Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-10-16
RepusI.ean raise A.serslons.

Among the many conventional
sophistries of the republicans is the
charge of democratic intimidation
Of the cOlOred voter in the south.
They start out with the false as
sumption that the negro, because
he is a negro, IS republican and
must vote the republican ticket
blindly, inevitably and forever. "A
colored democrat in their sight is a
fltsus ndtatroe. The very mention
Of the fact of there being such a
creature in the world causes them
to raise their hands in holy horror
end cry "away with him." THEIR
assumption is as absurd as it is false.
That the negroes should be repu6li-
cans was to be expected and was
possible as long as their creduiity
could be played upon by promises
Of wealth without work and OF Off
ees of ease; as long as Freedmen's
Bureau agents, by Inarshaling them
into secret partizan organizations
and binding them on oath to never
vote for q deEnocat, could excite
their prejudices and passions and
array them against their former
owners; and as long as federal bay
Onets upheld the carpet-bag adven-
turers in their career of extrava-
gance and plumber. But now that
military interference has been with
drawn; the radical reconstruction
policy become confessed failure,
and society permitted to pursue its
work of reorganization and adjust
ment, it is not to be wondered at
that the celored voter, whose expe-
rience has been that of years of I'M
profitable waiting for the fulfilment
of republican promises, should now
turn to those who have warned
him of their falsity; and who, deS-
| pite republican assertions of demo-
cratic designs against him, show no
disposition to deprive him of one
jot of his civil ard political rights.
The democratic party does not
deny that it opposed the measures
that, soon after the negroes release
from the bonds of slavery, conferred
| full citizenship upon him. They
/ believe that acknowledgements was
given him before he was prepared
to receive it. But now that the
work is done they do not propose to
undo it. This question is settled.
His rights are guaranteed by the
fundamental law, and the causes
that made opposition to his admis-
sion to the full rights of citizen
proper and reasonable are gradually
passing away.
The cOlored man may rest assured
that under the law, he is a citizen
forever. He became so in truth
only by ceasing to follow the lead
of carpet-baggers and plunderers
who, having used them as an accom-.
plice, have not even shared with
them their ill-gotten gains. His
home is in the south. As dear.
bought experience by the recent ex
odus movement has taught him
this is the section for which his tenn
permanent is most naturally fitted
And living in the south, his inter
ests are identical with those of his
section. Whatever tends toward,
its advancement is for his own gOOC
as a member OF society, And it il
a happy omen that he is becoming
alive to his true intereSt-tO the fac
that his welfare is in common with
the conservative, intelligent anC
progressive classes of the south who
seek the development of their oWr
section, the prosperity of the whole
country and the triumph of peace
and order. But what most exer
cises republicans is that, after hav
ing forced negro enfranchisemen
: upon us and thereby increased oul
representation in congress, they
find that this new element of pow
er is turning against them as soon
as it ceases to be controlled by fed
eral bayonets. Hence, the republi
, can organs say there is democratic
intimidation, violence and murder
But the present state of the south
does not show that it was more law
less than other sections. ormore fol
the release from carpet-bag masters
1t does not stand to reason tina
prosperity could be the outcome o
violence and blOodshed. The charge
is base SANDER upon the flares
sections of our land. The republi
can organs find that the nego can b.
a democrat of his own accord anC
thence these tears"