The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1867-05-04
ADDRESS OF
j OH II w. LEFTWICH.

] TO THE
Citizens Of 9Th Congressional District.
The urgent solicitations of representative
! citizens from each of the counties compo-
! sing this Congressional District, makes it
my duty and pleasure to announce myself a
! candidate for reelection to the national Con-
gress. In doing so, L fully appreciate the
| duties and responsibilities of the position,
! and assure them with determination under
no circumstances to SHRINK therefrom
! Though l shall conduct the coming canvass
with all the zeal and energy of my nature
Withholding no merited cOndemnation-no
word or act of mine shall designedly wound
the feelings of any; but /" with malice to-
ward none and charity toward all" the
leading aim and object of my life shall as
heretofore, be the Obliteration, rather than
the resurrection, of the sad memories of the
past.
In rendering an account of my steward
ship, it is evident that but lite can or need
be said. During the anomalous period that
interviewed between the presentation of my
credentials, as your duly chosen and ac-
credited representative, and my admission to
the privileges OF the same, my position was
one of peculiar and trying res possibility.
To what extent | could urge your claims
to representation, without compromising my
constituents or myself, was question of
such extreme dellcacy as to require the ut
most discretion in its solution. In this |
deemed it apprOpriate-and so acted-to
present myself at the Capitol and there re-
main-not in the attitude of petitioner for
a privilege to which, coming within all con-
stitutiOnal legal requirements, l was
clearly entitled-but ready at any time to
accept it when rendered In the meantime
1 diligently prepared myself for the perform
" cd
quired to assume them never losing an op-
pOTtunity to establish and cultivate pleasant
relations with those controlling our destiny
nor failing to correct, to the extent of my
ability, all false impressions entertained
against u.s.
Thus far | have assurance that my con-
duct has met your unanimous approval
My political record, though brief, is too
clear and well defined to be misunderstood
or successfully misrepresented, and while,
with what deem commendable pride | re-
fer to it as indicative of my future course,
for the information of those to whom my
sentiments are unknown, this address is
written; promising myself the additional
pleasure Of a personal interview with each
and every citizen of the District between
this and the day of election, for full and
free interchange of views on the various sub
jects at issue.
When last a candidate | said Il am nei-
ther COpperhead nor a Radical were |
the former L could not promote your inter
ests if | would; and were | the latter |
would not if l could" Two years attentive
observation of party designs convince me
that l cannot improve the truthfulness of
this expression; for nothing is palmer than
that In Congress or out of it, the Copper
heads are pOwerless to serve you-if SO in
clined-while the Radicals will not, though
possessing the ability.
If asked what l mean by Copperheads and
Radicals, l would answer: by the former
that class of Northern politicians who re-
fused to aid their government in the hour of
! its need and kept the South bOlstered up
with false promises of assistance, till the
most favorable opportunities for settlement
were allowed to go by unimprOved; and
who now encourage the South to regain its
lost voice in legislation-even through de-
grading cOncessiOns-with hope that when
regained it will be heard In favor Of their
party. By the latter, | mean that other
class of Northern politicians, who during
the existence Of armed rebellion, when dan
gers really threatened were profuse in their
prOtestatiOns that the war was only waged to
restore the Union, some of whom were even
only willing to make a dishOnorable peace;
but who, so soon as armed rebellion ceased,
when danger no longer threatened, exacted
other conditions than those required by the
gallant Generals receiving the surrender,
and now loudly demand confscation and
disfranchisement for all who disagree with
them taking to their bosoms all classes, re-
gardless of antecedents, provided they now
zealOusly support their wild party schemes.
Seeing that we are helpless in fellowship
with either, and that each would use or
abuse US for its own party purposes, our
! selfrespect and national safety alike require
that we identify ourselves with neither
/ While / disclaim party affiliations with these
/ extreme factions, borrowing the language of
! the venerable Senator Davis, of Kentucky
" have acted an humble, but l believe a
/ consistent, political part. The platform on
/ which have always stood is embodied In
the words Of that peerless patriot and States
/ man, Mr. Clay The Union, the Consti-
4 tuition, and the enforcement of the laws ;
/ and to that 1 viii adhere while I have life
/ Any party, any leader, that viii strike, with
+ reasonable prospect of success, for the vim
dication of that wise and patriotic aphoTism,
/ whether Whig, Democrat or Republican, 1
will become a follower of and be a true
one"
Among the questions now agitating the
public mind, the proposed constitutional
amendment l deem Of paramount import
ance II a published letter to our State
/ Legislature l expressed my disapprOyal of
this or any other fundamental change in the
supreme law of the land. The opinions then
| entertained have been confirmed rather than
/ altered by subsequent events. Our legisla-
tors still inebriated with victories on the
battlefield, are not IN that frame Of mind es-