Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-08-12
Continued From lst Page.


the State, of the great and urgent
demand for them, how many great
and incalculable benefits had fol-
lowed, how directly upon the issu-
anee of these very bonds over which
they were now fighting, the prop
erty of the State rose rapidly in
value, workshops and manufactO-
ries sprung up like magic; railroads
and all great enterprises were now
seen where used to be wilderness.
lie gave a graphic description of
how Tennessee was far behind her
sister States in progress and adj
Vanced civilization at the time the
people began TO clamOr for internal
improvement, for turnpikes, canals,
railroads, etc; all the great men of
the State had urged it, our Gov
ernOrs, statesmen and Legislators,
as representatives of the people,
had demanded that bonds be issued
aud money raised for such purposes.
lie then referred TO the records and
known history for all that he had
said it could not be disputed. He
would apologize for going back so
far, but sometimes ii was well for IA
people to refer to the facts and fig
ures of history for the proof of as
sertions; now that they had drifted
so far from the ancient moorings, il
was particularly necessary that they
take new bearings and see how far
they had gone and whether they
were pursuing the correct course.
He next spoke of how the war
came on with its devastatiOns and
unnumbcred woes, but nOtwith-
standing all these evils the bonds
remained outstanding and binding,
the principles upon which they
were issued were eternal and lasted
through all this fierce struggle. The
war did not and ought not to effect
the debt; if it had prevented the
payment OF interest and disfran-
chised the people, and some of the
bonds had been issued fraudulently,
and all that, as they allege, all these
facts had been taken into consider
alton by the creditors and all equi-
ties, if we had any, had been grant
ed by the creditors. The faith,
honor and credit of the State was
pledged for their payment and the
contract must be carried out.
He next came to the 18th June
Convention and discussed the action
of the thermometers. Said he went
there anxious and in earnest for
harmony. How were they met :?
They were told they must come to
terms, to acceed TO which would
have rendered them unworthy the
name of Democrats and Tennessee
ans. Such were the terms they must
ANONYMOUSLY accept or else har-
mony would be ignored. He spoke
in dispissionate but eloquent
manner of how all Overtures by the
State Credit wing had been haugh-
tily repulsed. The State Credit
men had been charged with an al
lance with the Republican party !;
he would hurl the base charge back
in the face of those from whence il
came. 1t was false. He was Il
Democrat and so was his party
Democrats on principle. He then
spoke of the sovereignty and State
rights of the States and said his
party would never be willing TO
see their autonomy destroyed.
What were men if they were not
willing TO defend their principles?
lie touched upon the fact that the
State could not be sued and blush
eel to own that there were men who
did not dispute the debt, but stood
behind the assertion that we could
not be made to pay it, could not be
sued. Look at the great govern
ments of the world, ut England on
whose domain the sun meyer sets
and the sound of whose guns can be
heard around the world, and yet
she was not SO mighty that the
humbleSt citizen, wrOnged in his
rights by the government, might
not sue for redress.
The platform of the June 18th
convention says, 1--WE tender to our
creditors" the time for tender has
passed, the time of payment has ar
rived. They had haggled and wor-
ried over this question long enough
and now the issue was at hand.
Intelligent people wanted to know
the whole truth and they would
know it.
1t had been said every man who
advocated his side would be pOliti-
cally buried, If so there would come
IA time of glorious resurrection. He
went for the theory "scratch the
platform and vote for the man"
and showed its utter folly and err
ror. This was Il new idea, novel
doctrine, the platform was the par
ty, the cardinal principles OF the
candidate, who was simply figure
To represent them.
Others may desert, but as fOT
himself he would stand for honesty
and principles against hostile
world. The question was before us.
1t must be faced. 1t would not
down at any mans bidding. 1t
was II ghost that had arisen ut every
Democratic feast for ten years past
and would continue TO rise unless
now sustained. We heard the cry
of peace and harmony but there
was no peace and harmony and
never would be so long aus this dis
turbing issue is kept in politics.
But it is urged that it is a radical
trick. Such an assertion was too
weak To demand refutation. 1t was
also claimed that we are traitors TO