Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-06-17
THE KN0XVTLI T VII G
Knoxville. Tenn, June y. 1853.
An Address from Judge Houk
To tRs People Of The Second Congress,ona! Distri
Of Teylnessee

pOfa wlLI Que regard l t1r Naa. InIHlf-t- 90 lnr
people and BE genius 81 Republican in-tii utnns &
fully advssg those whose suffrage l snicit. Of lh.
principles which shall aCtuAte my conduct In tb'
event / sn aonor-d with their cni Iience there
fore deem i not only proper, but sminently jusi
70 present 70 The people Of the 2nd Congressional
District Of Tennessee some Of The leading iealures
Of policy vhich should attempt o. induce the Ma
tional Legislature 70 sdupf, were I y member Of
shat department 0f the Government. The rat grsst
object 70 attain 10 10 secure IN Executive Admins
iration which will WELD its infupnce ofiriz pUwsr
and patronage 20 efirct sperdy restoration Of tn
Ysbslious States % their former practical working
relations IN the Union.
Ny deliberate cnnvicion IT, that the snccrsa Of .h,
Republican tickpt-GRANT and CuLFAx-wil ar-
com1lish permanent reconstruction, and secure Il
restoration Of the Government with frsternal feel
inga and lasting peace 10 an sections. That they
are representative man Of a National, not party
type, none except bgot will deny. That they
0mineHty qualified for the positions for which they
have been respectively nominated, the candid and
Intelligent will not dispute And believing that, If
elected these gentlemen viii inauguTate a polio,
ahich will Develop harmony between the Legi-a
latvg and Executive Departments Of the Govern
mont, and which will quiet the disturbed elements
Jf society and advance the general prosperity Of all
parts OF our common country, ] shall contribute
whatever indlence / may be able 30 command e.
insure their success in November.
/ dosFe the election Of Grant and Colfox because
sincaraiy believe it will result in establishing
spirit OF nationality IN the min Is OF the people
North and South-uever bsfore known. The one
distinguished IN the camp and field; the other IT,
sLs councils Of the naiinn both possessing high
qualities Of intellect, generous snd noble natures
viii 10 my Judgment prove the balm in Gilaad
% heal the Nation
So far as I am informed is 10 the policy thes,
gentlemen viii adopt touching reconstruction. II
neos ny unqualified spprovHl II Is thought b,
many thst hia6uestIon le virtually settled. I in
cline 70 80 regard IT, because most If not all Of tn
sscedlns St}teL will bo Represented in the Senat.
and House ef Representatives before the Novsnber
a.eStions When this Is once accomplished, and tn
rsbsll0f the South learn 70 properly demean them
seiYss, Congress viii exercise its power Of condo
gaton, and the very interest all classes have in th
government viii cause new issues 10 spring up, H.
The discussion Of which past differences will be for
gotten and personal bitterness 10 Ggitste the
minds Of the people. The real question which inte
resIs Use people, 70 BE- yet acted upon by Congress
70 80 70 nov the war debt shall be- disposed of--whs
shS7 IL shall be paid or reDaaiated There are dit
ferences Of opinion in regard the obligations
The government. One set Of politicians are H. favor
Of open. bold, dishunOrahs reDttdiafiaa; anaths,
class assume that overy dollar nf this debt, princi
pal and interest must bs paid in gold; while III
,sople who have TO meet the matter and pay thi'
enormous liability, will prefer 10 comply with th'
law and the contracts they exist We're | D mem
bs7 Of Congress, / should ali honorable mem
20 hold this debt "as eare as a sold ers grave ~
strict npiinnC8 Win tub ttNftAl fpNbIhNt5 Wv
government made with It's creiitors. And u prop
erly understand this quesii"n, il may be- remarke'
chat the outstanding liabilities of the United States
incurred durit the war. Amnunt 10 about the sun
of fsoo billion Us hundred millions of dottarsI Tn"
ihis debt was crentrd by seres ~ loans tu the gov
synment under certain sets Of Congress; that u
these sever.l acts OF Congress Ia be- found the
seFuE of the contracts under and by which the gov
srpn,ent assumed the obligations nf the debt
now in the shape Of bonds, and which must met
BY the common Industry Of the people OF the coun
Try. ,,..
contracted 30 bo paid in gold. The Law under whirl
Lhe bonds were issued and the stipulation on theii
Ssce REQUIRE the "Tsr Forfies IA they are called
30 redeemed In gold. The remainder OF the hond'
now ont were issued under law and express v pro"
sids upon their face that they shall be redeemed ~
s. Lll5flt n.onsy"
In regard 70 the payment Of the bonds required
Nv The law and the stipulation 10 be discharged II
0old p-ssums no one but Fepudistor viii resis'
he payment IN gold. That is the lsw-it is ID
contract AZ r~gards tho remainder OF the debt
IA certainlv asking 8 good deal 20 demand that u
hall hs discharged in gold The contract provide
that Il shall bo paid in "id5Cfd money what then
Ia ,layvful money of the United states IL one ol
your neighbors buy FyouT Pr perty or 6ofro"s you
money what Is tie lawful money Win Wh'eh 20"
are paid Il may DO you have loanea MN goIo'
and be NAV have executed note promising To re
turn cold. vet YOU are compelled To receive 'lAwtul
money in satisfaction 81 your demand. ana the
Courts OF the c0uRtry have uniformly decided 'iega
lander greenbacks" 10 be "lawiul money, ana Jua''
siallv compelled all kinds Of creditors TO receive
tha lawful money in satisfaction Of al kinds o.
denlands III the common taxpayer Is loreea 70 70
,eive Igresnbacks as lawful money Is tnere any
thing unust In forcing the bond holder, who pay,
no ts1ea 20 receive tho same kind OF payment
think not But Il is said By the bond-holdera an"
their fronds that 10 is capitalization TO pay ths
,hasfr ha r,lT grn
lies Of the country were paid ia "EreenbscSs, and
have never been hoard 10 complain that they Wef'
cot fully and legally paid 4f greenbacks wer'
GOOD enough 20 pay the soldier for facing death IN
-, thousand forms, 60 dO0s seem to me that it l.
am GOOD enough TO psy The bond holders who re
NAMED in the rear Of our armies IN their cushoneo
v,elug ehslrs upon their Turkey carpets. in thei'
yilded narlors and specuatod on the ml'iortunes O.
he government Il does seem ~ sae thAt u green
backs were good enough 70 compensate Ine S"laie
for for the toisoms msFcb and dangers Of oatLie
and Is now good enoagh 20 pay the widow ano or
nhau who lost husband or father, u should YET y
yood enough 20 redeem the boads Of The Inoneye'
.Ylstooracy, who made from one 70 two hunoIe'
,,sy cent on their money In The purchase o. 70
h,oas thew now hold. II groanbacks are goo'
.,ro,gh Tor the common people, they should be msd
God enough by law for the rich and powerful
ma let 0s calmly investigate this subject In th
,vsnt The nation shall adopt tie policy OF gold 10
rh aistercy and green backs for the poorer elAsse
,Ff, f,es,nlp hT paying sato t'-ei'N 81
SntsraSt-n gold, ! unhesitatingly suirm 10 Sil al
t,stsIv LEAD 10 direct and uuequivoeal repuoiatiou
s,.sb is The only possible result as / VII demon
rate. a. 1..,,sas dahl of the Govern
= - somewhere in The neighoofhood q tii
ls,s 80 Ss,,,lrsd nliliioaS Of co0aTs LIE lnle
- - ma som is sboDt two hundred uiillious y
',-n - - Fvory dollar OF gold resolved BY me COY
., from al sources for any one year an4o0n
s.he1t elobty-fve millions. Consequently " 20 ?
sst - =, NV he outstanding bonds, prnelpai 81
sssrest In rold, the entire amount OF the ine'eA'
- 80 metal would be exhausted, Ana h7,F" . o7
,a ~ one hundred and dnern nliic"s 81 "'eu'"'
-, debt Ia Toe shape OF unpsid Inter e-l ever
-.ar vithout reaching or ouurihg any go
;o1rbing the principal Then, "aS, COZ .,
'.S- ,gsat principle Of ansnciering ia me E"seli
psrs "a nav he principal and overpius "l l"'9se
- stsf goid bssis2 The answer Pre-snts it'-i
- stgne III an increase in the nal'on'i oTo-' -
sF .-'o a. lbe raie OF not less than one lunar
- - .,iIjions Der annun. and era iuh4y p,
reasnr In size 81 the ratio oi the a'uois., n -
isters-t on MS annual deficit n The amount y SJ
received and the consequent grAdaHt ln'l'1'9 p
amount Of The debt supad. And thus u VIZ u
IL expand 10 magnitude, until The Fe'p'o- ,--
bv the burden Of taxation, without bop" o' iel'o.
win anally Is a last and only refuge, r pnoiAle !
whole obligation, experience having orn' ns'IAs
Shat il % impossible 10 meet u on the go '-pay'
sbolld the gold system be established, i VII
- a rnrraod fgres The lAf