Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-03-20
An Unhidden Corruption.

Mr.. EDITOR: Silence IL often q vir-
tue, but sometimes 1t mu.t be broken
in ones own interest or In the interest
of others. Our national institutions
have been 80 openly and fiercely as
sailed that silence here would be
treason. Mr.. Gibson must no longer
be allowed to insinuate his principles
int, the hosoms tf The people. We
must cry him, treason! when he
would at .empt to undermine our very
Constitution, that glorious and luz
morla, foundation on which we now
SO safely rest. Mr.. Gibson &C.
sires revolution in beta the State
and national governments. He also
very ardently desires political advance,
ment; but, can he be trusted with
those boosted, bat dastardly, princi-
ules to direct his conduct? de has
boldly, def ntiy aud impudentIy a.
tackled the Constitution Of our Country.
Alluw me to elite from his paper, DIT d
the IA h inst. He says: The baby
ia now born that will live to see the
President will be chosen diret tly by
tn % .ople of the nation, instead OF
| by eiectors.n That is one of his patri-
Ole principles! What would be The
result Of the change that Mr.. Gibson
predicts seeming to see 50 wildly with
Ills fatidical eyes that change
out lined on our political horiz IN?
| Clearly it would result in confusion,
dissolut on and Con- tltulional subVer-
STOP. L. would, perhaps, plunge us
into political cimmerian daIknes {.
| The people must have their generals,
| cOIoueis, captains, leaders as well on
| the political as on the martial fl-Id.
| They have admitted that they often
need the advice of superior minds.
Mr.. Gibson surely believes III human
perfectibiiity. and that alone would
| prove him irrational. We do not de-
| sire t. reflect on bis intellect lal Ca
pacity or facuities-of the moral he
has few but we beg him to keep his
"unsheathed sword" from our Co.'s
stitution, and not 'hew and
hack" it by insinusting his
principles into the minds and hearts
of the honest faru ers aud mountain.
GERS who read his paper. 1t ia for
| them VIE feel. Infuse not thy venom
there. oh! Gibson, for it cuts at thy
country's heart!
He would have all the office-holder
elective. Such regime would con-
ficG VITA all the Known rules of pc
iiticai economy and political govern
| msnt. In order to the more strongly
| sustain our position We shall beg leave
| to cite passage from Nordnff's work
entitled Politics for Young America !"
Mr.. Gibson will find the citation at
| the beginning of chapter 8 of that
work. The author there says that "iu
orter TO eDable the people 10 take an
| intelligent and real interest IA politics,
it is necessary that they shall have to
elect but a few persons" He then
goes OIL t. say that The people should
choose our Legislators, executive heads
| OF communities and 5 ates, but that
| all judges should be appoin, ed, and
that tue tenure OF their Office should
! be for life or during good behavior. so
that they could the more Dot te out
| justice without fear or favor" he
| further Gays that al suborGl lateS
should be appointed by the heads of
apartments, tic.
| l. Us say III conclusion that such
vioient change in he method of Cho0s
| i x he President anu Vice President,
as Mr.. Gibson says, viii take place
| before tue close OF The presei genera
ton, would, at least be very dan gerous.
| We d. MT deny tJat there is room
| for Improvement Ia those aI tiCtes of
| the Constitution which prescribe the
method OF electlng those high officers;
but, Mr.. Gibson, let us not be SO pre-
sciptate, rein in your Imagination and
| We are sure that your faldical pow eEs
will also be checked. You have seen
in your distoit d imag cation the
mirage of distant garde rs which you
tell The people are full Of delis hts, full
of beauties, cool with running streams,
harmonious aud musical with singing
birds, shady aud pleasant with YER
dant trees; but those gardens are
really infested with venomous reptilee,
whose fangs have been poisoned by
Tartsrean fumss aud Stygian pollu-
tons, dragons, fiery monsters, CHM
eras, goIgons, hydra-headed horrors
fiends and 'shapes fresh from Tart a.
rus, and you are Hercules topreserve.
The Inhabitants of your garden would
ar the heart from our Const;tL ton
and government if they should VEN
ture near. Those monsters would
mutilate satan himself. T. would be
mad o. esq, the madness of by dropho bia,
to make every office-holder elective,
and would DOUBTLESS involve US in the
cate CORY of French revolutionisn.
Let US not take so wide q departure
frOm The wisdom our fathers have
lett and experience has taught us.
NOT A CESAR.
Knoxville, March 10, 1851.