The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-11-04
A POLITICAL CORRESPONDENCE
SENATE CHAMBER,
NASHVILLE 0ctohar 10 lS1l

NASHVILLE, October 10, 1871.
To the Hon. EPHRAM Ii FosrEa:
SIR The undersigned, members Of the Senate Of
the General Assembly of the State OF Tennessee,
now in session. being majority Of that body under
standing that your will be presented 10 their
consideration a candidate for the Senate Of the
United States, respectfully request you inform them
in writing what your opinions are the following
subjects viz:
l. Do you approve an act passed at the late extra
session of Congress entitled !" An act 10 establish
uniform system Of bankruptcy throughout the United
States and will you, if elected to the Senate, vote TO
repeal the same?
q Do you approve an act passed at the late extra
session Of Congress, entitled An act TO appropriate
the proceeds Of the sales of the public lands and TO
grant presumption rights" commonly called the dstri
button BILL and if elected the Senate of the United
States, will you vote TO repeal the same
DO you approve act passed at the late extra
session of Congress entitled An act relating to
duties and drawbacks, commonly called the tax bill,
by which increased taxes laid salt food and
clio hing, and other Decessaries of life and if elected
TO the Senate of the United States will YOU vote to
repeal he same z
4 Do you approve act passed at the late extra
session OF Congress, entitled An act authorizing
loan not exceeding twelve millions Of dollars" and, if
elected will you vote against the bill TO be introduced
al the session Of Cong ress Of which notice has
been given by Henry Clay, a Senator from Ken
lucky to increase the debt created by the above
sixteen millions of dollars in addition the said twelve
millions
s. Do you approve a bill passed at the late extra
session Of Congress, entitled A bill to incorporate
the subscribers to the Fiscal Bank of the United
States, and bill entitled "A bill to provide for the
collection, safe keeping and disbursement of the pub
lie revenue, by means of Corporation to be styled
the Fiscal Corporation of the United States; !" both
OF which bills were vetoed by the President of the
United States; and if you do not approve Of either or
both Of said bills are you in favor of United States
Bank and If so, are you in favor of Bank in which
tn hnl. ,nfI
the shares
o. Do you approve Of act passed at the late extIa
session Of Congress- entitled An for the relief of
Mrs HARRISON widow of the late President of the
United States" by which large don alton was made
oa private person out Of the public Treasury; and
do you hold that said act constitutional and, if
so 40 you hold that the same was proper and eIpedi-
ent :?
T. Do you admit the right Of the General Assembly
as constituent body TO instruct Senators in Congress-
and their duty, when instructed TO obey resignl
The undersigned deem it proper to state to you that
they are opposed TO permitting an election to take
place for filling the two vacant seats in the Senate OF
the United States from this State until full and salts
factory answers received in writing from each per
who is may become candidate for either Of said
vacant seasand copies Of this letter will be address
ed to all such persons and answers required before said
election takes place.
The undersigned are, very respectfully, your obe
dent servants
(Signed by Samuel Turney, S. P. Hardwicke, Sam
uel II. Laughlin, Thomas J, Matthews, A. John
son, Richard Warner, w. L. Ross Sackfeld Mac
lin, John Miller, Robert w. Powell, b. Martin,
John A. Gardner Richard Warehouse
NASHVILLE, October 81, lS4l
GENTLEMEs: have to acknowledge your letter of
the 18TH instant, propounding for my consideration
sundry grave questions of public policy and requiring
to enighten your minds by 'full and satsfacto.
ry reply, or in the opposite alternative, leaving me to
anticipate the indefinite postponement of election
which involves the sacred rights of the People OF Ten
nessee in the principal councils Of the nation and
is imperavey enjoined by the letter of the Consti-
| tuition.
| may lament gentlemen, bu, fear Icannot relieve
the anxieiies which to emhaass your movements
and threaten to dsappont the public expectation, by
retardng the execution of great and important duty
To promise otherwise would be to speak against 'the
lights before me-" and to labor against hope itself
For years past it has been my lot struggle in
fare where the country will bear witness scorn-
ed alike to soop to concealment beg for quarters
During that eventful conflict in the length and fer
vency of the repeated interviews had the honor Of
holding with some Of you and in the frequent oppor-
tunities you all had of reading and hearing senti
ments endeavored to proclaim my opinions and de-
clare my political associations If after all this do not
yet sufficiently understand each other must certain
y be the result of tncorrigible duiness somewhere
and as make il point never to be outdone in man
ners, must suppose, as matter of poteness, take
the fault to myself and you against imputa
ton which would wound the pride Of your constitu-
ents and derogae from the dignity of the Senatorial
gown. But excuse now, gentlemen, if you please.
trutess labor is apt to discourage further tolls mat
ter where the difficulty lies and feel myself compel
led, in all due humility to decline the explanations
have hitherto failed TO impress upon your inteects.-
Nevertheless by your leave gentlemen, may tender
my profound acknowledgements for the diSihter ested
candor which dictated your communication and in be-
1 halt OF my own imbeclliiy, implore that charity
would be the last 10 mpeach or assai
| word or two more gentlemen, in all good sober
ness shall close what have 10 say on the present oc-
| cason. They called for by considerations alto
gether foreign TO my political creed whatever it may
be- and cannot be omitted by any who feels that
office be honorably held unless it be homo
| raby sought for and honorably obtained
Considering that Incorporating poll ical
adversaries-lor such TO me you will admit the
whole thirteen of the seconstituted and august in
quest am now addresslng-you have decenty yelled
but hardly excused extraordinary liberty by the
elevated position you have been pleased to assign
1t remains to be seen whether stand alone before
patriotic inqusion, who i is, friend foe, that
shares with me the honors of your scrutiny: You
doubtless know of some who have placed themselves
sfeaihily, if not publicly in the category you have
imposed upon me, and as | am bound to believe that
you are " aall honorable men, trust you will not
have failed to visit these with similar searchings. Al
though some of them may be at the bottom, the very
bottom of your counses--the sacred office you have
honorably and voluntarily assumed, will not excuse
the least partially. They should be held on high
am, so that just and equal exposure may the
public of their men, and enable midday ambition to
scan by times the steel il may have 10 encounter.
Whether or no shall be candidate for one of the
vacant seats in the Senate Of the United States now
at the disposal of the Legislature of Tennessee, may
depend upon more uncertainties than the contingent
CIV of life itself will on that score at least, cndea
vor to measure my ambition by the desires of those
whose political fortunes--good bad--sut me inf
ntely better than yours and, whilst am free to adj
init that majority of those friends may command my
name can declare, in equal frankness that poor and
humble as am, my enemies possess neither power to
deter nor wealth nor honorS enough to purchase me