Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-08-23
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
VASS.
Col. CoIyar at Franklin.


FRANKLIN, Aug. %, 1870 A. S.
Colyar, of your city, spoke here to-day,
announcing himself candidate for Gov
ernor and defining his position on the po-
litical issues. The assemblage, though
not very large, gave him an attentive
hearing. He made q good impression,
and aroused his hearers to the importance
of the present canvass, not only upon
State but upon National politics He ia
vored the pOstponement of the nominat-
ing convention from the 18th of Septem-
Der until some time in October, and |
think his hearers fully concurred with
him in this view. l give you hasty
sketch of some of the points made by
him. He said;
To me, this question of the indebted
ness of the State, as well as the other ques-
tons of the penitentiary and immlgra-
ton, is sufficient In magnitude to bring
every man to the inquiry, "What is best
to be done ?" These questions should be
discussed in every part of the State. Can
any man suggest plan that will relieve
the State from the crushing weight which
is now taxing the life out of the people,
and which of its own growth is increasing
at the fearful rate of twelve hundred
thousand dollars per aunum2 In the pur-
suit of Office had we not better stop
and confer with our mechanics,
who are at least the second, if
not the first power in the State, about
this well-nigh infamous penitentiary sys-
temp Had we not better define severally
our plans in reference TO these great qIes-
lions before we have cOnventionl 1t is
now too late for US 10 travel over the
State and discuss these great questions.
The want of public sentiment in Ten
nessee upon these issues Is a folly, the
cost of which is not only the accumulat-
ing interest on the State debt and the cost
of running the Penitentiary, but it de-
stroys our State credit and checks up
every enterprise for the advancement of
our national interests. | shall earnestly
insist, as a business transaction and not
as a party movement that we postpone
the convention until about the Goth of
October, so that we can have the views
and then the choice of men. AS it now is
we will have first the choice of men and
then their views. This is exactly like
whipping man and then trying him.
In old times, Convention meant the
selection by party, of man to advo-
cate and defend the doctrines of theparty,
the people making the choice by ballot.
Now Convention means, that the dele
gates shall choose the Governor for the
people. This being so, who will dare
have the Convention and then the speak
especially when in reference to the
x,,ns41,ra e yDn1iorr &c
now no party creed and no public senti-
ment and never can be until the questions
are discussed over the State.
Since | became a candidate l have had
no time to travel over the State and dis
cuss them, neither have the other gentle
men had time, though they have been cam
didates much longer than |.
The whole State Is suffering by our
penitentiary system. The mechanics Of
the State are suffering immeasUrably. I'm
der the enormous burdens imposed by the
Federal Government directly in taxes, as
well as indirectly upon everything he
buys, the mechanic who has family can
hardly live; but when the State turns
against him and employs beth skill and
infamy, at a cost of many millions, TO
break him down, he must sink and his
children come to want, for perhaps he is
too far advanced in life to learn other
pursuits, and has not the means to move
to a new country.
If l can get hearing before the peo
pie of Tennessee l propose to break up
this infamous system-break it up, root
and branch, so far as any conflict with
mechanics is concerned.
And upon these great questions the |
people are much more interested than they
are in the person of a Governor. A post |
pOnement of the Convention may not |
change the result, but it will form pub |
lie sentiment which will develop itself in
the election of Legislature, and which |
will finally lead to results.
All have felt how utterly impossible it |
is to legislate upon questions which have
not been discussed. Local discussions
even discussions by the several candidates |
for the Legislature-do not form any
general and harmonious public sentiment.
We in Tennessee now stand in great
need of this general public sentiment
upon questions of State policy for two
reasons. First, the passage of law is
much more difficult than it was under the
old Constitution, and for the further rea-
son that the Radical party will likely con-
tinue TO have enough members in the
Legislature, as now, to give them the
balance of power, and without general
public sentiment which is too powerful
for it, the impress of Radicalism will be
found, by its balance of power, on all
our legislation.
There is another and still more impOr-
tant reason why the Convention should be
postponed: Circumstances, over which
the masses of the people have no control,
have well nigh drawn bitter party lines in
the ranks of people united in principle,
fighting in the same cause and for the same
common end.
In the great anxiety Of some newSpa-
peTs to prevent the prescription of Wings,
they have themselves become prescription
lists and laid heavy hand on old Demo
Gratis.
One leading newspaper in West Tcnnes-
see has, in the strongest terms, arralgned
the old DemOcratsin Tennessee as ''pOliti-
cal lunatics, who fought for their rights in
the territories, and caused the South to lose
not only these, but their rights in the
Union and out of il. This paper also
says: " The secession leaders have had
their day in court and before the people,
and this leadership will never return. 1t
is stubborn fiat of history, written all
over the South in blood
This paper warmly advocating the
claims of Gen. Brown, at the same time it
heaps these attacks upon the Democracy,
and at the same time it gives notice that
the secession Democracy can never again
be in power in Tennessee at once has
brought to his support in East Tennessee
where the greatest prejudice against this
party exists, a strength which in my
opinion is not well founded.