Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-06-27
THE OUTLOOK IN TENNESSEE.
The Cat in the Clarksville Meal
Tub.
Talk That Bailey is After Har-
rls' Seat.
Courier-Journal, Is.

With the Tennessee debt question,
the country at large concerns itself but |
little. To the Tennesseans it absorbs
every other interest. Yetit is certain
that the Tennessee Republicans have
played with the question as a cat plays |
with ball, and that there has been no |
time when they we're not prepared to
take the side OF it which promised to
pay best. Only the Tennessee Demo-
Gratis have been divided and purpose
less, exciting themselves over details,
which, at distance, seem out of pro
portion to the character and extent of
the dispute.
In discussing the situation Of affairs
in Tennessee during the progress OF
the canvass, which has Just begun, we
shall not trouble ourselves with The
complications Of this debt question. 1t
properly belongs to the Legislature.
Taking little stock in the local por-
tions Of the platform adopted by the
late Democratic Convention, which
indeed do not concern US, the Courier
journal will support the nomination
and election OF General Bate upon
grounds of public and Democratic
policy, which far outrun the limits of
Tennessee. The convention (which
nominated him was undoubtedly a
regular, authorized and repro sentative
Democratic body. He is himself an
orthodox Democrat of unque' toned
integrity aud ability. If the boilers
put ticket in the field. they cannot
hope to get 1.-THE of the Democratic
vote, and their object can only be the
election of Hawkins. With such a
scheme no Democrat can sympathize,
and. we are sure, that, before the llth
Of July, the time appointed for the
boilers conference, those of them who
are really Democrats will abandon a
position which is at once illogical and
untenable.
A correspondent, writing us from
Columbia, tells US that ex Senator
Bailey, of GAINESVILLE, is the real cat
in the meal tub, and that his idea is
to secure half dozen Independent
Democrats in the next Legislature,
who may return him to the seat
in the United States SEN
ate, which he lost two years ago.
There is nothing in the character or
antecedents of Colonel Bailey to con
tradict the FEASIBILITY Of this theory,
although, to achieve the end suggested,
be would have to sacrifice and displace
bis old friend and patron, Governor
Harris. But, one thing is certain, if
it can be carried out, it means such a
union in Tennessee between Bailey
and the Republicans as we have seen
in Virginia between Malone and the
Republicans, with simply o reversal
Of the terms. All such bar ,ains inure
to the benefit of the Republicans, and
are reached at the cost Of the Demo
Gratis. If our correspondent is wrong
in his surmise, we shall be glad to
hear it. But, if he is right, the Dem
ocrats of Tennessee ought to be
warned In time, so that they may
know precisely what awaits them in
certain contingencies covered BY the
alliance named.
The Tennessee debt question cannot
last forever 1t is temporary in its
conditions and local in its bearings.
The honor of Tennessee is no more
involved in the settlement made by
the last Legislature than in the settle
ment proposed by the just adjourned
Democratic Convention. In either
event, it is partial reputation. Mean
while, the Democratic party. outside
Of Tennessee, can not fail to look
with anxiety upon division, which
may loose US the State in the
next Presidential contest. They soc
IN General Bate a tried and true
national Democrat. They believe he
was fairly nominated by fairly con-
Stituted convention. They want him
elected, and he will have the moral
support OF the party throughout the
Union. AT long range, it is moon
ceivable that, between a choice Of
modes of reputation, Democrats
should, for a master Of ten cents.
deliberately prefer the Republican TO
the Democratic nominee,
At present it looks as Il the proenos-
tication Of our UOlumbie correspond
ent will 20 realized, and that when
the canvass is fairly started ii will de-
yelop a triangular fight between the
Democrats, the Republicans and the
gailgoadarS,