Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-10-12
THE GUBERNAroRIAL CANVASS.


cred at the Court House to near the dlsCussioh
between the Gubcrnatorial candidates, Judge
Wisener and Gen. Brown
The discussion was opened by Gen. Brown,
who led of in speech of an hour and-a-hnlt
He thanked God that he could address those
present as fellow citizens He said that dead
issues beyotten by the war, could his voice pre-
vail, should be buried with oblivion. de de-
voted about one-third of his time to "a review OF
Mr.. Wisener's record, attempting TO show that
he was seccssionist and through his influence,
he Brown had been induced to 60 into the
rebellion. He had been called n reoel by the
Radical press and Radical stump speakers, but
il he was "a rebel, Mr.. Wisener must be one also.
The cry of rebel, he said vas that of the dema-
gogue and place hunter, and the men that raise
itwould coniure up the Storm II by tthey could
ride into power. lie defed any oneto linda man
who is in fay of secession probably not think
ing ofCOmbs) The flag of the South had failed,
and Il was now furled forever, while the stars
and stripes hoated triumphantlv. IL had been
said he was q rebel, he denied it. he was a rebel
from 1861 10 TO- since which time he was Will
ing for his record to be searched for proof that
he had never taltered in mis- devotion to the
Government The amnesty placed all men on
an equality in this respect. He paid high
compliment 10 Mr.. Wisener rs party leader
in the days OF Whiggcry and Democracy, and
had then thought he was always right, but that
he had found him on tae wrong track one time
\ He took up the address published in the
Chronicle yesterday singned by Judge HaTri-
son, Hon. John Trnble and Hon. Saml VI.
be very severe
Col John Williams here suggested that the
candidates address the crowd from the front of
the courthouse, as there was "a large number
Wlo could not get inside. Gen Brown left Il to
y vote of the house, when il was decided to re-
main. He then went on to speak of the address
above spoken of, but failed to convince any one
that there was much wrong in 1t. He made an
eloquent argument on State Sovereignty, then
followed with an appeal to mems prejudces by
incorporating whisky laws-talked about the
government of the United States being a cen
trail despotism-drew touching picture of
Georgia atfairs-ridiculed the manner in which
the l4th and 18th Amendments to the Constitu-
zion were ratifed-eXpatiated upon the tariff
question, and magnihed the public debt. He
was opposed to Republication, but would pay the
80 bonds in currency. He is opposed 10 Ma
tional banks and detests reCoEstruCton. He
closed by protesting, in strong language, how he
would pour cut his blood for the old flag when
assailed by foreign power, but did not say how
Il would be in case of a domestic rebellion.
Gen. Brown was listened to attentively, and frC-
quently applauded by his friends.
Judge Wisener came TO the platform amidst
much applause, and proceeded to make one Of
the finest speeches We have listened To since the
war He said he had been nominated without
his solicitation, and had expressed himself as
leading forlorn hope, but that even forlorn
hopes were often successful When the race
commenced, he had not expected any but Re
publican votes, but now that Gen Brown had
vote from the opposite party Gen. Brown had
spoken of the shackles forged for men by Re
publican Individually, re had never voted
for placing shacklos on voters His competitor
had. He was an artful dodgeT. and while a
member of the late Constitutional Convention
had failed to record his vote about three out of
every four times, but that he found that his vote
was recorded III favor OF imposing poll tax
qualification, as one Of the conditions upon
which the elective franchise Is 10 be exercised
He replied to the various points Gen. Brown
had made on his record while member Of the
Tennessee Legislature; showed how he had
been misrepresented il some instances, and dis
posed of the whole matter in q manner satsfac-
tory to his friends. He stated now he had on
posed secession how he had opposed revolution
and the so-called military league, whereby the
people Of Tennessee were sold out to the South
srn Confederacy against their desire.
tie answered Gen. brown : arguments on the
subject of State Sovereignty showing how falh-
eious are the views taken by Tenr Denloc-
racy. Sovereignty docs not mean the peopi of
single State, but the people Of the Wh le
country
He showed what mad been accomplished ~
the much abused Republican party They Ind
found the State without q Governor or LegisIu-
Jure or judiciary, ana her bonds on the mar
ket without buyer, at tho rate of 10r5 % cents
on the dollar. These bonds had been run up to
10 and 90 cents oE the dollar They lad passed
a law eNemptug $50 from execution il the
hands of "a poor man with family. Tho. had
passed a law allowing foreigners with twelve
months residence, after declaring their intention
TO become citizens, the privilege Of voting The
Democrats have repealed all this. With refer
ence 70 the State debt. hc showed how much of
Il had been created for the purpose Of paving
the interest on the debt which had accrued du-
ring the war, which had been brought about bv
Gen. Browns party. Railroads mad gone down.
and many Of them without rolling stock TO meet
the demands Of the public a great portion OF
the State debt mad been thus expended, and
Gen. Brown and men Of his party had reaped a
large proportion Of the rewards for that The
Nashville and Decatur road, of which Gen.
Brown is stakeholder, has received from the
State Sl.370,OO0 moge than the cost of its con
struction. Gen Brown had said he was in favor
of selling out roads that could not pay the inter
est on their bonds. He was for the same. and il
the General wanted to ride that psny, he would
tohaye ride behind him
He discussed the tariff question, as presented
in the Democratic platform, and made some
sensible remarks, which showed that he is not q
novice, by any means, in the discussion of thi.
subject. His views in favor Of a protective tariff
will be endorsed by every man who takes time
70 think and who is really DESTROYS for his cnlIn.
try's prosperity. The Tennessee Democracy
had copied from the Ohio Democracy denounc-
ing the tariff, when II had been materially modi-
ned since the adoption Of the resolution in
Ohio
He discussed the question Of taxing bonds
and showed the bad faith as well as the unsound
policy OF SO doing. He took up that portion OF
the Democratic platform which calls for the col.
lection OF the internal revenue by State and
county officers. and showed the utter imprncti.
cabilily of such measure, besides il would cost
me government rs much a. under the present