Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-04-17
INSTRUCTED DELEGATES.

Inc LOntSNfllG4 ACOufief-JOuftial
has an article i'm its issue of the 18th
inst. on which we desire to make
few comments. Being double
loaded, we presume that special
attention was desired by its author.
The aim of the editorial in question
was to have the Kentucky delega-
ton to the national democratic con-
ventiOn instructed to give its vote
solid for Mr.. TiIden as the presiden-
tial nominee of the democracy. We
have no controversy with the CT.
on a matter which exclusively con-
Germs the democrats of Kentucky,
but as we think it possible that
movement will be made to have
the Tennessee delegates similarly
instructed, and as the arguments
which may be advanced in favor of
doing so will probably be similar to
those Of the CD, we desire to record
our opinion that, in this state,
delegation uninstructed as to per-
sons, but strictly instructed as to
principles to be cOntended for is the
right and only safe mode of action.
The following extract contains the
gist of the argument of the CD.
and will be the subject of our COM
ment:
States are ennObled by brave and
faithful hearts, who dismiss their
doubts and their fears, and go into
battle to win or TO lose.
There will be no child's play at
Cincinnati. The fighting there will
be real and it may be protracted.
Shall Kentucky appear aS one of
the wings of a noble army, with
which she is identified and has won
triumphs, or as guerilla band,
hanging first on the right flank and
then upon the left, her counsels
shaken, her solidarity lost and her
hard-won and well-wOrn hOnors
scattered to the four winds of heav-
en-? We put it to every Kentucky
emocrat-whether he be for Tilden
or not-can Kentucky afford to de-
tach herself from the great power in
which she has so large a Fesidaary
interest-to split her forces and re-
sources upon an occasion so mo-
mentOus instead of the leader
that she was and Is, tie herself to
the hazy fortunes of the cliques and
factions which would use her to
this, that and the other uncertain
end? Rather than see her thus re-
duced in rank-rather than see her
sunk 50 l0w-we had rather see her
instruct against Tilden, and, though |
going into the convention against
us, go in UNIT.
Now the state of things which
the Gu. predicts at the Cincinnati
convention, and which is extremely
likely to occur, Is the very thing
which every true democrat ought |
to labor to avert. The CT. antici-
pates a furious personal struggle in |
reference to the nominee, in which |
the democracy are to be engaged in
internecine strife. The CD. has |
certainly done its part towards Civ
ing our convention this character,
and, as we look upon it, has thereby
done i most injurious part for the
national democracy. Such a state
of things is exactly adapted to the
purpose of Withdrawing the atteh-
ton of the democracy from the
great political questions at issue and
tearing the party to pieces with an
personal alteration.
We express these opinions in the
firm belief that the name of Mr..
Tilden will not be presented TO the
at all, his bodily inf1rm-
tiles being such as to make it i'm
possible for him either to sustain
the excitement of a presidential
or to perform the onerOus
duties of the national executive il
elected. We ground this opinlOn
both on facts publicly known and
on private information. We are
satisfied that the politicians now
the Tilden movement are
well aware of this, bat desire to
keep their machinery in gear for the
purpose of controlling affairs in the
and bending them to
their private purposes. Both MIR.
Tilden and his friends have again
and again obscurely intimated that
il to be sprung upon the
unexpectedly at the last
moment, which is 10 reduce the
democratic party to the alternative
of submitting to the dictati0nOf that
or Of giving up the con-
test against the Ubiquitous designs
Of the republican party. This being
Dur view Of the situation, it il our
belief that our only safety as party
consists Ia sending to Cincinnati
men unshaekled by hard and fast ,
which will be found
totally inapplicahle to the circum-
stances which will arise when the
assemblies, lC