Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-12-18
ALAS THESE EVIL DAYS!

TO those hopeful Democrats who
are inclined to take an optimistic
view of the future of their party,
we would respectfully refer the fol-
lowing extracts from an editorial
letter written to the Philadelphia
Times by Col. Mcclure. As a
preface we would remark that Col.
Mcclure stands in the front rank of
the newspaper profession, and as a
reviewer of the politics of the day
has no superior and but two or three
peers among all the Democratic
brethren of the Keystone State.
In two or three former letters he
has expressed the opinion that a
whole heaven-full of black
clouds intervenes between the
Democrats on earth and the sun of
their prosperity in the sky. He
laments the doleful fact that his
party has not single leader to be
relied on. He expresses a hope
that the party will not go down on
the tariff breakers simply because,
though, be it understood, the Repub-
licans don't seem to want to press
the question. Of the greenback
denomination Col. Mcclure is
MORALLY afraid. He thinks the
issue bad one but don't see how
it can be avoided. He is in Wash,
ington and familiar with the bub.
bling caldron of politics, and he
finds nothing cheering in the aspect
OF the next campaign, he says:
"The selection OF the candidate fol
the Presidency is one of the most diff
cult things to be managed. Tiider
can not be taken, and he can not be
discarded; and no measure OF persona
SITeukIn WOuIu avail any
candidate il Tiiden or Kelly shal
refuse to favor him. Had temporal.
and fair modification Of the laws re
lating to the powers Of supervisors
and Marshals over elections beer
passed by the extra session as a sepa
rate measure, it would have been ap.
proved by the President; but what ths
same President will do now, since
Democratic arrogance has kicked and
cuffed him into the fellowship of the
violent revolutionists of his party, Ii
quite different affair. 1t ia more
than probable that it will be made 8
severe party issue on both sides in this
session, and the inevitable result must
be that the Democratic majority will
refuse to pass an entirely fair Election
bill, and that the President will
veto any bill the Democrats
pass, whether right or wrong. Tht
old snothered em6ers of State-right,
still finger G,s Democratic faith, anC
there are more than enough to dissi.
pate the Democratic majority who re.
fuse to recognize the power of ths
Government to exercise any super
vision over National Elections
They will demand the repeal O.
the National Election laws, anC
give. the Republicans frest
assortment of capital for the mex
campaign, and make the country half
willing to excuse the continuance o
the present statutes rather than haze,
all restraints a4pon fraud removed Il
CRAFTY the heresy of State rights. Thi
is one If the issues that the majority
in Congress must meet, and NEE
squarely, and the Republicans know
that the Democrats must take the ag
gressive in it. They know, also, that
contrary to all the teachings and ira
ditions of the Democracy that ruleC
before Buchanan, the Democracy o
to-day Is weakest when most ag
gressive, and the Republicans vii
choose their ground and wait for tn,
assault, knowing that 1t will be led by