Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-07-25

Hon. n. Green. LII. d., In Cumberland
Presbyterian.

Il
Presbyterian.
i An able and influential politica
journal says: @No man can be indie
/ pendent in politics unless he be foo
rascal or selfish idler~ Another jour
nal asks aWhat would be though
of an independent saint c5-operatin,
with the devil p sfA a
A complete answer to the last poin
made is, that in questions of moral
there are but two sides. One is righ
and the other is rong. There is nj
middle ground, for we are told, "Y,
cannot serve God and mammon."
Will any man insist that there arr
but two sides to politics !? Can it be
that in this or any other country thers
are but two sets OF political tenets, ant
that every citizen must accept the
whole of the one and reject all of the
otherY Nonsense. Take any subject
which might enter into politics-the
tariff, for instance. One man might
be for absolutely free trade, another
| for moderate tax, third for high
protective tariff, and a fourth for the
lowest tax possible. The same might
be said of the whisky question. / am
for entire prohibition, you are for uni
yersal license, while u man just us
smart and good as either of us might
be for heavy tax, or moderate tax
with license to sell. So with every
other subject
Now, suppose neither of the great
parties should adopt my view. Sup
pose both should say they favor the
universal, free and unrestrained sale
of ardent spirits. 4Am la fool, or
rascal, or selfish idlerr because / de-
nounce both parties and refuse to sup
port either?
Another matter: In this country, as
fact, the difference between political
parties is not half so great as is the
difference between men. There have
been SO many rogues, and plunderers,
and time servers, and trinmers in
public positions, that many OF the peo-
pie are now far more concerned about
getting good man in office than they
are about getting Democrat or a Re-
publican. There is strong suspicion
among the people that mans politics
is not much of "A guarantee for his hon.
esty, his patriotism, or his purity. So
iOllS dc titC COdollblAblOll vi OlliICu
States and the Constitutions Of the diff
ferent states exist there is but little
danger OF either or any political party
doing the country much harm as par
ty. The Judiciary and the people them
selves will see that the elemental doc
trines are not disturbed. The real
danger is to be apprehended from
demagogues, rogues and selfish, bad
men. 1t is a good thing, therefore,
that there are men and journals who
are not afraid of the party hash. 1t is
well that there are men who are able
to think for themselves, and have the
courage to express their opinions,
though they be not III accord with this
or that great parity It is well that
there are those who have the nerve to
vote for a good man OF any party.
Washington uttered the famous
Principles, not men," In
these degenerate days it would be bet
ter to reverse it--"Men, not principles"
AS a rule, good men have good princi-
piles. Principles will take care OF them
selves. Men! men give us good men
The independent men and indepen-
dent newspapers don't mean to say
they are independent of God and all
in an absolute sense. They
don't mean that they will never vote
with either political party. They only
mean to say they have not sold out,
soul and body, to any set or sect. The
thinkers and voters in |
this country hold the balance of power. |
They certainly determined the last |
election, thinking to give
the country what they supposed was
leeded-,n honester government and /
more Independent administration.
The independent journals are import
mt sentinels. They watch all parties
md all men, and are generally the
irst to sound the note OF alarm when
In injury is threatened by either to
he body polite. Don't abuse the in
dependent.