Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-09-28
Letter from Chattanooga of Democ-
racy.
CHATTANOOGA, Sept. 18th, 1877

L
McMinnville the Republicans of Chatta-
nooga have been having lots of fun. !
The champion of Hamilton county Democ-
racy. Mr.. +. \. James, as well as his
friends came home sore, sensitive, ana
badly disappointed, wearing faces very
much longer than they were Il lew days
ago when they We're declaring that their
champion was marching on to Con-
gress. Those of them who were original
Union men are sickened and disguised
with the rantings of the red-hot rebels,
and begin to talk of their miserable in
gratitude. Mr.-James- himself does not
speak OF them in the most complimentary
terms. since he has been murdered 10y his
friends, or rather by those 1chOHthc hdSJdlth-
ruin and nObly betiioHdcd. But he ought
to have known, and certainly does know
by this time, that he committed the un-
pardonahle sin in 1862, by advocating the
cause of the Union. 1t Is quite possible,
and more than probable, that, during this
time, Mr.. James entertained the most
kindly feelings for our misguided breth-
rem, and it is certainly true, rs the records
shows being young man between the
ages of eighteen and fOrty-hve,) that he
never at any time had the least bellgerent
intention towards them, but in the early
DAYS of the rebellion he was supposed to be
a Union man, and that was sufficient to
nip his Congressional aspirations in the
bud. SO much for good old-fashioned
Democratic gratitude.
But it will be really funny for the
CHRONICLES Republican readers, and in
teresting to Conservative Union men, to
read some extracts from the speeches of the
master spirits of this convention Colonel
Combs, of White county, having been
called on for q speech during the absence
OF committees, said:
This was the first Convention he had attended
since he met at Baltimore to nominate John Bell
for President. Times have changed since. Then
] believed that the Democracy was an incubus
on the country. | believed the Wing party
right. believe SO still But since that time
we have had terrible war The principles of
the old Wing party still live But new party
has sprung up. They call it Radcalism The
word means to turn everything up by the roots,
and they have done it, even to the Treasury.
We have met here to nominate some one to beat
ly-bald-headed Billy-the hero of the Calf
Killer. | voted once for that thing, against
Col. John Savage ask John Savage to for
give me. Voices about the room Ne, tool')
There is 10 salvation for Bill Stokes to-day.
applause, and cries of " That's sou
l believe that if it was necessary to their end,
majority of the Radical party would swear
that Jesus Christ was never crucihed They
talk about Conservatives. / am not Republic
can / am not a Radical thank God for it.
an rebeL and ! nm proud Of It, Applause
y Conservative is man that is on the fence. |
repeat that | am no Radical, no Republican
am no Conservative, / am u Rebel DeHocreti
(Applause) If anybody wants to make any
am not afraid to say where l stand.
The following extract will be interesting
reading for all Conservative gentlemen
who expect rebel votes in the coming cleo
ton:
Mr. Combs asked leave to read a letter from
Mr.. Mcpherson, Clerk of the House of Repre-
sentatives L. ). \, an oath of Office for parties
relieved of disabilities.
The letter stated that persons who have been
relieved of disabilities would not have to take
the iron-clad. but would be admitted on taking
the modified oath Of 1863, unless their cases may
be referred TO a committee. ..
Mr. Combs then proceeded to state that any
man whose disabilities had been removed could
be admitted. They would ask have you been IL
rebelf If 1t was me, would say was, and /
am get. l would then show the act of Congress
relieving me, and would be asked if l could
take the modified oath, and would say q" | can
Can you take the iron-clad?' Mop And
say here, that iCiU not rote for any man TINT
can or lcoUid. That's me, | am not the Con-
vention.
In advocating the adoption Of the two
thirds rule in the Constitution, Col. Combs
said:
He was now Rebel Wing Democrat and it
had been q rule of the Democratic party from
time immemorial, and that was the reason he
advocated it. He wanted a man of genius He
was Northern man. He was born there but
he thanked God he had energy and enterprise
enough to emigrate South when he was a boy,
and had made friends here, and he had stood by
did not want any milk-and-water men. He came
here as Democrat. He was pledged to no man.
The Democratic party had the two-thirds rule.
VIII you adopt 1t and show yourselves Demo-
Gratis, or fall back upon your Conservatism,
your weakened Republicanism?
The vote was then taken, and resulted in
III for aud 40 against the two-thirds rule
which shows that Col Combs was master
of the situation, and that his sentiments
and opinions prevailed i'm the Convention.
But the fun of the whole thing, and that
which does our Republican friends so much
good is, TO hear the Democrats expressing
their contempt for and swearing at the
nominee. They swear thatif the Conven
ton had assembled for the purpose of Sc
Letting the weakest man in the district
they could not have done this work better
Being without native ability, culture or eX
perience, and having also committed tn,
objectionable sin of putting on the blue
many of the chivalry feel Inundated al
most beyond expression. But having mann
times repented in sackcloth and ashes foi
having been a Union man, being able tt
take the iron-clad oath, and completely in
the hands of his master, are reasons WHY
he was nominated. If Mr.. James hat
manifested his repentance and calmly sub
mittted to the dictation of these rulers ht
would certainly have had the honor O
serving rs captain To draw the chestnut,
out of the fire for the rebel leaders.
The Republicans are greatly elated il