Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-06-24
THE RESULT or THE CONVENTION

Our readers will learn with very
serious concern that the State DEM
ocratic Convention, held this week
in Nashville, did not succeed in re-
uniting the party which had been
divided by differences regarding
the State debt. While we deplore
the result, truth and justice require
us to exonerate the gentlemen who
felt constrained to Withdraw from
the convention of all responsibility
for it.
Our friends known as State credit
men went to the convention under
the conviction that to reverse the
settlement made by the present
Legislature would be a breach of
faith with the States creditors,
which they could not in conscience
perpetrate; but, in the interest of
harmony, they agreed that even
this should be left an open question
in the platform for the people to
decide in the approaching election,
but the manner in which this and all
other OVertures were met soon made
it manifest that harmony was no
purpose with the men to whom
they were offered. Nothing was
then left but to await their PROPOSE
tons. They came in the form of
the reported resolutions from the
platform committee, which can be
seen III another column. Their
most prominent feature is the com.
plete separation into two separate
categories of what they call the
debt proper and the railroad debt,
implying that the one was n liabil-
ity that could not be disputed, the
other, one that might or might not
be liquidated according TO mems
views of expediency. This alone
would have been an impossible po-
sition for men to accept who stood
upon the affirmations by the DEM
ocratic party of the validity of the
debt made ever since the people of
| the STATE rt,gainf,d control of lis af-
fairs. But a stronger objection eX-
isted to their condemnation of the
settlement made by the existing
Legislature. All expOstulations
| failed 10 induce them even to leave
this as an open question and lastly
according to the original drafts, all
interest arcruing during the war was
condemned.
The Democratic party is based
upon definite principles publicly
stated in convention after conven-
ton, and our friends hold that they
could not go back on these princi-
pies and continue to be Democrats,
on the adoption OF the platform
therefore they had no course before
them but to withdraw, which they
did after brief speech from Col.
Cooper, defining their position.
This meccssitated a conference of
| those who had withdrawn, and it
took place on Thursday morning.
AT first the meeting was appointed
for the Senate chamber, which be-
/ ing found too small for the thrOng-
| ing Democrats, the meeting adj
journed TO the hall of Representa-
tiveS, whel e the meeting was called
to order by Capt. John w. Chill
dress, chairman of the State Demo-
cratic Executive committee.
Mr.. Campbell Brown, of Maury,
being temporarily called to the
chair, ana Mr.. l.. d. Cardwell tenn
pOrary secretary, a committee on
per lament organization moved for
by DR.. Is. l.. @. White declared
General w. III. Jackson, OF David
son, permanent chairman, and
Mr.. w. y. Carter, ri Maury, per-
manent secretary.
We have no spice for the stirring
speeches made by Gen. Jackson,
Col. Cooper, DR.. White, Mr.. Doak,
Col. j. +. Bailey and others, and
can only state that, by resolutions
brought in by Col. Bailey as chair
man of a committee appointed for
this purpose, the following princi-
pies We're agreed upon:
The platform nf 1880 re-aflirned.
The settlement Of the present Leg
| islature adhered to.
The appointment Of an executive
cOmmitte which shall call con-
ventiOn Ofthe true DemOcra 5 of the
State to meet on the 18th of July
to nominate candidate for Gov
ernOE.