Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-08-28
FOR GOVERNOR
RESULTS.

who win prepare himself for the battle?'
Availability as regards both men
and measures is the only criterion
which the average politician applies
to either. In the estimation of such
men those party manifestos are the
best which really express nothing,
or rather which express two things
at a time, like the Delphie oracles OF
old, so as to admit of one interpreta-
ton or another according as subse-
quent expediency may dictate.
Now that the democratic party
has blown a blast long, loud and
clear in reference to the state debt,
and commissioned champion who
knows no hesitation in proclaiming
the truth; now, in short, that the
democracy has laid aside all vacilla-
ton and hesitation and declared for
honesty, not as theory passively
recognized, but as a principle to be
actively maintained, there are
plenty such politicians who fear
that the party has acted rashly, and
look back regretfully to the days of
harmony and Cancellation and con-
cessiOn, during which the party
was so nearly permitted to drift into
the heresy of reputation; they fear
that we have lost votes and imper-
lied the party's hold on the state;
they fear even that the election of
our present representatives in con-
gress may be imperilled, and even
the presidential vote impaired.
Now let us be understood. We
do not share these fears, but if we
did we should adhere to our princi-
piles. In plain terms, we had rather
be beaten ON an honest platform
than elect such nominees as an am
biguous one might give us but we
are now writing for those who are
influenced more by anticipated re-
suits than by principles. We desire
to reassure the alarmed and to con-
vince them that the election of
true democratic legislature, of John
V. Wright for governor, of the pres
ent incumbents for representatives
in congress and senate and of Han
cock and English to the supreme
executive offices will be better as
sured by such a platform and nomi-
nation as were adopted in Nashville
on the 18th of August than they
could have been by any non-com-
initial resolutions that would have
left the debt question fostering and
fermenting for years of political dis
traction.
Let our timid friends be assured
that party without a principle has
no reliable element of cohesion; it |
is in a perpetual danger of falling to |
pieces, in perpetual need of recon-
We cannot conceal from |
that the democratic party |
in Tennessee has, for some years,
presented specifically very much
this appearance. The great body of
the party has been ut heart sound,
but it has suppressed and modified
its true sentiments from time to
time, for fear of losing a few votes,
until the public generally has been
ed to expect that the so-called low
lax men had only to demand and
would be made to them.
It was natural Inference, where
me party did nothing but demand,
he other nothing but cOncede, that
he demanding party was the
stronger and the conceding party
he weaker, and many people had
'Ome to the conclusion that the
whole democratic party i'm Tennes-
&c was on the eve of identifying
tself with the population heresy.
How far the party might have
'een led i'm this fatal course of con-
ession we cannot say, but il was
TO the perception that
concessions were concil- I
lting very uncertain support in !
ne direction, they were in danger !
( losing to the party a much more {
and indispensable support ,
4 another. A large body of state I
redit men declared plainly that
hey could be moved no further i'm !
nat direction; that if the party was /,
Ding over in a body to the position
the regulators, it must 60 there
-ithout them. It was found, in .
tort, that demand and concession {
ms a game that might be played '
two directions, and that the party r
I'd to decide at once which way IL 7
ould go. To stand still was im- \
yssible, to go further In the direc- i
ON Of reputation was to ALLEVIATE v
rever the better elements, and it
scided TO abandon all evasive pre- b
and adopt a square plat p
rm and risk all upon It. It was Y
experiment, but an experiment h
hich had to be made; on no other n
rms could the party have contin- b
4 60 exist. Had an evasive plat n
rm boon adopted, and n doubtful y
ndidaie been nominated, we are Il