Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-12-11
The HABDEaAA COUNTY CONVENTION.

10th 10 believe the editor of that paper
will endorse, but in charity are rather
disposed to consider he has been unwar-
rantly imposed upon by his credullty, or
worse still, by an INSCRIPTIONS INFORM
I ant. The said article begins by stating
some aspersions upon the peaceable and
Iaw-abiding citizens of Hardeman county
in connection with the proceedings OF that
I Convention. and characteriZes them as q
rabble which has brought disgrace upon
cur people. The undersigned were pres
| emf at that Convention and witnessed its
whole proceedings, and we submit our
names and character, which we modestly
believe Will be sufficient alone to refute
anv such willful calumny. 1t was by far
! the largest convention ever held in Har-
deman county, and represented by good
and respectable citizens from every
part of the county, who had for weeks
ielt great interest in its meeting,
Notwithstanding an abOrtive effort on the
part of some to foil the meeting by re-
porting that there would be no Conven-
ton, for it b a become apparent for a week
or more who would be the choice of the
Convention. AT the opening of the meet
ing il was patent that James Fentress,
Esq, a young and talented attorney OF
Bolivar, and withal popular among the
people, would be the choice. Mr.. F. had
received petitions from all parts of the
county, signed by hundreds of u best
citizens, requesting him to become a can
didate, and had, by his reply published in
the Bolivar Bulletin, submitted to the vote
of this County Convention. Seeing this
his opponents-whO by the way were but
few-endeavored to break up the Conven-
ton in a row. And here, Messrs. Editors,
is wherein the disgrace consists, and to
them let the stigma be attached fO- any
disorderly conduct of that days proceed
ings. Failing to breSk-it up AS they
contemplated, although their Chair
man, Judge Harris, a man OF their
own choice, tried hard 10 control the an
CRY passions that manifested themselves,
they skunk away disoomforted, they sag
diSGMsted,) and now endeavor to ignore
the Convention and its nominee. The
truth is that Judge Harris vacated the
chair, and the opponents, thinking them
selves triumphant, retired after %annOunc-
ing publicly they would hold a Conven-
ton next Saturday. But the people had
come prepared to make a nomination,
and calling another worthy gentleman to
the chair, the Rev. H. Savage, nomina-
tons were regularly placed before them,
Mr.. q. w. WOOdsOn, of Grand Junction,
nominating Mai. J. H. Bills, and Mr..
Parish. of the Bolivar Bulletin, nominal
ing James Fentress, Esq, whereupOn a
division being called for, the Chairman
declared Mr.. T. nominated by a very
large majority. Here let US say, Messrs.
Editors, that for Maj. Bills we have
a high and sincere respect, and
endorse him as a man of worth,
one Of our oldest and best citizens,
and if one thing more than any other con
tributed to his defeat on that day, it was
the incorporate zeal Of his captiOus adhe-
rents. We have in true Roman style to
congratulate ourselves that therei is anoth-
er citizen in our midst who has received a
majority over such a worthy man. It is
true that Mr.. F. and Major B. differ in
their views Of the issues before the peo-
pie, and in this instance the people seem
to be with the former. Mr.. Z. did not
take the position that the State had a right
TO tax United States bonds, but expressed
his belief that as property, they should be
taxed as any other vested property. 1t is
true he announced himself in favor of a
white mans government, even such as
our fOrefathers left a. d rich legacytO their
pOsterity. In this be has the sympathy of
fOur-tifths of his fellOw-citizens, and his
opponent does not differ from him before
this people. In reply to the a~rraignment
of the AUUiaHche, we reply in true Colo
NAL language, IF this be treason, make
the most of it, Selsh."
Major Bills declining to run, inasmuch
as he had agreed to submit to this very
Convention, in his written reply to the
call upon him, his friends prevailed upon
J. J. Polk, Esq, who was a member Of
said Convention, and who is a clever, re-
spectacle farmer Of this county, to allow
his name to be before the people as a can
didate. What Mr.. Folks views are upon
the question before the people to-day we
are not informed, nor can we arrive at
them from his circular, copied into the
article in the Avalanche. He seems stu
eAmmaf - A---aaaH- - IL
from the people whose suffrages he asks,
and the fair inference is that he prefers
not 20 tell. Now, Messrs. Editors, who
has acted the most manly part in the
transaction, and who is more worthy,
aside from other cOnsiderations-Mr. F.,
who has frankly and fearlessly expressed
himself, without guile or fear, or Mr.. P,
who nus avoids the vital issues before
the people? As 70 whether "Mr. Folks
wealth or relationship to J. X. Polk, or
his position as a Director of the Memphis
and Ohio Railroad" qualities him as
a nj representative in a Constitutional
Convention, We leave to the people to
decide, and we are much mistaken in the
honest SONS of Hardeman if any Of these
fdtteriag considerations win win them
from the man of their choice. They know
"The rank Is but the guinea's stamp,
The mans a man for a that"
Mr.. Fentress is a lawyer of experience
and talent and strict integrity, and po-
litically in unison with nine-tenths of the
white population Of this country, and en-
inently suited to represent the people in
a convention where, of all places, legal
talent is requisite; and we predict for him
a triumph which viii teach his opponents
how to malign a convention of Harde-
mans citizens. As to its being usual in
this county to hold primary meetings,
the oldest citizens in the county cannot
tell when this has been done here. II is
always the rule in this sparsely settled
country 10 60 up to the courthouse on a
day to hold county conventions, and
the plea is a miserable preteXt which has
the poor pretense Of probability to
support il.