Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-09-02
The DEMOCRATIC RECORD.
Nashville American.

TIE DEMOCRATIC REc0RO.
Nashville American.
The favorite charge made by Re-
adjustcrs against the men who are
now contending for Democratic
principles is that they are boilers
from the Democratic party. This
charge has. no foundation whatever,
and is based solely upon the fact
that the Democrats who support
Mr.. Fussell refuse to endorse the
action OF the June convention,
| which departed from the faith and
policy of the party. As matter OF
| fact the true Democracy of Tennes-
zee is to-day III full accord with the
Democracy of the past, and in line
with the present National Demo-
cratic party.
In 1872, before the monster repu-
diation dared to show itself in the
State, and when the only tendency
was to attack the national debt, the
Democratic party of Tennessee
pledged itself to 'the preservation
of the national honor, at home and
abroad.l
In the platform of 1874, when
some dissatisfaction had been man
ifested in the State over the fund
ing of the debt, the party declared
"fOr the payment of the just debts
and obligations of the State, and for
the preservation of its credit and
honor untarnished.'
In 1876 the party boldly opposed
reputation, declared itself aligned
with the National Democracy as to
the duty of the Federal Govern
ment to redeem its pledges and
meet all its obligations" and an
nOunced that sin harmony with
this enunciati0n of sound principles
by the National Democracy, we
declare our intention to meet and
pledge ourselves to the payment of
all debts and obligations justly due
by the State of Tennessee"
In 1878 the Democracy again
denounced reputation and made a
deliverance in favor of ian equit-
able adjustment of our public in
debtedness. But now for the first
time it veered from a strict line of
duty and, giving heed TO the III
advised counsel of time servers, be-
gan to daily with the question. 1t
committed the fatal blunder of en-
grating the .'subnrission plank" in
It's platform and opened the way
for the Decentralization which
eventually caused the defeat of the
party.
AT the first opportunity offered,
in the convention OF 1880, the De
mocracy made haste to retrieve the
error Of 1878. It returned to its
time hOnOred principles, reasserted
opposition to the reputation OF any
public obligation, State or Federal,
and affirmed "that the repadiatiOn
of either, under any pretext or dis
guise, would be the most difeful of
evils, moral, financial and political,
and in the patriotic language OF the
National Democratic platform, we
pledge ourselves to the strict main
tenance OF the public faith, State
and National" Taking a sensible
and practical view of the situation,
and recognizing the difficulties
which Involved the question, the
party further declared in favor of
ia prompt settlement by the LegiS-
lature with our creditors, upen the
best terms that can be agreed upon,
as result of negotiation. Upon
this platforIa Dem0eracy made
gallant fight for principle, ana won
the vantage ground which would
have enabled it easily to assume
control of the State had it not open
ed the gates of its citadel to admit
the Trojan horse of eXpediency.
In this year of 1882 the Qem0c-
racy, still true to the record and ira
ditions of the party pronounces un-
alterable opposition to fepudlatlon,
and favors the maintenance lnVlO-
late of the public faith. Reindors-
ing in letter and spirit the platform
of 1880. il recognizes the settlement
of the debt made by the Legislature
as in accord with that platform, as
lust and honorable to the people
and the creditors of the State, and
declares that il shall not be dis
turbed or readjusted.
Not only has the party pledged
itself time and again to Statc-credit
PRINCIPLES by the authoritative de-
iiveranccs of its conventions, but ii
has repeatedly hOnOred with its
confidence and support the public
snen who have been bold and out
spoken advocates of these princi-.
piles.
In 1876 Gen. John G.. Brown,
a firm and staunch State-credit
Democrat, was elected Governor OF
the State. The tone and temper of
his administration accorded fully
with the idea of maintaining the
public faith, and he was endorsed
by denomination, and reelected in
1872. ....-. ......s
In 1874. James ID. Porter, the
unfaltering a:id intrepid champion
of State-crtSiit, WAS elected Cover
nor. He took a DOld stand against
reputation in every guise, and his
party endorsed his administration
by giving him "A second term, in
which he made peerless record
by his earnest effort iO preserve the
| guolinaine of Tennessee.
In 1873 the. Democracy elected
AlbertS. Marks governor. Govern
or Marks encouraged the attack up
on the validity of the debt, and
was the only Governor of Tennes-
s.se w.he. gave official sanction in his
message TO the idea of repudiatiOn.
In 1880 the Democracy ISifased to
endor-e his administration and sub
Tectat9 him to the modification OF
iseing the only Democratie Govern
er since the war who failed To re-
ceiVe denomination.
But the Democracy has not only
fsown itself to .bea State-credit par