Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-05-03


+ anarchy and to launch theshlp OF state npor
the wild miscreants, who, having taken
e an oath 20 support the government ARE
J, only lying IN ambush % take vs. life, we Ger
i did opportunity TO accomplish the nefariDui
2 purpose pass nnimproved that may again
2 present itself In a century. The candidate
4 OF our choice, and as we believed Of the
T choice OF a majority OF the lawful elected
members q the electoral college bad GER
Y tainly received large melofity OF the pop
: ular vote We then had majority OF the
: American people believing as we believed
hand to strike the deadly blow, and II We
had been the secret enemies the deadly foes
Of the Government that we are charged
with being, the situation OF the country
> might have been far different nom what ID
! is to-day. The apprehension upoii the pub
| lie mind on that momentous occasion was
too painful TO have faded from the mcmo-
ries OF men, and when the struggle resulted
in a peaceful solution OF tie difficulties ana
complications that surround the situation,
been forgotten. The Republican press OF
the country did not hesitate toeNpress their
warm commendation of the patriotic course
OF Southern Representatives, and 10 nwlird
TO them the exercise OF q lofty patriotism
that rising above all mere party considefa-
tiOnR, looked alone TO the good OF the coun-
'rhe Cincinnati Commercial Of March !,
1877 used this language:
peaceful adjustment Of the Presiden tinl con-
troversy is due to the moderation Of the
.
/ Congress o 8 There is lin their nction) an
assurance that the leaders OF southern opin-
| ion are more interested IN the weiinfe oi the
/ people than In the success Of parties, and
/ that they sincerely wish tranquility, law,
/ and order 10 prevail throughout the Union"
IN similar strain spoke me Chieago
| York Times, aud other leading and infiuen-
tial Republican journals. But All this
amounts to nothing now when Y suits the
wandering fortunes OF a party In the violent
commissions OF its divorce from power %
make a contrary impression on the pubne
mind. Every incautious utterance utop'tal
ffOu a Southern man in the heat OF debate,
every incorporate editorial from NAiage
newspaper however obscure ana unrcpsen-
ever trivial and unimportant, Is seized upon
and pafzlded before the country M 2 token
OF disloyalty and the naseent germ OF new
Sir, assert here to-day that history may
be searched In VAIN Tor any instance IN
which a brave and vnnquished people, un-
der all tile circumstances. that surrounded
the Southern people nc the close oi hhe Wht
and have since environed them, have more
readily adjusted themselves 20 the hitateu
condition OF their affairs and accepted me
decision of the sword on ali questions that
were referred % its arbitrament What IS
to-day seeking To Eeyive7 What nntiond
policy Justified as a condition Of victory or
demanded by the stern Logic od aeler .'o
Have not Southern Representative peeh
loyal i'm their support OF all measutes nee,
esSary 10 the maintenance ol the hssio-l-A
faith and credit and 60 the support or crlp-
pie and disabled Union soldieB2 We know
that we have among us many wOuneeN ana -
disabled Southern soldiers, hobhnDg 70
their humble graves on the precarious char
tly of am Impoverished land but netoN-
ernment which they Fought 70 esehpn-h
thew therefore have no HONernment 10
stretch forth its paternal hands 70 relieve
their wants or tighten the burden OF their .
Ve da MOI complain Of this az being un-
or unjust, IL II one the results
of the war which we accept without Y mur-
muir and have abided by without repintnE.
Nor 40 we complain of the policy which
pays millions annually in the way oi pen
we contribute our proportion OF the taNesto
the fund out OF which they are paid. We
II as the duty of the Goyefnmfnt
10 take care Of the brave men VINO Were an'-
abIed in its service a duty that all govern
ments owe 20 their manned ana wonNoen
In What then. have we offended Z? In whR1
respect have we been false to our profes-
sions or shown ourselves the enemies OF the
United states S9yern,inent ,i , silce we ~
smoke OF battle fipated from the Held or APP
When the South, eXhausfeu ~
resources and weary of war, stacked llef .
arfns her repreSentative men and The
masses OF her people bade an eternal ihfe-
wei 70 all schemes OF establishing an inue,
government, and az once turned
their thoughts TO tine cultivation OF pcooelul
relations with the United Stntes doNefn~
ment and a restoration Of their common
yealths to their former positions ~ the
Union. They accepted defeat a. nnhluY
Of all their efforts to establish an independ-
snt government and even while the swords
thew Surrendered were still warm with re
cent fight, they showed every manifestation
that men could give not, only their willing
ness bat of their anxiety TO resume IN the
utmost good faith all the duties, RESPONSE
bilities, and obligations Of American citi-
gems under the Constitution and Govern
At the close OF the war, as all will remen-
Der, President Johnson sent General Grant
On a tour of inspection through the South,
charged with the special duty OF ascertain
ng the animus and disposition OF the SOUTH
srn people toward the Government. Gen
was satisfied that the mass ofthlnkine men
N the south accepted the situation in good
Nth, and he said further IN his report
"a MY observations lead me 70 the conclu-
don that the citizens of the Southern states
ire anxious 20 return to otheself-EoV oVefnment
Tithin the Union as soon as possible thet
while reconstructing they want and require
protection from the Government; that they
ire in earnest In wishing 10 do what they
hinlk is required by the Governmeni, not
to them as citizens, ana that 40
uch course was pointed out they would
pursue II Ia good faith"
arant, IN a speech which Rad the honor To
leliver in this House on the 18TH of May
ST6, i said
IS 10 the wishes and temper Of the southern
people in the very year OF the close OF inc
var. IL was true IN every parucuiar anu
lere aver upon this floor that there flas
lever been day or an hour since tho truth
vas written when the southern people w''re
iot wlilng sy anxious, 10 y l,o
10 them as citisens. such ~
he temper, such Is the wish ofthe southern
,eOple to-day. We are anxious 70 dNcharge
n good faith all our duties as citizens, 10
as Tar as we are able 20 the glory
4 the American name and the staohlty OF i
he Government of the United ftntes, but
pare us the bitter cup of degradation and q
OF our honor 10 rot rs Of this
poor indeed. Waive this demand, which
manhood forhids you 10 make aud as 70
,ield, and the past cnn be buried toreyer.
lands over the graves OF our soldiers, and
inder the auspiceS of a restored Union
march on together I'm peace ana fraternity
o gTander achievements than we have ever
,nown, and future more grand than our
last. Nt
Stripped Of her wealth, and, | fear, Erow-
ng poorer every year crippled BY the wpr,
depressed In spirit, staggering under the
weight OF Accumulated debt, the south
oolSs and longs Cor peace iis nna{ious a. ever
night guide. his wandering bark atight,
ylien night and the tenpest % .s, had gatlheFed
ountry has deeper interest thsn an
,ther In the restoration OF fraternol peace
nd the stsl3iiity Of good goyernment, the
,le cannot bsing themselves "a the point of
rusting The honor aud relysng 2n the piedk-
OF tue SJtlttif ttsfltitliy citfhnl DC hil-
mindful OF the atct that her intcrcstin keep
nR the peace Is fully equaled by her rinnOii-
~ to break it. But we have no desire 20
lreak 10. il the dag that floats over this
,apltol ~ not our fihg, wo have none if
hfs is not our country, we have none we
re aliens in the land OF our birth and exilos
n the homes of our childhood. Here tho
zones Of our ancestors arc buried, and hero
We expect our dust 20 sleep when our weary
eet stand still upon the thOrny road we
ave travelled. This country must be the
iome OF our children; they viii have no
ther home, no other country bat this, here
hey must live, here they must die, and here
" hurled. For party purposes, our Loyalty
nay be doubted and our names sought a.
" dishOnOred and detested, bat II the time
hould ever como when "A foreign enemy
hall invade these shores and this country
leeds stout hearts and true 80 defend t,all
gill then see, in that hour OF trial and na-
iounl danger
whose drippling blade and staiwat arm
Win hew a red circle in the line,
And fence their country's flag from hnrn.
Sir,I repeat to-day, with added emphasis
vhat then uttered.
a True Newspaper.
The Nashville American has thoroughly
established itself as the tf'uest and best OF
publications In the Southern
ection Of the Union. Its news is always
he freshest aud most entertaining that Is
o be obtained, and its editorial columns
lre Just 10 opponents, and severe 10 false
r{ands Tt mayor dfufaf4as buf tvarua NNfitfIa