Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-07-31

THE Globe-DemOcrat says there
are eighteen Northern States, with
l9S electoral votes, that have Re
publican Governors and Legisla-
lures. It proposes that these Legis-
latures shall assemble and appoint
Presidential electors. 1t declares
that these have it in their power
to secure the election of a Repub-
lican President beyond peradven-
ture by simply changing their mode
Disappointing Presidential electors,
and adds: There would be moth
ing in such action by the eighteen
/ States having Republican Goyer-
nors and Legislatures, or any of the
| other States, subversive of popular
rights, or i'm the slightest degree re-
volutionary. 1t would be nothing
more than the exercise of party
supremacy through legitimate leg
islative channel, for the sake ofmore
surely obtaining party end. 1t
would be perfectly legitimate exer-
else of a power vested in the State
Legislatures, and could be assailed
on no other ground than that the
party which controls the Legisla-
lures will profit by il, and not their
opponents. 1t would not be neces-
sary, in order to elect a Republican
President, for all the eighteen States
to appoint their delegates in this
way. Only those which the Demo-
cracy has the temerity to claim a
prospect of carrying would require
to be taken out of the doubtful col
umn and transferred to the list of
certain States to insure Republican
victory" The st. Louis Republican
makes this reply to the beautiful
proposition of its neighbOr 1--WE
reproduce this proposition to point
out the only significance it possesses
the confessed hopelessness of the
Republican cause. The proposition,
in plain words, is that there shall
not be any Presidential election in
the North; that the whole subject
shall be taken out of the hands of
the people of eighteen Northern
States and given to Legislatures
chosen a year or two years ago; that
the canvass shall be absolutely clos
ed in these States, and all popular
discussion of the merits of the two
tickets and platforms ended and the
question submitted to tribunal
whose opinions are already known
and whose decision can be infallibly
predicted. There would be Pres
idential election in the Democratic
States as usual, for the Republicans
have no power to prohibit it there,
but in the Republican States the
people shall be debarred from their
ancient privilege, and restricted
to the harmless pastime of sucking
their thumbs, while Republican
Legislatures usurp their authority
and perform their work for them.
Of course, the contest between Han
cock and Garfield would cease. The
scheme does not assure the election
of Garfield. It only assures the elec-
ton of a Republican President-it |
might be Grant, or Conkling or Lo-
gan; for the Republican Legislatures
chosen one or two years ago are un-
der no pledges to Garfield, and, when
called together, would have author
ity to set him aside and chose any
other man. The proposition is a |
sign of despair. 1t admits the hope |
lessness of the Republican cause be- |
fore the people by advocating a
change of venue to another tribunal. |
No party ever before exhibited so
fragrant a disregard of the rights of
the people as this violent programme
implies and no party was ever be- |
fore brought to such an extremity |
as this avoWed fear of the people !
exhibits. 1t is clear giving up the |
contest"
1t is worth observing that all the
desperate schemes of these conspira-
tors point to the North this time |
the Solid South is to be let alone. |
Let us see how the millions of New |
York, Connecticut and Chic are go
ing to stand it.-ED. CHRONICLE.