Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-05-01

campaign, written against the advice
of older men, and in order to aid the
cause he 80 much loves-democracy-
should have the effect to cause men
to believe what they have so much
stronger reasons for knowing could
not be true.
Had the article been written by q
stranger and responsible man, 1
should at once have noticed and
characterized it as IL deserved. But
it would not have been pleasant nor
honorable for me to call near rela-
tive mailman, o fool, or liar, and
shall not do so now. Any one who
will read that article carefully, and
notice the statement of facts which
are said to have occurred here, since
nay residence IN This State, will see
much that we all knoW is not true.
For instance, the last item in the
catalogue of charges-that / had at
tended the Democratic State Con-
vention in Nashville in May 1868,
and voted for certain things. Now,
we all know that is untrue, for was
not only not there at all, but had re-
fused to go when personal friends in
sisted on my going. If it is false in
one particular, why may it not be in
more. The whole article is over
drawn, highly colored, and evidently
written in bad temper Besides this,
in every essential part, it is false, and
without any reasonable foundation.
The CHRONICLE, when it published
the article, did me the justice to say
it did not believe it. 1 had supposed
that was enough, and it is very pain
full for me now to bring the matter
up again.
l DID NOT villify or Islander the
Southern people, or any other people,
in my Indiana speeches. spoke
against the Democratic party, as
had right to do, and held up to
public gaze, whatever acts of that
party thought dangerous to the
peace of the country. But did not
speak of private character anywhere.
was particular, in every speech L
made, to use some such language as
this: III an, not here to maliqn or
traduce the character of the South
ern people, they have treated me
kindly, de-"
The comments of the press on my
speeches, two of which 1 will quote,
will be of some weight, Perhaps
This is what the LAPoRTE HERALD
says:
Judge w. A. PETER, of Tennessee,
has been making in Indiana some of
the most effective union speeches of
the campaign. Our readers will re-
member that he addressed our people
here on the evening of the 26th ult.,
discussing the issues with exceeding
ability-especially the reconstruction
question, which he handled not only
with point and force, but with such
manifest fairness and freedom from,
passion as made every sentence tell
on the hearers. Those
who listened to Judge PETER here,
whether republicans or democrats,
can testify that his manner was di0-
n!fed and even mild, and that while
he told some plain truths about the
rebel leaders, he made no atte,apt to
stir up III blood, or influence one sec
ton nNninSf fHS ofLg,. ~
1.-THE italics are mine
The following is from the ROCKIES
TER UNION Spy.
Last Saturday night we were IA
vored with a speech from Judge PEI
Ter, OF Tennessee, and we must say
that it was the best speech we have
heard during the campaign. He docs
not tabor TO create enthusiasm, but
for plainness and argumentativeness,
he has no superior"
In the only published speech which
L made there, occurs this language:
81 do not view the situation as a
partisan or mere politician. | take a
broader view. | come not to malign
or traduce the character of the South
ern people, or to speak hard things of
my neighbors. I have no unkind
feelings towards them. My personal
relations with the Southern people
have been uniformly pleasant. There
is no need of holding up our political
and social deformities i'm all their
hideous phases; for, when all our
troubles are finally settled, u
we will all feel like forgetting as much
of our wiclledness as possible, and
will be glad to cover up and hide from
the world, all our past misfortunes
erdt experience Of our people, past
and present, stated i'm a general way,
serve as guides in this Investigation,
&c, &C."
This speech was delivered at Lo-
porte, Indiana, September 20, 1858.
hope Messrs. Editors, you will do
me the justice to publish this card.
l am very respectfully, your obedi-
ent servant,
w. A. PEFFER.
GAINESVILLE, April 81, 1869.