Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-02-11
st. Bethlehem, Jan. 80, 1882.


cost" of that building.
G. III. S.
st. Bethlehem, Jan. 80, 1882.
Convictions.
Franklin Progress.
In short chapter on consistency
in politics, and remarking the scar.
city of public men in Tennessee
who dare to show the courage Of
their convictions, the Nashville
World has the following to say ol
Hon. James E. Bailey, of Clarks.
vile:
''To give an instance of bold and
manly courage in avowing opinions,
we refer to ex-senator Bailey,
of Clarksville. He had opinions
upon the state debt, and he fear
lessly went into the field advocat-
ing the policy which he believed to
be correct. He did this even when
assured by his political friends that
he was pursuing a suicidal policy.
1t turned out to be true that his
boldness cost him his official head
but does any body think less of him
for that, and did not his manly
courage challenge the admiration
of those who differ with him and
were as concientious as himself.
He deceived nobody, for when he
went before the peoples representa-
tives as candidate for the United
States Senate his sentiments were
well known, and when he was de-
feated he carried with him to pri-
vate life the satisfaction that he sac
rificed his own personal interest in
behalf of cause which his con-
science said was right"
The self-sacrifice of this man
stands out as the best and brightest
thing in all the unpleasant history
of the agitation of the State-debt
question. Always consistent
Democrat, bold and able cham
pion of his party, and yet more
ardent for the welfare of his country
| than his party, he was man who
!
| own heart. Who has ever queS-
toned his integrity? Who will say
his ability was not an honor to his
state, and such as was not always
directed towards the good of his con-
stituents?
Representing the interest of Ten
nessee in the Federal Government,
a public man solely in this capacity,
as brave as he was honest, he ven
| tured to differ with some of his con-
stituents about a matter of home
| intereSt-the State debt and he
was condemned TO go where his
voice might not be heard. Had he
been a mere politician, he might
! have been elected United States
| Senator, and gone back to the place
which he hOnOred, and where ad-
miring friend and foe were ready to
welcome him, But he hesitated not
a moment, he spoke his mind, and
while submitting his action, his at
titude was that of a statesman.
There were those in the legislature
sufficient to prevent his election
and who did it, who, had they
showed the commonest fairness and
appreciation of sterling worth in
public life would have gladly voted
for Mr.. Bailey. But how was it?
They ignored hisServices to his par
ty and thrust him aside, as if he
had been guilty of infamy. 1t was
a shame upon the democracy,
brought upon it, not the only time,
at all, by the IoW-taX clement, call
ing themselves democrats. Selfish
and cynical, they were incapable of
recognizing manliness and true
worth of character. The same ven
ON with which they pursued Sena-
tor Bailey they have hissed and
hurled against the highest officers of
the state and with the most amazing
effrontery and utter disregard of
facts have the judges of the Su-
preme court been assaulted and
their motives impeached as if they
were town aldermen elected by the
chicanery of bummers instead of
men of the people deliberately
chosen on account of their learning
in the law and their honorable and
upright characters.
We have pursued this subject not
for the purpose ofopening old sores;
but rejoicing that the adversely of
political fortune has shown that
Tennessee yet has sons to reflect
honor upon her name, just as when
Jackson, Polk and Grundy gave'it
lustre, do we refer to the sacrifice of
Mr.. Bailey. 1t belongs to history,
now; yet the seed he sowed will
yield an hundred fold, and his name
will be vivid on the proudest page
ofTennessee's political annals, when
the names of his detractors and the
same slanderers ofOur ejudg-
e5 will be forgotten. 1t was by the
sheereSt good fortune that the state
was enabled to have so fit success
sor to Mr.. Bailey as is Hon.
Howell +. Jackson. The gloom
produced upon all good men in the
state by the retirement of Senator
Bailey was perhaps dissipated by
the election of Mr.. Jackson. The
good fortune following the bad was
a recreation, and in this manner the
people became serenely apathetic
10 the fact that these events were
pregnant with noble fruit. Honest
consistency will have its reward in
spite OF envy or malice or Slander.
The best of its reward will be the
faith it inspires, fixed as with hooks
of steel, which not all the slippery
turns of politics can unloose.
A bill making lying punishable
by a fine of from one to twenty dol
lars for each offense, was defeated
in the House last week. AS soon
as 10. Mulhattan heard of it he sent
the following dispatch to Col. II. A.
Burnett, of Trigg county, who had
it read by the clerk South Ken
tuckid9a.
CLARKsvILLE, Tenn, Jan "a, ,'S2.
Judge Burnett, and other Members
Of the Kentucky Legislature:
DEAp SIR AND RROTHFRS.