The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1869-07-09
The Candidates.

| '"'n "pOuo ihsb MtCh, W. RUNC HOtlCC tHtJ tnp
candidates for the State Senate, Representative
and Joint Representative would address their
fellow-citizens at the Courthouse on Monday.
Well, Monday came along on time, and so did
the candidates, with the exception of Mr..
Phillips, who, without any consultation with
us, got astride the Corporation mule on Sunday
| evening and paced of in the direction of Madi-
sonvlle, the county seat of Monroe. As we
were first to suggest Mr.. Phillips name for the
State Senate OH condition that he would vote
for the repeal of the pauper press law, we
think his conduct on the occasion little sim
gular; but we let that pass for the present,
presuming that he knew what he was about.
When the Worshipful Court adjourned for
dinner, DR.. Shipley, of Meigs, Mr.. Phillips
competitor for the Senatorship, appeared on
the stand and spoke for thirty minutes. 1t has
been our good fortune to listen to men who
could say more in the same length of time; but
| if the truth must be told, we regard the
gentleman from Meigs as having done very
well, all things considered. His State policy
we understood to be briefly this: He is in f,-
vor of retrenchment and economy, and to make
starting point, proposes to reduce the pay of
Legislators to four dollars day. On the fran
chise, he goes for Stokes Convention PLAN
whatever that may be. Thinks the common
school system might be improved by doing
| away with the State and County Superntend-
ents, and If elected he will not vote appropria-
lions to railroads, mud-pikes, or any thing of
that sort. We regret the gentleman was not
a little more full and frank on the franchise
question, as it is impossible for taX-paying
rebel like ourself to regard the Stokes plat
form with any degree of favor, understanding
it as we do. When DR.. Shipley had subsidized,
Mr.. Will. Gettys appeared on the stand, and
went into history of the late Convention.
He is a friend Of DR.. Shpley's, and was fol-
lowed by Mr.. d. Il. Nelson, a friend of Mr..
Phillips. This was part of the performance
not down in the bills, though it added to the
variety of the entertainment. When our gush-
ing young friends had exhausted themselves,
but not the audience, Mr.. Dowel, who we
believe halls from Polk county, made few re-
marks in which he said he was candidate for
Joint Representative, and if elected would
serve the people to the best of his "abilty and
Skill" which is not bad thing of itself. We
haven't the pleasure of an acquaintance with
the gentleman. but infer that he is q sound
Radical from the fact that his name does not
appear among .hose to whom we send papers
in the good county Of Polk. We believe
the people generally concede to Polk the Joint
Representative, AS Meigs is likely to have the
Senator and Monroe and McMinn each is enti-
tied to Il Representative direct.
| NeXt-the old war-horse, Squire Jim Baker,
was called for and responded in an earnest
speech, portion of which was pretty strongly
mixed with gall and wormwood. Mr. Baker
| is not a candidate for the Legislature, though
he is willing to serve the people in that capa-
city if they are willing to elect him. His OBJ
jcct on Monday seemed to be to ventillate the
legislative record of Col Thos. b. McElwce.
the nominee of the Radical party of McMinn,
and we must say that he gave the Colonel
several heavy shots. When Mr.. Baker con-
cluded, which he did after awhile, the candi-
date assaied appeared and proceeded to retort
in kind. We couldn't hear him distinctly, but
from the dark cloud upon his face and the
threatening brow of the Squire, it looked like
mischief was brewing, and it occurring to us
just then that we hadn't yet dined, we retired.
We subsequently learned that at the close of
Col. McElwee's remarks, sharp and tart col
loquy ensued between him and Squire Baker,
which the Chairman of the County Court final
ly put stop to by reading the riot act and or
dering Sheriff Gibson to clear the Courthouse
of everybody but the members of the Wor-
shipful Court and the genial cuss who reports
for the :" official paper"
The exercises of the day closed with brief
but pointed and eloquent speech on State and
National questions, by Hiram Crittenden Gee,
delivered from the stile on the north side of
the Square in the presence of an admiring
crowd of FOUNDERS, ringites and bummers of
the Tittlebat Titmouse ORDER among whom
we noticed an attache of this office. Mr.. Gee
is largely in favor of economy, and expresses
willingness to serve either in the upper or
lower branch of the Legislature 6 for his vic
tuals and clothes" until the State debt can be
paid off.
In conclusion, the reader may think we are
occupying too much room with an unmpor-
tant matter; but said reader will be kind
enough to remember that in this weak piping
time really important events are scarce, and
that rural locaizers, like their enterprising
brethren of the big dailies, have occasionally
to write against space and so occupy a column
in talking about matter that might have been
more pleasantly disposed of in paragraph of
dozen lines or less.
RichIand Academy.
MR.. EDIToR:-Th examination exercises
of this Academy were had 1st and I'd of this
instant. These were comprehensive, tho
rough, and impartial, disclosing marked
ability upon the part of Prof. Collins, the eff
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