National Republican., 1880-09-17
DEMOCRATIC REpUOIArIoN N rEN-
NESSEE


Ni;SSEE.
The eastern organs of the democracy
broke forth unanimously in praise of
southern democratic honor when the dem
ocratic convention Of Tennessee nominated
n debt-payng candidate for governor Little
attention was paid 10 the fact that the re-
pudiators bolted and set up candidate Of
their own. Upon examining the platforms
and utterances of the convention, it was
hard to perceive why there should be
split at all Neither faction proposed 10
pay the debt. No speaker on either side
was bold enough to suggest such thing
He would have been unanimously howled
down. All coincided in f;,voriug "com-
prom So OF the debt The amount to be
recognized and paid varied In the minds
Of the members of the convention from
twenty cents on the dollar to fifty cents.
The split came upon the question whether
the legislature should submit its compro.
mise when made, to tho vote of the people
OF the state. The debt-paying democrats
said no. They were evidently afraid to
trust the "honcst democracy upon the
straight issue" shall any portion of the
debt be paid?" The population democrats,
on the contrary, felt sure of their position.
They cared very little what compromise"
should be agreed upon. They were quite
ready to make the amount to be paid largo
enough to suit the views of the most eager
creditor. The larger the tax re quired to
pay interest on tho ompromise debt, the
better for the rendjusters. The vote against
payment would be so much the larger
But whether large or small, the repudia.
tors were confident that the proposition
would be rejected by the people. The So
called debt-payers were in q majority and
the platform was made TO suit them. No
promise was made in it that the action of
the legislature upon the debt question
should be submitted to the people.
The canvass Of the state by the two demo
cratic candidates for governor is now in
progress, and it is pretty evident that Judge
WRIGHT, the so-called debt-payer has been
forced by what he observes TO the conclu.
sion that he has little chance of election
if he adheres to the platform upon which he
was nominated. The repudiator WILSON
is everywhere gaining ground, and if either
democratic candidate is elected it will be
WILSON.
In discussion at Memphis Judge
WRIGHT was asked if he would veto
bill passed by the legislature, which
submitted the question of q settle.
ment of the debt to the people. lie re-
piled that he had great respect for q state
legislature, and he would not veto such a
bill. This is an absolute surrender to the
repudiatiOnists. If he had made a similar
declaration to the Nashville convention
there would have been nosplit in disparity
The Memphis Araldnche in commenting
on WRIGnr's admission says " If the state.
"credit men thus surrender, the moral
"eflect of The brave stand taken by the Ten.
"nessee democracy viii be destroyed II
"will be an admission that the democratic
"party is unsound on the payment of the
"public debt"
The Jackson Tribune notices this re.
markablo surrender and says: The whole
fight in tho convention at Nashville turned
"upon the question of submission to the
"people. II was the Judgment OF
the convention that the submission of an
act of the Legislature TO the people was
unconstitutional. Under the platform it
"would, in our opinion, be the duty OF Judge
WRIGHT, if elected, to veto any such
measure"
The democratic county conventions over
great part Of the state are requiring O
pledge from legislative candidates to the
effect that they will favor the submission
Of any debt settlement 10 the people. Sc
there appears now to be but q small choice
between the two wings Of tho democracy
on the stQte-credit ssue.
The republicans Of Tennessee remain the
only sound party upon the payment of the
state debt. Their candidate for governor i.
upfulteringly canvassing the state upon the
republican declaration to accept the pro-
posal of the bondholders and sacredly oh
serve it. Should he be elected, and should
the legislature be composed of a majority
of men who think with him, no difficulty
will be experienced in coming to n just de
cision Of the whole question. There arc
many indications that he will receive I
large vote from really honest democrats L
is becoming apparent that the contest il
really between him and the repudiatoI
candidate. Should this continue to DO thC
aspect Of the canvass we have strong hopes
OF his election.
THE siraight.out southern democratic