Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-06-28

The CHRGEIcLE said Last week that |
the row in the Nashville Convention
was caused by the disposition on the
part of the majority to &kick out
Colyar," by framing tariff resolution
which he and his adherents would
find it difficult to adopt
This assertion should probably have
been qualified by limiting the charge
made to the leaders of the majority.
There were doubtless many honest
delegates with the majority who voted
their convictions for principle sake,
and from no feeling of animosity to
their opponents.
These same honest delegates didn't
desire row, and would have agreed
to any reasonable measure to have
insured harmony. This is evidenced
by the fact that when the motion was
made to lay all resolutions pertaining
to the tariff ON the table, the vote, as
counted, stood 6444 against 678 for the
motion. The motion was, in fact,
carried. The 81 votes of Lincoln
county were counted wrong and the
chair ruled against having them
changed. The chair also ruled out of
order motion made by Hon. George
b. Peters of Memphis, that had SIM
liar purport to the one just mention
ed.
The mass of delegates who compos-
ed the convention would have easily
agreed, but the leaders in the battle
against the Ohio idea were very de-
termined in their hostility to those
who supported it and wanted no plat
form that would afford their opponents
standing ground.
The compromise resolution which
Hon. w. G. Whithorne introduced
was liberal enough for all Democrats
to have agreed TO, but for that very
reason MIR. John J. Vertrees was ON
his feet in a minute to oppose it, and
Frank Wilson played ON the stupidity
of an East Tennessee Delegate to de-
wise means for its defeat aI
This is the Whithorne resolution:
Resolved, That we favor a tariff for
revenue adequate 10 the wants of the
general government economically adj
ministered, and 90 adjusted in its
details within the limits of such rev.
enue as to give fair and reasonable en-
couragement to the great agricultural,
commercial, mechanical and manufac-
turing industries of this country, but
not TO promote monopOlies."
No reasonable objection can be
urged to this resolution. 1t is in the
language of the celebrated Kane letter
of James K. Polk. Messrs. Vertrees &
Co. opposed it simply because it was
acceptable to the minority, and it was
their game to drive the minority to
the wall.
II the Democratic party is going
before the country in the attitude of
an enemy ito the great agricultural,
commercial, mechanical and manufac-
turing industries" it will go as party
that quotes defeat and would merit
the clubbing it would be certain to
receive. Yet the defeating of such
resolution as the above by Democrat
ic convention would seem to indicate
that such was the position of the par
ty.
The resolution would have carried
by large majority if it had ever come
to vote, and it was the chicanery of
that eminent patriot, Frank Wilson,
that prevented it from doing so.
III the committee on resolutions had
introduced such declaration to begin
with there would never have been any
row. 1t would have been adopted
Immediately without any wrangling
and everybody would have gone home
happy, prepared to join hands in the
fight against the Republicans. The
implacables succeeded in "beating
Colyar," but they raised great deal of
bad blood in the party. ....,