
turn home to receive the congratu-
latiOns of his friends and the Trunks
Of his political opponents.