Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-10
5 CEN S PER WEEK.
BRANDON BARKsDALE. PROPS.
Ex-President Van Buren, Also Wrote a

tor John q. Carlisle by the Courier
Journal as a presidential possibility
and the booming of Senator Nc
Pherson, of New Jersey, as Mr..
Cleveland's choice in case he cannot
get the nomination himself, brings to
mind the circumstances which con-
trOlled the nomination of James X.
Polk in 1874, which furnishes par
allel to the present situation, in view
of Mr.. Cleveland's silver letter.
1t will be remembered that ex-
President Van Buren, was the great
Democratic leader at that time. He
had the prestige of being a New
Yorker; he had given the country a
splendid administration; he was
backed by Gen. Jackson's warm sup
port, and his personal popularity
OvershadoWed that of any other man
in his party. No other man was
thought of for the Democratic nomi-
nation and no man was ever more
sensible or certain of his power and
Influence over the people. His
standing in the party was just the
same or stronger than that of eX-
President Cleveland previous to the
writing of his famous silver letter
several months ago.
Mr.. Van Buren,, believing no posi-
ton he might take on public policy
would affect his influence in the par
ty, wrote letter opposing the annex.
alton of Texas, which was criticised
very much, MS Mr.. Cleveland's silver
letter has been, with regret and sor-
row, but the press still held him up
for the nomination. Mr.. Polk, up to
that time, had been an aspirant for
the second place on the ticket with
Van Buren,. Gen. Jackson was
deeply grieved by Mr.. Van Buren's
Texas letter, and wrote him a kind
and feeling letter in regard to it,
telling him plainly that he could not
be elected if nominated, and that the
safety of the party was in looking to
the South or Southwest for candi-
date who favored the annexation of
Texas, and then he urged Mr.. Polk
to stand for the first place on the
ticket, which he did, and was nomi-
mated.
These are facts which we have
been permitted to CLEAN from
Mr.. Folks private letters to Hon.
Cave Johnson of this city, afterwards
member of Folks cabinet, which
are still in possession of friends here
the whole correspondence con-
tanned in the lengthy letters being
full, frank and marked strictly pri-
vate, and this is the first time these
facts have been given out. They
show conclusively that Mr.. Polk was
not only a candidate for the first
place on the ticket, but that he was
confidently expecting the nomina,
ton, knowing that Gen. Jackson had
broken with Mr.. Van Buren,, and was
behind the throne urging his (Polk's)
nomination, in private way, on his
personal friends.
There are also letters in this cores
pOndence written by Gen. Jackson
to Mr.. johnson, but not bearing di-
rectly on this question. Major Don
elson and Gen. Armstrong also took
an active part in behalf of Folks
nomination, but Gen. Jackson was
the moving power, being first to sug-
gest to Mr.. Polk that his name
should be put before the convention
for the first place and was chief in
managing the campaign. These let
tiers disprove absolutely the state
ments recently given out by Boston
paper on the authority of promi
nent Tennessean that Jackson was
opposed to Polk s nomination. This
establishes the parallel.
History repeats itself. Just as
Gen. jackson advised in Mr.. Van
Buren's case, Mr.. Cleveland's silver
letter has not destroyed the admira-
ton of the people for the man, but
ii has destroyed his availability as a
candidate because the South and
West have determined on free silver
and have too much common sense 10
nominate for the presidency man of
Mr.. Cleveland's strong convictions,
bitterly opposed to the measure. Mr..
Carlisle is one of the foremost states.
men in America he is in the lead of
Mr.. Cleveland on the tariff issue he
is with the South and West on the
silver issue, belongs to both the West
and South and bears national fame
for his integrity, ability and conser-
vative craftsmanship. Why should
he not, like Polk, prove a winning
candidate
They All Failed.