Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-08-05
FROM STEWART COUNTY-HON.
DORSEY e. THOMAS.

| lOLue EuiIOT Vi tue OulOu huu AUlbrlcGus
WAvERLEY, Tenn, August 8, 1870
The Hon. Dorsey B. Thomas, who is a
candidate for Congress from this Con-
gressional District, made an able and dig
nified speech to his constituents at this
place on Monday last. He reviewed at
some length the history of Tennessee legis-
lation for the last five years, and referred
in modest terms TO the humble part which
he had taken IN polite cal matters since the
termination of the late war. He recog-
niZed the fact that there are now only
two political organizations or national par
ties in the country, and deprecated in Sc
we're and unmeasured terms the efforts
which have been and which are now be-
ing made, to build third or intermediate
party in Tennessee. He declared without
reservation, that he had no utilization with
or sympathy for this third party move
ment, and closed by saying that the Dem
ocratic party of Tennessee, as ii exists to
day, composed as it is of the Democratic,
Wing and Conservative elements of the
State, commands his respect, enlists his
warmest sympathy, and will receive his
heartiest support in the pending as vel, as
future elections, so long as it remains true
to itself, and to the policy and principles
it now advocates.
D. r. Thomas is despised and ca
lumniated by the Radical party. They
are determined if possible to beat him.
Why is this3 1t is because he refused to
go with and support them in their oppres-
sive and prOscriptiYe measures, as against
those who were engaged in the rebellion.
1t is because he at an early day interposed
himself as an impregnable bulwark be-
tween them and the zeal of their unhal-
lowed ambitiOn-the subversion and over
throw of our republican form of govern
ment, and the erection of a centralized
despOtism upon the ruins thereof. He
has met them face to face, when it was
dangerous to oppose them, and denounced
them as a mongrel set of villains and
scoundrels, telling them they were ira
ducing and vilifying the characters of bet
ter men than themselves; and that, by
their proscriptive legislation, they were
striking q blow at the foundation of the
government, more dangerous to its main
tenance and perpetuation than were ever
the organized enemies of the COnfederacy.
This is the secret of the opposition of that
party to Mr.. Thomas, in the coming elec-
tlon.
Dorsey 3. Thomas, true to his instincts
of Southern manhood, has espOused with
all the strength aud ardor of his powerful
nature the cause of the unfortunate par
ticipatOrs in the rebellion, and rested not
until they were lifted up out of the dis
graceful political position in which they
had been placed by the legislation of
few bad men, and again placed upon the
proud eminence upon which Americans
are wont to stand. Mr.. Thomas has done
as much, and perhaps more, to remove |
the disabilities imposed upon Tennes-
seeans by the corrupt and venal party |
which has been in power for the last five |
years, than any other man in Tennessee. |
In the election for Legislature in 1869,
when the cloud of despotism was lower
ing and seemingly more threatening to
the peace and prosperity of Tennessee
than ever before when the hopes of the |
DISTINGUISHED of our State were ready to |
sink in utter despair; at a time when it |
was apparent, in order to obtain relief, |
that men good and true, and who could |
influence the legislation of that body, |
should be elected to the same, the eyes |
and the hopes of the disfranchised, not |
only of this district, but of the State,
turned and centred upon d. B. |
Thomas as a man who, above all |
others, was best calculated to turn
the tide of Radical progression
and bring relief and restore peace and |
happiness to a grief stricken and sorely
afflicted people. To beat the Radical can
didate in that election, seemed another
improbability. But Mr.. Thomas, at the !
request of his people, undertook the task,
and by his earnest eloquence, his ponder |
Gus blows and deadly thrusts he so Grip |
pied the Radical party as to elect himself |
by respectable majority. Can the people |
of this district forget the earnest efforts of !
Mr.. Thomas in their behalf, in times
past? VIII they refuse to support him in
the coming election? The future alone
can tell. LEONIDAs.