Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-06

he said that the Senter men did the fight |
ing, aad that the Stokes men had sugar
contracts 10 the Southern Confederacy.
ne was not going to abuse Johnny |
broaniow; he was excited, and simply |
mistaken. Johnny was one of Senter's |
electors; he had no electors; was able no |
take care of himself He then referred 10 |
the fact that in the election in the 4ih dis
strict, Johnny's father had thrown out $50
more votes of his than Of FanIkner's. lie
simply wanted Justice in this matter, and
intended 10 90 the bottom
John BrownloW here interrupted and
said he had been referred to personally.
A voice-The young man from Knox is
excited.
Brownlow Il am calm - never was
calmer in my life. Hpe ft3
Stokes-I ask il the statement referred
TO is correct?
Brownlow-No, il was not altogether
correct. 2 $50 Us
Gen Stokes said he got il from the pa
pers, and II the gentleman denied il, be
would take 1t back. He continued his re-
marks about the election ia his district
he then referred 90 the criticisrns of
Judge Houk on his letter, and said that he
would not attempt TO compete with the
eminent jurist who had left the bench TO
become an elector for SeDter. He would
leave it tothese three papers If il was not
| as good sense, and as good grammar as the
| Governors While he was not lawyer,
he had been in legislative bodies for TWEEN
4 70 and he IL "a IL a. ts,I,
the constitution of his State and Of the
United States. ''a-@f
| Gen. Stokes then referred 10 the finances
OF the State. He said that he was not a
first class fioancier, but could tell when a
$1,000 bond was cold for $e00, how much
you would lose-that unless such shaving
was stopped, it would end in ruin. There
was something rotten in Denmark. He
was not posted much about home affairs,
but had been told that they had a set Of
railroad receivers-one receiver has two
roads at large salaries of 81, 900 or Sc, goo;
another man, receiver ofstwo roads at a
salary for each of $500 per annum, etc,
| ETC., and none Of these receivers had
paid dollar into the treasury.
| Where this money went TO he didn't
know. II was time we were getting rid Of
1 thai burden, he had almost said nuisance.
SAID he had heard of somebody running
OH with large amounts Of money. He
went in heavy on The public school system,
and said he was the friend of education,
but thought the present law required
some amendment Furnished some facts
and figures which he had obtained from
the Comptroller's Office in regard TO
how much money the different coun-
ties received as school money, and
how much the superintendent got of the
amount, in come cases as mneh as Fifty per
cent. This school ring was against him,
and he would offer premium of a bottle
of wine for every one in favor of Stokes.
The truth ia, it is generally under
stood that when somebody goes 10,
somebody else goes out, and he would
swear that if he WAS elected, such
men should be turned out. He would
employ secret detectives, and pay them
out Of his own pocket to hunt out these fel-
lows who were hansing on like leeches.
They shonld be torn off before they sucked
the last drop OF life blood. At the other
end of the line, these blood-suckers had
been marked out by companies and regi-
ments. We had an honest man for Preei-
dent, and every thing Was going on right.
But there was something wrong
here, and the people ought to right il. 1t
was sometimes the best to turn out the old
set, and put new ones in. Say Whist you
please of Grisham, of the Press and Tines,
he deserves great credit 70 what he his
done 10 this school fund business. He
didn't want his party under such cloud.
While he occupied his seat in Congress
he had heard great many plans proposed
for the resumption of specie payment, but
he was satisfied that the only way we could
get il back was by honest collection Of the
| revenue. Boutwell, was taking the surplus
| gold OF the government and selling it and
buying bonds, and gold has got down
among the thirtiea. Grant said he was
| going to fight it ont ON this line,
and Boutwell, had assured him that
in twelve months there would be
| perfect confidence 10 the government.
| He was willing TO lend his aid in bringing
| Tennessee TO the condition of the federal
| government. When it was necessary to
issue bonds TO sustain the credit of the
| State, he was in favor of it, but when they
were issued by the $4,000 or $500, 900
to pay railroad receivers and school
i superintendent he entered solemn pro.
test against il, and if he was Governor, he
would not allow it. We should endeavor
to shape our course 80 as to build up the
credit Of the Staie. He was in favor Of
wiping out this class and putting honest
men in their places. !
On the subject of internal improve
ments, he said that we were in the center
of the nation, and that Tennessee possessed
more natural advantages than any other
State in the Union. We had ore, timber,
water, land, soil, and every thing that was
needed to make US prosperous. We wanted
| capital, and that, too, scattered broadcast.
He did not want the drone who would
put up at your hotels, lock up his
capital, and live on the interest.
The honest freshman and German with
pick and spade was of much more
benefit. We wanted railroads throughout
the State, and SO managed as TO make their
bonds worth par. He would again say,
keep our eyes steady upon honest collec-
ton of revenue, and but few bonds would
have TO be Issued. He denied that he was
not the friend of internal Improvements,
and spoke Of his votes in Congress TO aid in
the construction Of that link between the
Atlantic and Pacific shores. a..f =
He now came to the question Of fran
chise, which he had put of to the last, but
because il was the least important topic.
He saw a large number Of faces before him
who would not be present but for the
interest they felt in that part Of his dis.
cussion. 1t was the issue of the time.
There had been heavy feelers thrown out:
Al L.l haa,, faaI5nrx L. n :
friend, the Governor. He said he had
received letter signed by many citizens,
propoundiDg to him the question "Are
you in favor of removing tie political disa-
bilities under which a great majority of
the people of Tennessee are laboring, and
are you willing TO call a convention il
elected Governor ?" He knew il was writ
len by gentlemen, for il was couched in
courteous language. He thanked the gem
tlemen for thus calling upon him; the
writers were right he was a candidate, and
the people had perfect right to know his
views. Not only here, but all over this
country were they looking for this DAYS |
work ia Tennessee. He here read his LETT |
ter in reply to Messrs. Thornberg, Single
tary and Welsh, written January 81, 1869.
and said what were his opinions then. be |
reiterated again, that when the killing of |
Union men ceasts, the hellish organization |
of the Ku Klux disbanded, ETC., ''then he |
was willing 10 entertain proposition 10 |
amend the State constitution 30 as 10 allow |
the disfranchised to come in gradually" |
but "the idea of amending the constiiu-
tion so as 10 place the ballot in the hands
of these outlaws al one clear sweep, and
at the present time, would be cruel to the
Union men," He said he was Republic