Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-07-22
BEAD AND PONDER.

We ask the Democracy to calmly
consider its attitude towards the ri
val candidates for Governor and
the platforms adopted on the Goth
of June and the 18th of July. The
platform adopted on the 18th is the
same upon which we stood in 1850,
and promulgates principles which
the Democracy has stood by since
1869, and were proudly proclaimed
in the National Democratic Con-
VentiOn. We, who stand upon that
platform, are where we have been
for years, and are in accord with
the party in other States. In fact,
everybody knows that if the Ma
tiOnal Convention in 1854 shall take
ground against us, the party in the
other States will go to the wall and
stay there for generation to come.
Compare the two platforms. Com
pare the manner in which they
have been received by the people.
One is accepted by all the true
friends of State Credit. The other
is accepted by nobody. The Savage
men condemn it, the SnOdgrasS
dcvOtecs spurn it, nearly every
prominent Low-taXer in the State
spits upon it, the SO-called State
Credit thermometers dCnOunce it. In
truth, nobody will have anything
To do with il.
Upon this platform stands Gen.
Bate, worthy gentleman, and as
man entirely unObjectiOnable. But
what ideas does he represent.
In his Nashville speech he said he
approved the 5O-3 measure, and if.
elected he will certainly use the in
tluence of his great position to get
the Legislature to repeal the settle
ment agreed upon by the State and
its creditors, and TO tender to the
creditors the 50-3 proposition. No
sane man believes that this offer
will be accepted, and no wise one
believes that the incoming LegisIa-
ture, if the thermometers shall sue
cced, will move one inch in the di-
rcctiOn of higher figure. The re-
suit will be that ut the end of two
years we will be just where we
were when the Supreme Court de-
cidOd against the 1908 bill. We
will be all at Sea-nOthing settled,
the people discouraged the Dem
ocracy still more divided than now;
our friends i'm other States weighed
down by the incubus of repudia-
ton, and TenncSscein all probability
a Republican State. These conse-
qucnces we may avoid simply by
doing what is politically and NOR
rally right. Politically right, be-
cause we will be sustaining every
declaration of our party, whether
in National or State Conventions
right, because we strengthen our
friends abroad; right, because that
course will give to us the peace and
quietudr we so much need. Nor
rally right, because it recognizes
the just claims of our creditors, and
accOrds To them the privilege OF
having something to say about the
settlement OF what is due to them.
Now we put the question plainly to
every intelligent man. Which
course should we take? What will
he better for the future of the party
and better for the State? There
can be but one answer.
Mere party unity and harmo-
ny can never be reached through
a violation of the plainest teachings
of experience and morals. Such
unity cannot survive the lasSiOns
and agitations of a single canvass.
The men who unite are not agreed.
They cannot agree, they will never
agree. They are as much divided
in opinion to-day as they were be-
fore the 10th of June. They will
be as much divided when the cleo
ton shall be over, when the Legis-
Iature meets and the differences be-
coming every day more and more
iapparent, will become manifest In
an utter disruption of the patched
up truce. wtl