Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-10-02
I bldg RAPHlC.
GUBERNATORIAL CANVASS
The First Gun at Chattanooga
Speech of Gen. John C. Brown
EIOquentand Powerful Effort
No Secession in the Platform
But Sovereignty Of the States
Under the Constitution"
CHATTANOOGA.

Oar Champion i'm the Fieid-Wisener
Turns up Missing-Rain Prevents
Col. COIyar from Speaking.
Special to the Union and American.
CHATTANOOGA, Oct. 1.-The guberna-
toTial canvass was opened to day at this
place by Gen. Brown. Mr.. Wisener
failed to attend, the reason being stated
by Gen. Brown in his speech. Mr.. |
Colyar was present and announced that |
he would speak tonight, but was pre- |
vented by a heavy rain. SO lOpgas wise
ner can witness a fight between Brown |
and Colyar, he will be a delighted spec
tstor, and 40 man of sense blames him
Several prominent Radicals from other
counties In this division we're present. in
fiaitely pleased with the prospect of a
Democratic fight, but they were wofully
disappointed by Brown covering all the
ground on which there could be reason
able disagreement.
The speaking commenced at 2! O'Clock
in from of the Burns House, TO an audi
euce of about 500. Gen. Brown was in
PRODUCED by R. Henderson, Esq, and
spoke for more than two hours, giving
general satisfaction by his frankness and
fullness on all questions interesting to the
public. The following points covered
his positions, the lateness of the hour
precluding a more extended report.
Gen, Browns Speech.
Gen. Brown felicitated himself and the
people upon the right of suffrage to all
aud to freely speak and write upon the
great questions which concern the con
iinued freedom and prosperity of the peo-
ple. This privilege was not restored by
those who through usurpation and q tenn
p0rary subversion of right denied it, but
by the hand of that fate which does JUS
tice alike to the virtuOus and the evil. He
had been chosen by reclamation as the
standard bearer of the Democratic party
of Tennessee, and the Convention had
adopted a platform upon which he stood
and which must prevail in Tennessee and
in all the States, or q centralized despot-
ism would engulf the States and the
people.
The PIaIfOrm-NO Secession i'm it
Patriotic Precedcnts
1t was asserted that this platform con-
tanned the doctrine of secession. This he
denies, and discussed at considerable
length substantially as follows:
TuiS is q weak invention of the enemy.
No man asserted the doctrine of seces>
sion as vital principle entering into
present politics. | am no secesssionist,
and never was. During the war it was
not the question. l was a Confederate
officer. The flag under which fought
went down never to be raised again. It
= Il t. Lat
furled, for it Is furled forever! But the
States have rights and will proclaim
them boldly, and proudly l will stand
by them and succeed with them, or in
failure witness a Capitalization of power
and the downfall of our system of gov
eminent.
The resolution alleged to contain seces-
sion declares that the Southern States
should be restored to the Union as SOW
creigu States under the Constitution?
Is there secession in that? 1hey are en-
titled to all the powers under the COnsti-
tuition. In all such powers they are SOW
Creigu Whoever disapprOves this is
Radical and ought to be in their ranks.
tie is for a consolidated government in
which neither the States nor the people
nav -tLN TX us NANA w oubh 40 oAC ESiNSA
10y a usurping Congress. -
The Supreme Court of the United
States has repeatedly declared it, in ju-
diCial decisions, where the rights of the
States were involved. In the case of the
United States VS.. Peters, Chief Justice
Marshall declared the States sovereign as
to all matters not confded to the Federal
Government In Chiffon VS.. Georgia,
Justice jay, a Federalist and as strong a
consDlidatiOnist as existed at that day,
conceded to the States sovereignty to the
Imc extent. ...
The United States Senate in 1888 adop-
ted q resolution declaring that, in adopt
ing the Constitution, the States acted
separately, and as Free independent and
sovereign States. Mr.. Clay and Mr..
C.ittendcn voted for 1t. Were either of
these ever accused of secession? On the
contrary, they al ways denounced and Op-
posed it. In the vote Is States were for
1T; 6 against it: one was divided, and one
failed TO vote. 1t was then tue doctrine
Of the people of the Union, but whoever
asserts it today is a traitor and a seces-
siOnist.
In his first and second messages Gen.
Jackson held the same language as to the
sovereignty of the States, and describes
them as sovereign members of the Union
and as sOvereirnties. In his debates with
Mr. Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas uni
fJTn,y calls the States sOYereignties.
Abraham Lincoln himself admitted they
were sOvercignties in the sense that the
term is used in our platform.
How can a State form constitution,
or DO any act binding upon the citizens,
unless it is sovereign in respect to that
act!
Ia 1865 a self constituted convention,
of which my competitor, Mr.. Wisener,
who | regret is not present. was a mem |
Der, passed a resolution reciting the bill |
of rights AMI based it upon the sovereign |
right Of the State to act for itself in the |
matter involved. In the Legislature Mr.. |
Wis neT voted to send free negroes to the |
free States. In 1853 Andrew johnson |
drew the true line between the States and |
the Federal Government in a speech in |
the Senate
Ii referring to all these authorities, !
Gen. Brown referred to the book and |
page, and read to prove his assertions, |
anu NDulN hNCA INA W NthAA AhS ADtdLC5 5Of-
cregn was not secession in Andrew John |
son. in Story, Webster, Marshall, Jay,
fancy, Crittcoden, and the judges and |
statesmen who ornamented the bench and |
gave lustre to the Union. No, it is only |
treason in Tennessee Democrat. If it
l. treason, 90 II Lafayette Squal e, take |
the colossal statue Of jackson, grind it in |
to powder, and scatter il in the faces of |
an indignant and patriotic people. 1t is |
no more secession to-day than it was
then. 1t is an issue under the Constitu
ton, and for its preservation. 1t is a re
fence Of the Union, and opposition to its
destruction.
We cannot extend our report to the full
ext mt nor give the precise language of
Gen. b, but only the substance.
Gen. Brown proceeds to read the plat
form--resolution by resolution--and made
a clear, conclusive and satisfactory vindi
cation of its positions; the removal of
disabilities, the tariff, the finances, the
coruptions, abuses and usurpations of
Radicalism; the extravaganza and profit
gacy of the administration, taxation of
bonds, National Banks, etc.
'.Hc Fifteenth Amendment-Thc
sRnYnorrarfc PaSirioR Letter fran |