Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-12-02
To the Voters Of Lincoln
County.

| announced myself as a candi-
date tor Lincoln county proper in
the Convention to reform the Con-
stitution of our State. Aprreci-
ating the responsibility Of the po-
Sition which it was preferred tol
confer, and not wishing to engage
in politics, | at first declined to
run, bat receiving assurance that
| would be an acceptable man, /
did not feel at liberty to decline,
and announced myself in the
Lincoln County News" as stated.
Some three weeks after my an
nouncement, the Hon. Geo. w.
Jones, who had for about the same
length of time been a candidate
to represent the Senatorial District
in the same body composed of the
counties of Lincoln and Franklin,
came to me the next morning as /
think, after we had received the
news of the final passage of the
Bill calling the Convention, and
stated that he had been solicited
to run for the Convention to rep
resent Lincoln county. / stated
to him that Itoo had been solicited,
and that was the reason / was run.
ming, that | had been informed
that he did not want to run to
represent the county, that l had
not had nor could | have had any
idea of has running to represent
the county, that / was very averse
to running against him, especially
since we had always cooperated
together in the same party, and l
had uniformly been his friend and
supporter, that while had not
sought the position still l was COM
mitted to the race and could not
honorably withdraw without some
tar expression from the people on
the subject, that to do so would be
but to sacrifice the confidence and
respect of my friends throughout
the county, and this | could not
do-that of course he had the
privilege drumming; but one thing
was certain, | would not have
come out against him under the
same circumstances, where there
was no matter of principle to d.
vide us.
These are the facts and circun-
stances in connection with my
candidacy for the convention, as
they have actually occurred, and
justice to myself requires that
they should be made known to
the public.
No one regrets more than l do
the conflict thus brought about,
for the Conservative party has a
great work to perform, and at this
critical period in our political
history, there should be nothing to
mar or disturb the harmony of
its members. But it will be borne
in mind that this conflict is not
of my seeking, and the response
bility for the same, must rest
where it properly belongs. Ihave
done every thing that an hOnora-
ble man could do to avoid it, and
l shall hold myself at all times
ready and willing TO obey the
preference of the people in any
manner they may see Fl! to express
it. All that / want to see accom-
plished is the aoiH of the people.
/ am not running for the
purpose of building up the politi-
cal fortunes of any one man or set
of men, but for the nobler and more
glorious purpose of assisting in
framing a Constitution that shall
be just in its provisions. l hail
the day as not far distant when
the political shackles which have
so long fettered tens of thou
sands of our noblest, truest aelite
men shall at one blow be stricken
from them, and they permitted to
stand forth once more disenthralled
to carry periodically the burdens
of government and direct its man.
agement. Let every voter turn
out and vote CONVENTION. 1t is
iall important!
The Radicals as a party will
vote against it, and if the CoNsER-
vATIvE party do not take interest
enough to turn out and vote, they
have but little to hope or expect.
| shall address the people OF the
county on the Importance of turn
ing out and voting for the Con-
vention between this and the day
of election, commencing at Fay
etteville on the FIRST MONDAY OF
next month, and going to such
places as by speaking | can do
any good. Very respectfully,
n W HoruAU