The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1867-06-07
Speaking at JOnesbOrOngh.

Last Wednesday was a bright and beauti-
full day; not a cloud obscured the heavens,
and nature smiled in all her loneliness and
beauty. At an early hour the magnificent
banner belonging to the Union League at
this place, upon which is inscribed ain the
Radical Congress is our only safety" was
thrown to the beeze, which excited the adj
miration and enthusiasm Of the sovereigDs
to the highest degree as they poured in from
every quarter. The sparkling eyes and
beaming countenances, and the detected
looks and melancholy visages told as plain
as human tongue could delare the political
status Of the crowd.
Hon. Emerson Etheridge, the Conservative
candidate for Governor refused from the first
- divide time. A committee Of gentlemen
representing the Radical party called upon
him the evening previous, requesting a dis
c%ussion Of the political Issues Of the day,
openly, fairly and candidly. To this com
mitiee be responded in the negative. Every
means was used to have a discussion but
be pers.stently refused, showing conclusive
" that be was afraid to meet the issues, or
be had come into this Radical stronghold to
act the part of a bully.
At half past II o'clock Etheridge repaired
to the Court House and harangued his hear
ers for " hours or more. We heard the
beginning Of his speech but to save our life
could not tel! what be was driving at. He
comnitted himselfto a most glaring incoE-
s]islency, asserting he did not speak for tue
rebels, did not plead for she rebels, and cared
nothing about the rebels, and at the same
time be is running upon a platform the third
plank of which says in 50 many words that
the DISTINGUISHED citizens Of Tennessee should
be Immediately restored to the full rights,
immunities and privileges Of citizenship
As u matter of course be denounced the
Radicals with great bitterness aad yehemence
and charged upon them corruption, fraud
and sX,rayaqanee, and proved bis assertions
with just such Il train Of arguments as would
be H]sceislry to convince a man Of perfect
eight that the darkest Ethiopeln can change
his colour to alabaster whiteness, and the sun
be stopped in his course by shooting arrows
at his glowing disc. From sheer curiosity
we counted Mr. Etheridge's audience, which
wa. one hundred and eighty-siE, one fourth
Of which We know certainly to have been out
and out rebels, fry at least were radicals
and the rest we're conservatives. But ~
there we're macy in the audience we did not
know, we think ourself safe ia saying that
Etberidge did not have City hearers who will
vote Tor him.
Al the same time Etberidge began bis
h%arangue, the Radicals formed in procession
in front o. the Court House under Chief Mar
shal Capt. Geo. T. Grisham, and marched to
the beautiful grove Of the Female College in
the west part Of be town, where they were
addressed a. leught by Col h.. q. llouk, who
dashed The Conservative party without mercy.
lie proved 70 the satisfaction Of al that the
eoudinOn Of the Union party Of Tennessee
"N ~ hNFti9as euA N'uilnii-r'"iS HH-
der the administration Of Etderidge AZ it
was under that Of lsham G.. Harris Hc
showed up Etbsridge's record asa Uuion uau
duriug ms war, that be hal utterly denoun-
.csd the government when fighting to 'up-
pres the rsbellion, that be had stigmatized
1incoln A. q tJrani, and committed many
other aeii Of hostility and opposition to the
Fsdsral eanssfos which he..Wl. arraigael be-
fyIs a Military csDniisioa. T5is commits