Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-03-27

He Lays out His work for the
Coming Campaign for HIS
Faithful Servants "A
Programme of start
ling Political

To Hon. Jno. Handkerchief Savage,
Hon. William Policy Tolley,
Hon. Samuel Fee Wilson,
Hon. John Railroad Beasley,
Hon. Thomas Equity Haynes,
Hon. S. Cautious Hearn.
Ny Dear Brethren:
i have concluded to call together
the shining lights of our party for
consultation. / have selected the
23d of October next as the time for
meeting, and the grove near the
Lunatic Asylum as the place. This
point suggested itself to me as the
most appropriate place, because we
would not be interfered with by re-
.pOrters there.
The purpose of the meeting is to
consider national matters, and de-
termine our course in regard to the
same. five see the election in No
vember, 1880, will be death-strug-
gle with the regular Democracy, 1t
will determine the great question,
for which the Democracy has con-
tended during its existence, tO-wit:
The reserved rights of the States;
the right Of the Federal Govern
ment to interfere with State cleo
tiOns and State matters the right
of the Federal Government to de-
termine that the murder of citi-
zen by a Federal officer, is not an
Offense against the State; and other
like questions in short, the hght
will be this: Shall the Federal
Government continue to absorb
through the executive, judicial leg
islatiVe departments, the heretofore
admitted powers and rights of the
States by process so gradual as not
to alarm, but so certain that, in the
end, it will change the Govern
ment. This is a matter of grave
moment to the Democracy, and we
must take advantage of it and
threaten to jeOpardize these princi-
pies unless it comedies us the offices;
of course we don't care dlYTl what
sort of principles theold thing holds,
if it recognizes our right to rule.
/ have been moved to call you to-
gether by statement of oar prln-
cipIes made by Bro. Beasley, and
published March 4, 1880, which Is
as follows:
"And now, another point: Con-
gress never had the right, as l I'M
derstand the Constitution, to con-
vert United States Treasury notes
into bonds. This instrument de-
clares upon its face that IL was Gre
ated sin order to form a more per-
feet union, establish justice, insure
domestic tranquility, provide for
the common defense, promote the
general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty to ourselves and
our posterity." Now it is evident
to ali intelligent and patriotic men
that the conversion OF Treasury
notes into bonds was for the purpose
of destroying the general welfare
and placing the chains of slavery
upon the present and future genera
tions. This act of Congress, there
fore, was unconstitutional, and the
men who voted for it deserve to be
placed in The same category with
Benedict Arnold and Judas Iscar-
lot. 1t was a stupendOus crime,
and all the interest which the bond
holders have received was so much
public plumber.
But the editor of the American
says: fThe Democratic party is
determined that the National debt
shall be honestly and squarely
dealt with, according to the laws OF
good faith and the principles of CIV
iliZatiOn," and / want him to tell
me what this vague, ambiguous, de-
lusive language means. 1t reminds
me of the old maxim in the law
books which says, "He who wishes
to deceive deals in general terms"
In my opinion the people of the
United States have the right, the
moral right, to say TO the bOndhOld-
ers that they shall never have an
other dollar out of the National
Treasury. But / am not advocat-
ing this policy. We need paper
currency, and the policy / advocate
is as follows: /. We should never
pay another dollar of interest. 2.
National bank notes should be TAX
en- up and destroyed. 3. Bond
holders should be told that they
must take greenbacks or nothing in
payment of their bonds and, 4,
that all bonds not presented to the
Treasury within twelve months
from the passage of this act for con-
version into Treasury notes should
be forever barred.
If the editor of the American can
NClA 10 any OCAAEA DOAAAONAANN AAAGth
this, / would like to hear it.
J.R. B."
This, coming from an ordinary
man, would not be entitled to much
notice; but Bro. Beasley was the
author of our platform in the 'Oc-
tOber meeting" in 1879, and is the
source from whence our principles
spring. Just ego one eyeo on that
constitutional argument of his
about converting U. S. Treasury
notes into bonds" Amt it mas
terly! What research /! what
thought! what an analytical mind
what jimsOn-weed intellect! Gas Ii
able TO spring from a dunghill as
elsewhere). What grand influence
the advent of such a lawyer into
Congress would exercise over the
legal department of institution
How he uses up Mr.. IscariOt and
Mr.. Arnold by calling them "cat-
e-gOry," or words to that effect.
How humble they will feel when
they discover that their conduct has
attracted the attention of Mr.. Beas- |
ley to their shortcomings. One of |
them sold his Savior, and the other |
sold his party for "place" and mon |
ey. And when Mr.. IscariOt con- |
templates the modifying influences
of civilization upon conscience, as
shown by our exemption from such
sentimental performances as he in
dulged in, what fool he will think |
he made of himself. And how har-
rowing must be the thought to him
that his conscience exhibited such |
weakness in its demands on his
neck. In these days a neck is worth |
sevral times as much as a conscience.
Now contemplate his thrust at the
American, "its vague, ambiguous,
delusive language" in saying "the
national debt must be honestly and
squarely dealt with" How sarcas-
tic, how cutting, how caustic the
criticism. How much better for that
paper it had never been born, "bet-
ter thata milestone was tied around
its neck" etc, surely it will hardly
persist in existing after that. Why
couldn't it find language to make
itself understood, instead of indulg-
ing i'm such mysterioussigns? When
we meet we will call on the Ameri-
can by resolution to 'tell him what