Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-05-31

The COurier-JOurnal aud Mr..
ridden.

matter of national interest when an
influential journal takes its position
in reference to national questions.
Hence an error of any magnitude
made by such a journal becomes a
national misfortune, either by pro-
noting an unwise position for the
party represented by the journal in
question, or by diminishing the in
iuence of the journal itself. The
Louisville Courier-Journal has now
Tor some years been recognized as
welding political influence in the
Southwest second to that of no other
paper. That influence has generally, |
in our opinion, been most salutary
as guide to Democratic opinion
within the region named, and it is
our earnest desire that it may con-
tinue to be exerted. That desire on 1
our part has dictated the expostula-
ton which will be the subject of the |
present article.
Ever since the Presidential cleo
ton of 1876 the Courier-Journal has
been the jealous advocate Of Mr..
Tilden as the Democratic nominee
for that of 1880. To the avowal of
this preference we have no objection
to offer. Political action is the
proper result of public opinion, and
public opinion is elected by free
discussion, all the parties to which
should be as untrammeled as posi-
BILE; but where the question is as to
the candidate to be selected from
the leaders of the party, a certain
Limitation is demanded by the plain
est dictates of party expediency,
and this requires, if nothing else,
that possible candidates shall not be
attacked to forward the interests of
the one favored by the journal in
question.
Our position may be illustrated
by an incident of the election OF
1876, in reference to which the
slOuElldl OulSt-AN olOON
in perfect harmony. Prior to the
convention at which Mr.. Tilden
was nominated, that gentleman was
vigorously opposed by two agencies
within the Democratic party, the
Cincinnati Enquirer and the Tam
many organization in New York.
In pushing this opposition both the
journal and organization in question
resorted to most culpable means,
condemned at the time by a large
proportion of the Democratic press,
including the COurier-JOurnal and
ourselves. They raked up against
Mr.. Tilden all the items Of political
scandal which the scavengers OF
party could discover or invent, thus
doing the work of the Republican
party and at the same time saving
it from the Odium of originating
such dirty ISLANDERS. They made ii
their office to throw dirt upon gem
tleman who afterwards became the
candidate of the party, while the
Republicans who were to profit by
the process laughed at the joke and
kept their own hands clean. The
result is well known. Mr.. Tilden
ultimately became the nominee of
the st. Lsuis Convention, and Tam
many and the Enquirer turned a
complete summersault and became
the eager partisans of the candidate
whom for months they had made it
their leading business to revile.
What we now urge on the COu-
rier-Journal is not to follow the eX-
ample which it so pOintedly con-
demned in 1876; not to stultify its
influence with the greatparty it has
so long represented, so long coun-
seled by denouncing gentlemen who
may hereafter carry the banner of
the party, and so reducing itself to
the possible alternative of either
going back on its own positions or
acting in opposition to the party
which it has hitherto so well repre-
scented.
Werepeat that we see no objection
to tie COurier-JournaPs advocating
the nomination of Mr.. Tilden to a
reasonable extent. We do not our
selves believe that that nomination
will be made, or that it would be
a strong one if decided upon, though
we could with a clear conscience
vote for him if nominated. But we
do protest against the tendency of
the C. ]. manifested of late to de-
preciate other candidates. He has
already openly denounced Mr.. Hen
bricks because he declines the can
didacy for President behind
Mr.. TiIden for President, and writes
the opprobrious title of "cOnspira-
tor against his name for this rea-
son he damns with faint praise
Mr.. Thurman, another possible cam
didate; in short, he constitutes him
self the champion, not of the Demo-
cratic party, out OF MT. 1llden pure
and simple.
On such terms the Courier-Journal
can never lead the Democratic party
i'm the South and West; on such
terms it can lead nothing and re-
duces itself to the satellite of an in
dividual instead of the leader and
counselor of a great party. Its our
earnest wish that the able journal
and its brilliant editor may again
be what it has been, potent agency
i'm the Democratic party, and, that
it may be so, we earnestly desire to
see it reconsider its position while it
can do so with dignity and consist
pEcY.
uR. WARMERS SILVER BILE.