Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-08-26

every OcpaFtLnclib VI biAo 81 - = u II
under the fostering hands OF the party IN
power, they have grown with = wonderful
rapidly, until it mas nearly become re-
spectable In government circles, and the
punishment of offenders for plundering
the treasury has become nearly obsolete
MANY members of Congress are notori-
ously in the interest, of railroad, whisky
and other rings, and the. success of
measure does not depend upon its merits,
but upon the amount of money its friends
can spare to lobby with. At the last ses-
sion q few members were arraigned for
selling cadetships, bat SO many were i'm
plicated by the proof, that the whole
thing was dropped in indecent haste as
being dangerous to radical supremacy.
You have seen the annual expenses of the
government increase with startling rapid
ity, as evinced by the fact that the total
expenses of the government from March
4, 1789 to June 30, 1861, period of 70
years, was $l,526, 672, sos 90, while the
expenditures from July /, 1861. to the
30th day of June, 1866, amounts to the
enormous sum s., 800, 600, o00.0o. The
administration of the government for
four years just before the war cost us
$3.50, 600, 10000, and yet for the fiscal
year, ending June30, 1867, the expen ses
amounted to $346, 729, 1890. These are
startling truths, and they too plainly show
TO the honest taxpayer, the costly luxury
of radical rule and corruption. Your
taxes and expenditures have been in
creased more than fivefold in ten years,
while the protection of your liberties and
rights have decreased in at least the same
proportion.
Qualification and merit are no longer
passports to Office under the reigning
power, and from the President down to
the lowest officer in the Government me-
diocrity and imbecility is the rule and
qualification, and integrity the exception
These, fellow-citizens, are but few of
the grievances you have been bearing for
some years, and if you cannot arrest the
party in power from their mad crusade
upon the Constitution of your fathers and
the liberties of the people, republican
form of government and a free people
will be thing of the past. The elections
for the past five months, with the pros
poets before US both North and South,
give US hope to believe that the opponents
of the Radical party may carry the next
House of Representatives and st least ar
rest the aggressions and corruptions that
now threaten the very existence of free
government. Since the close of the war
till now you have felt very little interest
in your Congressional delegation, for
numerous reasons, but now you have
everything to gain and hope for by hay
ing true and tried men to represent you.
There are number of candidates for the
position, and as l am not personally
known in all the counties of the district,
trust that you viii pardon me for al
luding to my position and record, as you
are entitled to it, and have nothing to
conceal from you. l was born, raised,
educated and have lived all my life in this
district and all that | am and may be,
shall be devoted to the success and pros
perity of my people and native State.
Through good and through evil report,
through prosperity or adversely, shall
stand by my people and State as have in
the past, without stopping to count the
cost or opposition. sr
1 can conscientiously say that from 1861
to the present time, have never wayered
or faltered in the defence of the rights
and honor of my people and State.
In 1861 believed that the honor and
interests of Tennessee demanded that she
should link her fortunes with her south.
ern sisters. and consequently l left the
comforts'of my home, the society of my
family, and seat in the Senate of Ten.
nessee, to join that band of noble nIer
who illustrated their bravery, their chiy.
airy and their devotion to civil liberty
upon every battle field of the late war,
and the story of whose heroic deeds and
privations will ever be remembered with
pride and gratitude by brave and patri
otto people. From Fort Donelson to the
surrender of General Johnston, in May
1865, l tried to do my duty in upholdina
and maintaining the flag of my native
South, and though exiled from my home
and family during this entire period, and
suffering Imprisonment and the loss OF
my private fortune, l gave every energy
of my nature to the accomplishment o.
our separate independence. l am free u
say that l reioiced at our prosperity anC
victories, and wept over our misfortune
and defeats, and when Lee and Johnston
furled their banners and disbanded theil
noble veterans in 1865, l felt that tn
| South and mankind had suffered a disas
ter, the extent of which can only be est
mated or Appropriated by the extent o
Radical taxation, aggressions and corrup
tons in ten years of misrule. Some ma.
say that these things are not qualification
upon my part; be it so; but they are a
least scars of the past conflict, and ma.
afford an index to the future, as to wheth
er will stand by or desert your peopl
and their rights.
In common with the great body of pa
rolled Confederates, l have conscientious
and religiously observed my parole, yet
have felt the heavy hand of both Nations
and State Governments in the shape o
complete Acknowledgement, confiscatiol
proceedings and Indictment for misprisiol
of treason, yet l am now free from a
these things, and have no disabilities
either State or National, the New Consti
tuition freeing me from the one and Con
1 BTeSSlODdl pdIuOu HUH IuO ObuOl.
AS to my political faith and affiliation
can give them to you in few words.
l believe that every one in the South
who are opposed to the Radical party an
its practices, should make common caus
against it, and that they should join thei
fortunes to that great party of the Mort
whose trained veterans are being rapid
reinforced, and who are formed in batti
array, ready to make great battle
overthrow our common enemy and to n
store our Government to its ancient LAND
marks.
think it impolitic while our hosts al
gathering for battle to raise questions {
past political affiliations, and nothin
should be looked to except that they al
properly aligned for the series of bsttl
that must soon settle the fate of constit1
! tional liberty in this country.
believe that the Federal Governme
is one of limited power derived solely fro
the Constitution, and the grants of pow
made therein, should be strictly col
strued by all the departments and agen
of the government The exercise I
doubtful constitutional powers by al
one clothed with the making, cOnstru
ton or administration of the laws,
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