The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1866-09-08
Enthusiasm and Concert Of Action
Old Hardeman Right Side Up!
Smith Repudiated

of this county assembled in convention at
this place on last Monday, for the purpose of
taking some action in regard to important
political events that have and are transpir-
ing by eleven o'clock A. IL at least one
thousand persons had arrived in town, and
steps were Immediately taken to have the
masses assemble at some convenient spot
whore the business which was to be brought
before them could be transacted The Sc
lection made was the court room but was
soon ascertained that it was inadequate to
accommodate the vast assembly, and a sug-
gestion made by some one, that eve
move into the street was acted upon. Who's
going to speak p was eagerly asked on all
hands, and as hurriedly answered, "Idon't
know
The speakers who had been invited to be
present, having failed, from causes best
known to themselves, to attend Soon Maj J.
II. Bills assembled the platform in the rear Of
the old stand 50 long occupied by him a
merchant, and moved that Hon. J. L. Ros-
son, of Pocahontas be called to the Chair.
The motion was promptly seconded, and as
promptly putand unanimously carried Cap
tain Rosson then appeared on the platform,
and in his peculiar and forcible style, adj
dressed the Convention as follows:
Felloto Citizens Of Hardeman county, and
gentlemen Of the Cono@stio,r: feel at a loss
for language to expresses, in suitable terms,
the gratitude and profound thanks 1 feel for
the honor you have conferred by calling on
me to preside over your deliberations on this
occasion Not that ! am vain enough to be-
leive | can do so more probably nor as
much so as many other gentlemen I see pres
ent but because l feel heart and soul in
sympathy with the objects and purposes of
this Convention, and do not feel at liberty
TO decline any position you in your kindness
may think proper to tender me as an hum
BILE member
The object and purposes Of our conven-
ton to-day, my fellow-citizens, so far as
understand them, is that of expressing pub
licly, our opinions in relation to the action
of the late Philadelphia Convention, and in
in relation to the policy and purposes of the
President Of the United States in his great
struggle to restore the Government to all its
Constitutional relations, and in fact, to ex-
press our opinions freely in relation to pub
lie men and public, measures generally, so far
as we may think proper to call them in ques-
ton. For these purposes, my fellow-citizens,
we are here to-day, and l am pround to meet
SO large a collection of my countymen on
such an occasion is evidence conclusive,
to me, that you feel deep and lively inter
est in the present unhappy condition of a
once prosperous and happy country and peo-
pie, and that you feel and know that it is a
right guaranteed to you by the Constitution
and laws of your county, and it does seem
to me, that if there ever was time, and ever
was people that should exercise that right
freely and fully, it is the people of the proud
old State of Tennessee, to-day people
borne down by oppression, taxation and
usurpation too intolerabIe to be borne, and
denied your Constitutional right Of protec-
ton at the ballot box-dislranchised and
tyranised over by the most contemplate lit
tie petty despotism shat ever disgraced any
portion Of Gods heritage. These remarks
of course, apply principally, to our State
government, as at present administered.
may be travelling out of the legitimate OBJ
iects and purposes of the Convention but i
is for you to judge of the propriety or i'm
propriety Of such action | only make the
suggestion.
In relation to the late Philadelphia Con
vention, my fellow-citisens, think their &C
ton is entitled to our unqualified indorse
ment and think can see the evidence o
great good that may result from it. Wher
see such an uprising of the people from
every State and every Territory in the Unior
the largest convocation of statesmen eve1
convened on the continent of America
and when | hear them proclaiming such
set of principles and supported by such ar
guments as is contained in their address t,
the American people, and when l see al
uprising of the people all over the countr,
to indorse their action, think L can see re
fected from it into the political elements o
the country, a bow of promise more brigh
than any thing that has appeared to my Wis
ion for the last ten years. les, my fellow
citizens, | feel more confidence in the res
toration, preservation and perpetuation O
our republican form of government than
have for years before. True the action o
that convention in some of its phraseology
may not be all that some Of US might wish
but when taken as a whole, it does seem t
be the best we could expect under all th
circumstances in fact, the very thing for tn
occasion, and therefore entitled to our IN
qualified approval.
Now my feliow-citizens, in relation to tn
President of the United States 1t is wei
known to many of you that in days and year
gone by, that ! have not been numbere,
among the devotees of Andy Johnson; never
theless, was always ready to ascribe to hin
high order Of ability bat am ready to-da.
to ascribe to him not only high order o
ability but an exalted patriotism and firm