Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-10-12
THE PRIMARY QUESTION.

The CHRONICLE did not arraign
the Democrat for "high crimes and
misdemeanors" as stated in its issue
of Thursday, but stated and repeats
that 1t has been kickingateverything
done by the Democratic Convention
and Committee selected and appoint
ed in the usual way and pursuing
the course always heretofore pursued
by conventions and committees in
this county. One Of the crimes 1t
mentions is its "insisting upon an
expression of the approval from the
candidates of the platform upon which
they were nominated" 1t is a well
known fact to everybody, and espe-
cially to the Democrat, who had a
reporter present, that when the can
didates for the Legislature were NOM
mated, that a committee was appoint
ed to wait upon them and notify
them of their nomination, and that
the committee brought Mr. Corban
before the convention and he, then
and there, publicly accepted the nom
.ination and pledged himself to stand
upon the platform adopted, and that
Mr.. Goodpasture was not in the
county, and yet the Democrat refused
for a long time to give its support to
Mr.. Corban. Mr.. Gpodpasture, when
ne accepted the nomination, also
pledged himself to stand on the plat
form,
The Democrat and not the CHRoN-
;ICLE is the one who has fallen into q
"grave error" This error of the
Democrat Us in assuming thGt it is
the people, andhas full contrG of the
party and people of the county. We
insisted and still insist that when 9
convention is legally and pablicly
called, and the people are fully rep
resented in the convention, tfat the
convention is more likely to know
the wishes of the people of the county
than the Democrat. That this very
question of a senator wgs as hotly
contested then as now, and that j
the people had desired a PRIMARY thu
convention knew it and should have
called it. 1t insisted as strenliarlsls
then, Mat the convention did no
represent the people in the selection
.of cantiidates, although they received
itwo-thirds OF the votes cast, and tis1
Democrats candidates only received
item out of Gifty-one votes, as itInow
docs that the people desire primary
TT Is the same old cry which has al
ways been made against the actor
sEf conventions by the parties defeatei
inthe convention, and the same spirit
of rule or ruin manifested. We d.
MOI believe the people of the county
desire a primary. We again stat
that the primaries called in othe
HOuEHItS WttC CAItSu Wy tAS Wi WIN
tons. who under the usages of tn,
party are, at least, supposed to know
the wishes OF those they represent
and not by the executive committees
The Democrat chaGges that the com
mittee has assumed powers not dele
gated to it and exercised by them il
an unlawful manner, and is a "des
potic body assuming unlimited pow
err" and proposes to desose 1T. Wha
mower has the committee assumed
and exercised in an unlawful man
ner? 1t has done nothing justifyin;
such a censure. 4 question was sub
mitted TO ii of calling primary cleo
tion for United States senator, wit
which they have nothing to do an
they simply declined to call it at tn
request of the Democrat. believing
was not best for the interest OF tn
Democratic party, and that the Part
did not desire 1t.
The Democrat says it never oolee'
10 those in lawful authority unie>