Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-05-15

serves to stimulate further demands
until M IL conceded which was in
lispute; and now, emboldened by
the accession 20 their ranks OF
h0rdes Of negroes willingly loaned |
for the purpose by the republican
leaders, they boldly declare it to be
their purpose to seize the organiza-
ton of the democratic party, to
force their men into its offices, their
principles into its platforms.
Herein, then, lies the danger to
the democratic party from the plat
form of the republican party, con-
fessetlly sound as it is as regards the
state debt. There is a very large
number of state credit democrats
who can under no circumstances be
induced to make further concessions
in the direction of Reputation, who
think that too much has been con-
coded in that direction already. i
Should the low-tax or repudiating
element in the party succeed in their
boosted purpose and capture the
organization of the party, it cannot
carry these men with 1t. Organiza-
ton or not, they consider that they
are the true democracy and the
others usurpers of the name. to
which they are not entitled, and,
happen what will, the low-tax
usurpers cannot and will not control
their votes.
Now supposing this body of men,
the backbone of the democratic
party, its intellect. its moral force,
repealed from the organization of
the party, precluded from influence
ing its career by the arbitrary action
of section of the party temporarily
or accidentally in majority; imag-
inc that arbitrary majority doing
what some of its prospective mem
bers have plainly threatened to do
nominating a candidate and issu-
ing a platform favorable to repudia-
ton; imagine, for instance, Savage
a candidate for governor and plat
form constructed on his inspiration
what would the state credit mi
nority to do? They would not
cease to be democrats; they would
better deserve the title than the
lawless majority we have supposed
to usurp the name, for the former
would be in accord with all the
declarations of the party since
it was party, while the latter
would be at variance with them
all. What then would be the ac-
ton of the minority? They would
certainly do nothing to imperil the
election of the democratic nominee
for the presidency, but would vote
for any electors pledged to his sup
port they would not do anything
to endanger the seats of our present
delegation at Washington, both in
house and senate; they would not
vote for candidates for the state leg
islature whose purposes were the
election of republican as u. S. SEN
ator-but what would they do about
a governor? Judge Hawkins on
the one side, an upright man,
though republican, with an hon
orable platform as regards the state
debt, and John Savage on the other,
an unprincipled denagegue, with
reputation on his platform-what
would the state credit minority do
about it? 1t is our firm conviction
that i'm that case Judge Hd1CkiRS
loouLd be tie ne.rt governor Of Ten
neSsee.
1t is a hypothetical case we have
been stating. God forbid that it
should ever be realized! But it is a
situation which existing causes may
at any time bring about, unless
all parties are gifted with wisdom
and prudence enough to avert it. 1t
would issue i'm the final disruption
and dissolution of the democratic
party in Tennessee as it has done in
Virginia. In that state it has vir-
tually handed over the balance of
power to the republican party; we
see nothing to prevent its doing the
same here.
These are the reasons which influ-
ence US in saying that the nominal
ton of Judge Hawkins for governor
by the republican party, with
sound platform as regards the public
debt, is a great danger to the dem
Ocracy of Tennessee.