Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-08-28

The Canvass Opened-Speeches Last
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Night.
-Four of the candidates for Mayor aoa
dressed large CROWD of citizens at the
Junction Of the Murfreesboro pike and
Market street last night. The opening
speech was delivered by Mr.. Lafayette
Beech, who spoke in substance as follows:
The resources of the city we're great, and
could be saved by electing men to the po
sitious who would, in the administration
Of The municipal government practice econ
omy in all the departments. As for his
financial ability, he could only refer them
to his own private affairs to prove to them
that they could trust him in that position
as financial man. 1t was not very good
policy TO sllude to ones own private BUSH
ness in canvass, but he only alluded to
his to show who was the right man for the
position. He advised them to select man
whose financial policy was unquestioned
lit was the only way to be led out of the
present difficulties. Would every man who
wss seeking the Office, be willing to have his
salary reduced to almost nominal sum,
and that he would devote all his time and
attention. TO the Office. Didn't approve econ
omizing by reducing the wages Of the poor
man from 50 to 81 25. Let the salary Of
the MAJ Who ats in the easy chair, be re-
duced. He was not in favor of reducing
the laboring mans salary down almost to
a pittance, but was in favor of curtsiling
the salaries Of the highest officers from
mayor down. He wanted his competitors
not to take anything that he might say a.
bout them as personal, for he wished to
/ conduct the canvass in a pleasant and
agreeable manner. He could not pass
along without saying something in rela-
ton to what his opponents had done or
what was said they did. A great many
things have been said about Mr.. Browns
administration, but he was not there for
the purpose of preferring charges against
him. He had some of the first men in the
city in his city legislature, and they did
the best they knew how, but it happened
that they did not know how. Mr.. Brown
did the best he could, but did not do as
well as he ought 10 have done. There was
a great deal Of extravaganza in that ad.
| ministration, and he did not think the
| people ought to send him back there. He
hoped Mr.. Brown would satisfy the people
III ~ had
management and extravaganza in his ad-
ministration or not.
1t had been very hard for him to get
up a record against Mr.. Halle, only that
he is trying to marry young girl, and, Of
course, if he marries, he cannot attend to
the Office very well the first year. AS for
Mr.. Bass, he was very sorry not
to see him present, as he had
persuaded him TO come and seethe peopleor
they would not vote for him. Mr.. Bass
claims the Office upon the grounds that be
was the only man who would take the
Office of Receiver of the city. Now any
body would have taken the Office for the
pay Mr., Bass will receive. This Office will
cost the city of Nashville not less than
$4,000. He is entitled by law to five
per cent for recovering and disbursing the
money that comes into his hands Mr..
Bass comes up now and says he
is the only man that would act
in that capacity. 1t has beee
/ said that Mr. Bass was riding ia carriag
at the head of a procession composed o
Radicals going TO celebration Of the 4th
of July, at Bosley's Springs. He had no
objection to his riding in the procession,
but hated to see him in such bad compa-
ny. He was then acting with the Radical
party why now come up and say that he
is the champion of the Conservative party.
and he thought he had discovered it. The
charter of the gas company expires next
year, and the charter gives the city
the right to purchase it. Mr..
Bass was large stakeholder in the
| company and he would like TO know OF
him whether he would be willing for the
company to retain the property of the gas
| works, or for the city to purchase them.
Will you work for 81, 500, leaving out the
| perquisites, if elected Mayor? He hoped
Mr.. Bass would answer these question sat-
isfactorily to the people and to himself.
Mr.. Brown is a good hotel keeper and
| he would bate to see him leave that bust,
l ness, and Mr.. Lelyett is one of the best
lawyers in the city, and if he was
| City Attorney he might make more at it,
and Mr.. Haile's own wife will spend
more than $1,000, and Mr.. Bass can
| not afford to do without his salary Of S.
600 in the insurance company. You ought
to require all that can be done by the city
| legislature and Mayor to get your city out
of trouble. Her property is heavily mort
| gagged. The city is in debt 81 100000 and
| all your property could not bring more
| than that amount. All the checks the
| courts decide as legitimately issued he was
| in favor of paying, but those spectators
| who held checks ought to be fought before
| every court before a dollar is paid. He
was in favor of giving the laboring man full
Justice, and he was in favor of funding
not in such a way as 10 get these paper
bonds upon the market, but such bonds
that will bring par value. The properties
| of Nashville is estimated to be valued at
Sl9,000,000, upon which, if you place a
tax Of twenty-one mills, will produce
100000 The city can be run for great
deal less than it has been run. He wanted
the debts funded, and did not want the
floating debt to hang over them 20 that
the FIRE engines and horses could
be advertised at any time and
sold. Let the credit Of the
city be raised by frugal financial
management in selecting good men
to fill the important position. He
explained how his name was dragged into
the convention in regard TO the petition
the colored people should take 10 the
coming municipal election and the various
ward meetings He wanted good men Sc
lected from each ward as well as a good
man for the Office of Mayor. After few
further remarks he retired, and was fol-
loved by
Ex.Mayor Matt Brown, who adj
dressed the citizens in few well pointed
marks. We give a short synop-
sis. When his cIreer commenced
| as Mayor of Nashville, it was dangerous
TO walk upon the streets, and it was all
| trouble, confusion and discord. Violence
and crime were prevalent in the city.
When he took that Office there was not one
of them who dared to walk upon the
streets without pistol or gun, and we
we're unprotected entirely. Knowing Gov
| Brownlow very intimately, ne called upon
him and told him their condition, and it
was through him that the city was fur.
nished with arms. Night after night he
walked the streets with his policemen pro-
tectiDg the people who slept. His character
had been attacked officially upon the
grounds that his administration had been
conducted with extravaganza and waste.
fulness. The streets needed improving
when be assumed the Office of Mayor, and
there was not a dissenting voice on
the part of many of the citizens as to the
importance Of improving the streets. He
Endorsed everything that was done in the
way of improving the streets. He in.