Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-03-16
rhs western spirit.


The arrogant demands of the
money power uf-the East and the
Insulting manner in which these de-
mhnds are made, are garouslng IN
thefWest and South Spirit OF hos
tiIity towards that section Of the
country which time will intensity
rather than mitigate. The rich
bOndhOlders and money lenders OF
New England and New York,
booted and spurred, are endeavorlng
to ride over the people of Ohio and
Mississippi valleys rOugh-shod, ana
trample them in the dust. At the
heels of their golden charges is the
car OfcontractiOn, under whose heels
we are expected to place our heads,
like the devOtee on the Ganges, who
immolates himself under the car OF
Juggernaut. These men bought the
bonds of our Government at less
than 60 cents in coin, agreeing to
take their pay i'm the legal currency
of the land; but they sought an OPP
Dortune moment, and so manipu-
lated matters that Congress agreed
to nav them in coin of the then
standard value. Not satisfied with
this they now demand that their
bonds shall be paid, not in accord
ance with the original contract, nor
with the amended one, but in ac-
cOrdance. with. the givings out OF
John Sherman and his confederate
gOld-bugs. And not only this, but
they and their organs denOunce ev-
cry man who wants the debt paid
according to the contract as repu-
10 ~ FOR
1t equals that of the devil wh0-Ot-
fered Christ. Kingdoms in exchange
for alteration, when he had no king
dOms to give.
The abuse of the West and South
by the gold bugs and their followers
in the East, if not stopped, is des-
tined to work a revolution in, the
government of this country. The
people of the Ohio and Mississippi
valleys are able to take care of them
selves, and they will do it. They
will not consent to be called repudi-
atOrs and thieves without reSenting
it. They occupy the fairest portion
of the land, and they have an outlet
to the markets of the world indie
pendent of New York or New Eng
land. Their products will find a
market through this outlet unless
the abuse now being heaped upon
them ceases 1t is not in human
nature to stand abuse without resent
ing it. Dogs do so, and even lick
the hand that SmiteS them, but the
free and independent people of the
West and South will do no such
thing. They are not dogs, but men,
Of Tho INo-f
find some day to their sorrow. ~
The people who are now under
the ban of the money lords of the
East are as jealous of the honor OF
their country as are these lords
themselves. They pay their debts
when they can as cheerfully as do
the people anywhere, and the charge
that they are unwilling to pay their
proportion of the public debt is as
false as false can be. They are will
ing to pay according to the contract,
but this Is not what the bOndhOlders
want. They want the obligations
which cost them but fraction over
fifty cents on the dollar paid at one
hundred cents on the dollar in gold.
The people are willing to pay the
one hundred cents, but they intend
to pay it either in gold or silver, at
their option. at is so nominated
in the bond" and they will give
ShylOck his bond and nothing more.
.If he is not content with this he
must help himself as best he can.
But it viii avail him naught to make
mouths and call names. The people
Of the West and South do not scare
worth cent, as he must know.
They mainly fought the battles OF
the late war, and although in that
contest they were arrayed upon OPP
pOsite sides and fought under differ
emit banners, yet they have shaken
hands across the bloody chasm and
now are friends. Should it so hap
pen that, in the course of human
events the country should again be
eonvulsedl with, Internal commotiOH
and the toOsin~ of war again be
sounded, wherever the men of the
West and of the South shall go, il
they 60 together, there Will victory
he found. Let those EasternnabObs
who are continually insulting the
manhood of our people by applying
to them opprObriOus epithets put
this I'm their pipes and smoke it.. II
may allay their nervous agitation
and do them good.