Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-07-01
Reply of Mr.. Bright.

To Col. j. Il. Holman, N. G. At
kiason, j. f. Morrison, and
others:
COMPENSATION note, re-
questing me to become a candi-
date to represent the Pictorial
District, composed of the counties
Iof Lincoln, Giles and Marshall, is
before me, and my answer is : if /
can be of any use in this impor-
tant hour; if / can contribute
aught to correct the evils of the
time, and heal the wounds of the
| State, ! am at the service of the
people-whatever l am, or pos
sess, they can command.
Though averse to the active,
stirring scenes incident to pub
lie ,career,-preferring rather to
tread the quiet and peaceful walks
of private life, yet this call comes
in such manner and from such q
source that | cannot, consistently
with the convictions of duty, turn
a deaf ear to it; though conscious
that there are others Of ripper age,
experience and ability who are
better fitted for the position for
which I now offer myself. / am
proud to say, with the old Gre
clan, that there are better men in
my country than myself-but
alas the times are so out of joint
that our State, though there new
er was any necessity for the exer-
else of wisdom and patriotism a.
|mong her rulers, must yet sub
nit to the unskilful surgery of po-
litical quacks, while corruption
holds wild carnival in all her pub
lie places. How long shall this
continue? How long shall the
people be deprived OF their birth.
right2 How long shall the gates
of honor be shut upon the best
and wisest men of our country?-
This is the great and absorbing
question that now agitates the
public mind, and claims, as it
should, the most earnest consider
alton of every lover of his coun-
try. This is the eating cancer up
on the body polite that must be
removed before there can be any
healthy action-remoVe it and the
cure will be speedy and effective.
Let the people be fully aroused to
the Importance of the issue; let
them claim stubbornly and exer-
else religiously all the rights Sc
cured to them by the recent decis-
ion of the Supreme Court, and
soon all the "clouds that have
DER our household lowered" will
sin the deep bosom of the ocean
be buried" and we may be able
to commence our march Of pro-
gress with renewed vigor.
1t is the Custom for candidate
in coming before the people to de-
fine his position on the issues of
the day. 1t would be impossible
at this time to foreshadow what
course it will best to pursue on
the questions that may arise at
the sitting of the Legislature,
but there are some great funda-
mental principles, underlying the
very foundation of all good gov
eminent, that shall give tone and
direction to my action, if elected
your representative. First, that
the privilege Of the franchise
should go with taxation-that if
the white man is taxed to sus-
tain the government, he should
have voice in the government;
and if the black man exercise
the rights and enjoys the priv
ileges of citizenship, he should al
so help to bear the burdens; if he
votes he should also pay taxes
As q corollary to this proposition,
l am in favor of the speediest and
most effective plan that can be
adopted for the enfranchisement
and restoration to all the privil.
eyes of citizenship of all those
who by the provisions of the Fran
chise Acts are now deprived of
the right to vote and hold Office.
Second, / am in favor of Kidding
our statute books of all proscrip-
tive and class legislation; and
third, I am in favor of a speedy
return to plan of administering
the government as economical as
may be consistent with the digni-
ty and prosperity of the State
The system of granting State aid
to railroads and other public i'm
provements should be restricted