Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-06-02

r., ,,r,E plJBIiC GENERA LILY, AND TO I'd e AMER
fcAN PARTY IN PARftcUlAk, WITHIN THE
i.nv vIfI n cilNli RESSIlNAi. nl.1TllICT.

American Patty, upon what authority iholsted the
name of Col Sneed in my last issne as candidate
for Congress The asking OF this question, and the
itierance OF other things connected with this same
subject, have led me to answer fully the interroga-
tory, and to disclose to the members of the Amer
can Party facts which | believe they are entitled
to full kno Wedge of, aud which can only be
given uuder the head of OFFICIAL INSTRUCTION
Z Mr.. Parsons, member of the American Party
and q Deputy Of the Order for all East Tennessee,
was the first man in the district TO announce himself
q candidate for Congress, and this he had perfect
right to do But when he announced himself, he
said in thesame paper that he would be subject to
Convention" Taking this position was proper
enough for him, as he refused two years ago to
support any man who was not endorsed by con-
vention, and was on committee wnch appointed
Hist of delegates to the Clinton Convention
Meanwhile, Col Sneed, Gen. Bratcher, and Mr.
Goodpasture, all members OF the same American
party, announced themselves as candidates, and
this they had perfect right to do. The friends OF
Mr. Goodpasture held meeting in Overton county,
and called District Convention, naming Clinton
as the place of holding it. and certain day IN April
as the day. The friends of Col Sneed accepted
the proposition, and agreed to the time and place
designated, and convention of twenty-five dele.
gates met, members of the American party, and
adopted but one resolution, embodying the Ameri-
can Platform, and after nominating Col. Sneed by
a unanimous vote, he accepted, and took his stand
upon the platform.
Mr.. Parsons changed his announcement in the
paper, and refused to abide the action of conven-
ton, and said in public speech in my hearing
that he would "snap has finger an the face Of such
Convention He then instituted correspondence
with Col Sneed, and asked him to submit their
claims to the Wigs of tbs District at the Military
election to come off, This Col Sneed declined de-
ing, mainly on the ground that it would be a great
display of arrogance in him AID Parsons to assume
that they were the only two candidates in tie
field, and that Bratcher and Goodpasture were no.
body and nowhere Since all this transpired, Mr..
Parsons has called upon the Democracy to vote
against Mr.. Sneed, because he was nominated by
a WHO Convention at Clinton, although that Con-
vention said not one word about Wings or Demo-
Gratis and adopted the American Platform, of which
party the delegates were menbersl
After all this an election was ordered to be Ia
ken among the members of the Order, according
to their rules and regulations, and this order was
made by two Presidents of two Councils in Knox
county, in printed circular, both the active and
devoted friends Of Parsons, having more author
ity to order such election than any two Presi-
dents in Overton, Campbell, Anderson, or any
other county n the District, and rtanly less
thorty than the twenty-five members of the Or
der who made the nomination at Clintoni Mr.
Parsons may have felt the delicacy of his position
as candidate, and officer in a subordinate Council
and the Deputy for this end of the State-s deli
cacy which he ought to have realized sooner than
he did-for the Council of which he was mem
Der, calling upon hm to resign his Depuyship, his
candidacy, or his office in that Council and it was
not until after this eventful occurrence that he
went out of the office of deputy and had success
sor appointed.
Well, member of the Order in this city, told
member in Granger, that the vote had been taken
in this county, and resulted in giving Parsons $780,
and Sneed 1901! Now, l claim to have been
member of the committee Of three, appointed TO
| receive and compare that vote, aud / avow two
things on my own responsibility there
were not 800 votes poled and next, as far as the
| vote was taken and reported to US, on the day
| appointed to count out the same, mainly in other
elections out Of the eleuen Councils returned, Par
| sons was liz ahead in this county. He may have
been further ahead, as other Councils had not
ported-this was the official vote
From elevea Councils only, in the other counties
of the District, have returns been received, and
these show a majority for Sneed of l3l, giving
him the nomination by 20 votes. / have private
letters informing of other Councils going for
Sneed almost unanimously, but these have not
come to hand. A word of explanation is here in
point. With portion of the orders going out and
ordering this election verbal message was also
taken, to the effect that Sneed utterly refused to
the only man no had submitted 10 the Council OF
IUhcl he member, qcritten pledge to abide
by the action OF the Order acLen flirly and Legally
taken The friends of Sneed protested against
this election ordered by gentlemen who had no
authori TO do 90, and which had progressed for
several days before they even knew of it. The
election was arrested by the official action of the
friends of both parties, and ordered to be taken
again, and although the friends Of Sneed pledged
both him and themselves in open Council, plainly,
positively, and unequivocaly, to abide by the
ton of the Order in this election now pending,
when fairly aud legally had, still, both Sneed and
his friends are insulted daily, by eng asked if he
intends to submit to the action of the Order
This great solicitude to know whether Sneed
and his friends intendedlo abide by the agreement,
in this case, may have proceeded from knowl-
edge on the part of those making the inquiry
that one Council, of which an influential and res
pected Preacher was President, had been insulted,
and said to be working out of order because, for
sooth they had declared themselves for Sneed!-
1t may have arisen from their knowledge of an
other fact, that neighborhoods known to be friend
ly to Sneed, have been unable, after repeated eff
forts, to obtain charters and books, to organize
Councils Again, it may have grown out OF their
knowledge of amost hnmilisting fact, that Sneed
and his friends were aware of men being taken
into the woods on Sabbath, away from Divine
ship, and called upon for their votes against Snee6
Or, if the reader please it may have grown out of
guilty knowledge of men being authorized to
initiate members, who were not officers of Conn-
ellis and fear that Sneed and bis friends would not
submit to such modes of action
Sneed and his friends certainly will not submit
to series Of such outrages as these, and others,
which prudence forbids the mention of in this
way. But they will abide by the action of the
majority, when fairly and constitutionally ex
pressed"
As friend and advocate Of the Order, am de-
termined that the members in this District shall
know what Regulations the State Council have
adopted for the guidance of members in the nomi-
nation of candidates. Here they are-they cannot
be misunderstood, and they must be complied with:
ARTICLE VI.
SEC. l. In all nominations of candid ates for
civil, political or judicial officers, each member of
this order shall have the privilege of voting direct
ly by ballot for the person he may wish to desig
nate for each Office.
SEC. 2. When nominations are 10 be made, the
polls shall be opened in each Council at least thirty
rays previous to the time when the election is to
occur, and the Secretary shall keep poll list,
which shall be open to the inspection OF the
bers to ascertain who have voted and who have
not; and if practicable, every member of the COun-
Gil shall be allowed an opportunity to vote before
the balloting shall close.
SEC 3. In the nominations of officers for the |
State at large, the votes in7 the subordinate Cour
ellis shall be returned to the State Council where