Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-10-07
TIE POLICY or coRelScAToR.

the well being OF the Democratic
party requires that the State shall
undo the settlement now being
made with the creditors by author
ity OF the Legislature, and offer
terms of settlement that they know
and every we'll informed man
knows the creditors will not accept.
y great majority of the Readjusters
20 further than this, and propose
that il the creditors shall not accept
the offer, to leave them without
any redress.
Let Us look at this for moment.
The former State Credit men among
them have always agreed that we
owe the money and should pay it,
or at all events, settle upon terms
to be fixed by mutual consent. The
Low-taX men 1--WE use the express
sion in its well-understood sense)
say, no; we cannot and should not
pay, because we owe nothing. The
latter are to-day consistent with
their former professions, for even
for an insufficient reason they may,
in order to have an end to disputa-
tiOn, yield some part of their sup
posed rights. But how do the half
breeds 1--WE use the word in no Of
fensive sense) stand, and what a pit
liable position do they occupy?
They agree that we owe the
money and should pay it. Their
great leaders say this to-day, as they
have said II in written and spoken
words often in the past. So careful
are they of their reputation that
not one of them i'm public address
will dare omit the expression, "per-
sOnally, am i'm favor of the settle
ment made by the Legislature"
Now, some of these leaders have
filled grea. positions under the State
and National Government; some
are looking to these great positions
in the future, as reward for their
devotion TO the supposed interests
of the people, and the fair inference
is, they havesomeacquaintance with
our constitution and law. More
over, we take ii for granted that
they know something about the
universal law of civilized States.
They know that the bonds issued
by the State are property, as much
so as lands and houses, or money,
or stocks. They know, moreover,
that the holders of these bonds are
entitled to the same prntactinn- I'M
der the constitution of the State
and the universal law of civilization
rs the freeholder. They know be-
sides, that in this age and in the
light of its broad intelligence, that
the people who deliberately make
war against property rights bring
upon themselves the Just OOndem-
nation of mankind. They know
more than this; they know that
the State may, in the exercise of its
right Of eminent domain, take from
the citizens for its own use, lands,
houses, goods and chattels-prop-
erty of every kind, but never with
out making full compensation to
the owner, and that a mere arbitra-
ry exercise of this right, without
making compensation, is not only
illegal and Unconstitutional and inn
moral, but that all mankind will so
consider it. In other words, such
an act is neither more nor less than
confscatiOn. The government that
does it is regarded to be upon a par
with the semi-civilized nations of
the East, where money and wealth
Il boarded or sent away to escape
the arbitrary grasp of the ruler.
Now knowing all this, what do
they propose? They say we owe
the money; we shOHld pay the
money we believe the settlement
made with our creditors fair and
Just. and personally we favor main
tanning it. We believe it to be the
interest Of the State that the settle
ment shall stand. But-and there
is but-the interest of the Demo-
cratic party requires that the settle
ment shall not stand, that the debt
shall go unpaid, or forcibly be re-
dueed-in other words. that we
shall contiscate the property of other
men. And all for what ?-the in
tcrest OF the Democratic party.
And who makes up the Democrat
ic party i'm Tennessee The people
of the State, TO be sure. And how
are their interests to be promoted
10y 50 unjust, illegal and mOnstrous
an act. 1t will enable them to come
together and elect one of their num-
Der to be Governor; others to be
Senators and Representatives in
Congress and members Of the State
Legislature. Il this sufficient
reason, or rather, is it any reason at
all?
Let US look little further at il.
What is the affirmation 1.-THE
good of the people OF Tennessee re-
Iuires the Democratic party to
unite in order to elect certain per-
sons to office" This is all right il
is a proper thing for a party to be
well organized, and act harmOni-
OusIy in aid things; for parties i'm
free States are formed for the pur-
pose, among Others, of maintaining
the Constitution, enforcing the
laws, and protecting in his per- on
and property the humblest citizen.
Now IL the good of the people is
thus to be promoted, the action is
all right. Suppose, however, that
the "g0Od of the people" requires
A violation of the ordinary and
universally accepted laws of NOR
ality, or violation OF the COnstitu-
ton, or the cOnfiscatiOn Of property
and property rights. All, no; we
will moi even suppose that the pub