Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-08-02
THE CHANCELLoRsHIp
lEr. Easl's Friendship Cl) for the Cor
POratiOn During the Alden Reign
The People Despise His Position.

1Er. East's Friendship ~ for the Cor
pOratiOn During the Alden Reign
The People Despise His Position.
So much has been said about Mr.. East
being the friend of the corporation, that
justice demands the truth be stated.
Mr.. East was tried, and proved untrue.
No people were ever more deeply afflicted
by the wrongs of usurpation than the
| people, when he thus acted. Let the fol-
lowing statement of facts speak for them
selves After the. second Alden election.
the citizens, in large numbers, held meet
ing and adopted the following resolutions,
to-wit: ---.- - Il.
That in the interest of the city, and for
the protection Of It's credit, and to prevent
financial ruin, We deem it advisable to make
an earnest, united and persistent effort to
obtain relief through the courts, and to this
end we direct such attorneys as the COM
mlttee who were appointed for that pur-
pose, last night, may engage, to proceed
and place our grievances before the courts.
and IN tho name of Justice demand q
redress OF their grievances, not by stop
ping or interfering with the machinery of
the city government further than may be
essential to protect the city from ruin.
Our object being distinctly the protection
OF the city, and not merely strife with these
usurpers."
The bill was filed by nearly 500 citizens.
On tho llth of December, 1868, the case
was argued before Judge Shackeliord. The
report of Mr.. Easts speech in the Banner
OF next morning is as follows:
The argument in the corporation in
JUNCTION case was resumed in the Criminal 4
Court room yesterday, before Chancellor |
Shaekelford. A large number of our lead |
ing citizens were present, and manifested /
an interest IN the proceedings fully equal
to that displayed on the previous DAYS.
''E. II. East, ESD, who closed he arpu-
meat for the defendants, spoke for nearly
two hours. He argued that the suit could /
not be maintained without the authority of L
the Attorney General; that the contest i
grew out of the restlessness of the times,
and was an attack on the franchise law
that where whole communities were inter- 4
ested, the suit must be with the consent of
the Attorney General. A case in eighteen
New York reports was cited to |
sustain this view. Mr.. East then 1
took up the bill and answer, and ar
gued that the former was fully met by the
latter; that all the allegations of the bill
had been fully answered. he read both
the bill and answer, and at considerable |
length explained how the allegations had
been met, after which he contended that /
such suits should not be encouraged, as
they had their origin in the dissatisfaction |
Of defeated party; that always after an
election men could be found who would |
attack and eject the successful candidate, l
4 encouraged thereto by lawyers During |
he course of his argument Mr. East said |
hat he had no doubt that numbers of per-
IONS here would be glad of an opportunity |
% displace all the State officers; that men
,ould be found among us who would, if
hey dared, try to keep even the President
,lect out of his seat.
This was a law question solely yet |
Judge East travelled out of the. case to say
hat ''the contest grew out of the restless
less of the times, aud was an attack on the |
franchise case"
Think of that; the people trying to pre-
rent the unlawful issue of checks by show
ng that the offices were vacant; further,
hat an injunction was necessary to save
ne city from financial ruin, and at such l
ime Radical Judge is told that at IS an
lttack on tie franchise Lao"
MIR. East further said that "H6 salt
ltoutd not be encouraged, II lad is origin
n tie djssatisfacti0B Of a defeated party.
Who composed that party? The tax-pay-
rs of Nashville who, under the lead of
IhOKnberg had made a noble struggle to
ave their property from the vampire of
Sadicalism.
Mr.. East remarked that ''A0 Doubt num-
srs Of persons here mould be glad Of an
erS, that men could be found among as
mo 1o0uLd, If they dared, try TO keep egeB
he President elect ont Of his seat" This
7as gratuitous insult offered to a helpless
nd down-trodden people, and many a man
marting under the sting of the above re-
marks, and the other Insulting filings made l
" Mr.. East against the people of Nash
lille, (but which were not reported) left |
he Courthouse with the feeling that if free
lom ever came. one man would be remem-
)ered, and that man was Edward II East. 4
Shall the man who offered this indignity, L
md took one thousand dollars Of our money 1
heref0r, be honored by now being elected |
chancellor? We hope not, for the credit
# our people. This speech shows that
Ilr. East's feelings were intensely bitter.
70 wonder he ''gGg6 no Cote to relieve
hem; no wonder on April 10, 1869, he
lisclaimed utilization with them sin fact,
u Sympatby, or IN Gny other ray"
Aug. /, 1870. JUsIITIA-