The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1869-07-16

| litical crisis nendiug In our State. oppose
Universal Suffrage aud spun ;he idea bi en-.
franchising CLASS Of men known In Middle
and West Tennessee as bands Of outlaws
and assassins, forming midnight ,conclaves
known as the Klu Klux klan, numbering
Union men, driving men Of Northern birth
from oar State, going to the cabin of the
poor defepceless colored met and dragging
them ont OF their beds, shooting them and
pnnishing them In many and various ways
because they have been true to thsil coun-
try a, You my, colored friends would prove
untrue TO- your race unless you support
the map. Who forsook the comforts and en-
joymenss Of home and went to the rescue Of
your race from the bloody hand of the assas.
SIM. Such class Of men as this who have
been doing everything they could since the
organization Of our State government to
bankrupt the State and set the civil law at
defiance. and INCUR an enormous debt upon
the good citizens Of, the State to defray the
expenses of the State troops to assist the civ.
II officers, n enforcing the laws '"his Is tho
class OF men my opponents are begging and
pleading to enfrancbise., Whenever they re-
form they will be eafranohised and not before.
Let me speak ;one more word 10 you colo.cd
men, The advocates, OF Universal Suffrage
in short are opposed to every humane princi-
pie advocated by the Republican party. Re-
member while they tell colorsd men that they
are in favor of them esercsipg the privileges
of the Elective Franchise they at the same
time tell you ifyop do not vote the Conserya-
tive ticket you cannot live in their houses
pr on their land. Are ,freemen willing to
vote for mep who thus threaten them and
thus fasteu the letters OF slavery upon you,
which, cost so many lives to burst asunder.
Remember you are freemen and belong to the
great Republican party, have right to vote
for whom you plesse. Republicans arouse
from the lethsrgy in which You lie bound.
Let us all, all rally srouud our banner and
die resolved to regain our previous prosper.
| ity,, Don't give up the ship with its un-
stained stars and stripes floating from iss
mast head, for In that ship is our whole peo-
pie. i. don't care what denomination
theyfo by, If she goes down we all 20 down
together Rally-ral)y Republicans of every
grade and color Vote your principles and
support the great common cause of your ,
country by uniting upon some good Repub-
lican and beat the Rebel click.
This is one Of the greatest defrauds and
thefts ever passed upon The people of any
State. Fellow Citizens they have swiudled
ty Eight thousand Dollars of that sacred
School Fund which belongs to you for the
education Of your children, for the upbuild-
try, am for thoroughly investigating this
robbery and bringing the perpetrators OF
this black, hidsous crime to Justice and nun
ishment by the law, think BY proper man
agement and thorough investigation of tho
condition of the First National Bank at
Memphis the rest of the School Fund may
be recovered. ....
am for a common shool law system.
Believe it is the best thing that the public
can do; but am not In favor of the school
law as 1t is now. ] am in for any amcrd-
ment, striking out that part known as crea.
ting County Superintendents and State Su-
perintendent. ] am for the Comptroller o.
the State being In possession of the School
fund, and for him to pay out to the Trustee
of each county Its apportionmpnt. This win
save the expenditure Of one hundred thou
sand dollars annually,--and besides this, 4
great deal Of swindlng that Is passed upon
the public. With the advantage Of this hun
dred thousand dollars added 70 oer School
fund annually, II will enable US to hire COM
petent teachers, and In establishing schools
all over the country. Then we have no use
for those supernumerary officers. They are
nothing but d!ones, eating up the honey Of
our Treasury. Besides this they have drawn,
O great mary of them, money and applied il
to their own use, as high rs nine thousand
dollars at time. We do not feel like put
ting up with this stealing any longer They
say we can moi do without County Super.
intendent. 1t is all farce. These men who
are Advocating for County Superintsndents
are for their pockets--they care nothing about
the expenses of our Sthte--they care nothing
about the taxes you have to pay. Throwout
this swarm Of officers This Is what 10
causing your taxes to be 80 burdensotne-L
They say that we can not do without paying
one hundred thousand dollars annually-we
can not get along without them. We'll, my
countrymen, If you will send me there, ! will
try to 6nd a plan for us TO do without them,
do not think our Treasury is 30 fat that IL
Is flowing over. This swarm of officers has
to DO paid, whether yot receive any money
to educate your children or not. | am, a.
stated before, for amending the school law,
striking. out that part known as creating
County Superintondents and State Superin-
iendent. Let :he Comptroller of State hold
the Fund, pay over 10 the County Trustee
and the School Comm issioners and District
Clerks. Give the teacher u voucher and let
him draw bis money from the Trustee, with
out any further trouble! not DO as IL has
been under this law, that a teacher after ke
had taught, had more trouble to get the pay
than he had In teaching the school. I am
not IN for such complicated concern. Ny
couutrrinep, appeal to you, the tax payers
Of Washington county, TO reject and ask
yourselves who made the present laws crea-
ting something near q hundred new ofboss, 10
be filed at large salary annually thus eating
your substance and bringing your State 10
bankruptcy. Instead or decreasing our State
debt, they increase II annually to the amount
Of millions Of dollars My conntryrhen, arc
you going to keep such q brigade Of officers
In office, or not2 FOO, you had better all
go down and get your share Of the public
funds. These are the men that come TO you
md ask you again for your tudrage--for you
TO send them back At a salary OF four doliars
In gold per day, or its equivalence 10 greep-
backs, that they may repeal or amend the
lame laws they have made. They are feeding
you on soft corn, and II you send them bach
as the old sayihg is, they win choke you on
the cob.
Fellow citizens, publish this cifcular that
you may know nv position, 10 I have not
time 10 csnvasS tho county. Go TO the polls