Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-27
COLONEL BOLES.
A Champion RadieaI-A Specimen Of
his EIOquence.


Some time since we had occasion to refer
to John Boles, the Radical candidate for
State Senator in OYerton county, as 'the
most stupid, ignorant and brutal person
that ever occupied a seat in the Tennessee
Legislature" His stupidity and ignorance
were displayed in that body-and his bru
tally was developed during the war when
he was in the bushes with Tinker Dave
Beatty and others, killing and robbing in
nocent people, The Press and Times, of
yesterday, contains what it calls "a gallant
defense of Col Boles," from which it would
appear that he is really a very great man
and orator, high-priest in the Radical
temple.
This man Boles was in the Senate of Ten
nessee in 1866. 1t happened that Flet-
cher, the present Secretary Of State and
acting Governor, was also a member at the
same time During the session bill was
brought forward to establish a new Judicial
circuit, which included portion of Boles'
Senatorial district. He opposed the bill in
a speech, which we give below as a speci-
men of his oratory 10 was reported By
Fletcher and furnished to Bro'onlows Wing
in which it originally appeared. Fletcher
says that Boles admitted that this is faith
fol report of the speech. 1t entities him
to a high rank among the Radical states
men of the day:
Mr. Boles said Mr.. Speaker, l am agin
this ere bill; believe it's bad bill, and
Pm agin ali sich. / represent the bones
and sinners Of my sinitorial district;
ripresent the common people; / didn't
come here, Mr.. Speaker, to represent rufile
shirts and high top boots, nor lawyers 'spe-
cially. Now, Mister Speaker, this ere bill
is got up and fotch about by fellers wearin'
rutfie shirts and high top boots. These
ere Judges, when they was elected, rid all
over the district, 'lectioneerin' to git the
Judges places, and they were elected now
didn't they trade with the people and make
a bargain with the people, Mister Speaker,
that if the people would give EN- the
Judges places, they would do the peoples
business for 'em, and now, sir, what do you
see, sir? Why, sir, Sinitors come up here
and tell you, sir, that the work they prom
Used to do for the people is too big, and
they ak the Sinit to make their work lit
tier. Now, Mister Speaker, these 'ere
Judges have not complained, that | have
heard Of The people in my district are
opposed to giving bigger salaries, and /
promised to vote agln all SIGH. Sir: Mister
Speaker, | want 'em to stick to their bar
gins-I want no legislashun for facshuns-
Pm agin all sich-I am, sir have been
to this Legislator before, and every time |
see that members cum here to legislate for
SIGH people, the common people git nothin'
done for them. My people are all crying
out agin high salleries to SIGH people, and
Pm in favor of reducin' their pay, sir. |
want 'em to stick to their bargins, sir; and
/ want to take away part Of their pay.
Mr.. Speaker, is there a Sinator on this hon
orable floor, sir, thaPll vote for this ERE
bill? If there is Sinator on this honora-
bic floor, Mr.. Speaker, in favor Of this ere
bill, I'll be bound, sir, he's a lawyer.
| introduced bill here, Mr.. Speaker, on
this honorable floor, some time ago, givin'
money to Scott county to build bridges over
her rivers and cricks. The Sinit voted it
down, sir. | introduced resolution then
akin Congress to Civ the people of Scott
county money TO build their bridges over
their cricks, and the Sinit voted that down
too, sir.
move to strike out Scott county out NV
the bill, because, Mr. Speaker, the Judges
and lawyers can't git there to court, sir,
with their high top boots and ruffled shirts
they'd all git drowned, and the reason, l
don't want 'em to git drowned, is because
they'd all go to torment. They're not pre-
pared to be drowned, and l ak every lawyer
to help me to kill this ere bill.
Mr.. Speaker, I'm an onliterate man, sir.
l never went to school but one piece of a
day in my life. I've got no larnin', sir.
Which l didn't come here for to legislate
for people of larnin'; Which, I'm agin this
bill; 'ohich Pm aginst all SIGH; lohich, the
mountain people is agin all SIGH; which
will be dream upon the treasury; which |
move the ondefnit postponement Nv the
bill and mendments which / call for the
ayes and noes. Mr.. Speaker, Pm agin all
SIGH, world without eend p
ANOTHER SPECIMEN.
On a subsequent occasion a bill to pre-
vent the sale of ardent spirits to students
in colleges, came up for consideration, when
Senator Boles opposed it with all his pow
ers, concluding thus:
Mister Speaker-Sir, Pm sgin all bills
intorferin' 10 the Ticker traffic. Sir, I'm agiD
this here thing of hridgin' a mans liber
ties. Sir, it would be as impossible TO keep
men from drinking Ticker when they take
a hankerin' after it, asto tote bushel basket
full Of asas mile and half and not
let none Of en- Jump ont That's what it
wood