Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1870-09-22
GUBERNATORIAL CANVASS.
Address Of Col. A. S. Colyar.

Te the People OF Tennessee.
The action of the Democratic Conven-
ton just closed leaves me but one course.
l became a candidate because | saw that
we were likely to have a convention and
perhaps an election without any discus
sion over the State of the great questions
of our State debt, immigration and con-
vict labor; also, the five-twenty bond ques-
ton. The Convention had already been
arranged for and most of the State can
yassed with a view to it before | became
a candidate. BY letter, and by bringing
the action of the people at some public
meetings to the notice of my competitors,
and by personal appeals. 1 urged a post
ponement of the Convention so that the
people could find out the views of the can
didates before a convention. This | thought
was eminently proper if the party was to
be bound by the Convention, for then it
was equal to an election.
Failing to get a postponement, l de-
clined to 90 before the Convention.
In my action now, Ihave but one guide,
my conscience-and will be a candidate,
and shall discuss these questions.
Gen. Brown declined to say publicly
where he stood upon any of these ques-
tons and the platform on which he stands
is silent except upon the bonds, and upon
this it is wholly unsound.
The fve-twenty bonds amount to ST.
G97,873,14O. They are now due and
payable in currency, and ought to be paid
off at once, and thereby the people be
relieved of SOL 900, 900 of interest which
they annually pay in gold. This platform.
proposes to tax these bonds. This, by
Implication, recognizes the right of the
holders to keep them and collect the gold
interest. Instead of holding that they
ought to be taxed simply, the whole coun-
try demands that they shall be paid off
have the interest now paid in gold stopped,
and there is nothing to tax.
The implied right to continue to collect
this enormous gold interest by the bond
holders, in the modest demand that the
capital invested in bonds shall be taxed,
is virtually surrendering a right vital to
the whole people.
Two years ago the first resolution offered
and adopted by the Democratic party in
the State Convention was as follows:
RESOLVED, That as in the course of
events the question whether a State of the
American Union could under the compact
secede was submitted to a contest of arms,
and decided in the negative and as it is
wise that theories in government should
be abandoned when found impracticable
therefore the American people, North and
South, should accept such decision as final
and conclusive"
The first resolution adopted by the
Democratic Convention on the 18th, is as
follows:
"Resolved, That the Southern States
should be Immediately restored to their
rights under the Constitution of the United
States as sovereign States of the American
Union"
This resolution, L understand, was agreed
upon in caucus the night before the con.
vention, after the Brown resolution Of
1868 was voted down.
Turning to the proceedings of the Con
~vention of 1868, [ find that N of tho
speakers who opposed the first resolution
based his objection upon the ground thai
he did not wan to bind the party and theil
children.
| find that two distinguished gentlemen
who opposed that resolution of 1868, were
on the committee that reported the resolu
ton of 1870.
The assertion hat the States are sover
eign. is the most emphatic way, and al
ways has been, of asserting the right o
secession.
A very large portion of the people o
Tennessee utterly denied the right OF sc
c~ession. l belonged to that number.
never believed a State was a sovereignty
The fact that by the very terms of thu
Constitution itself, in the most emphati'
manner, the States themselves agreed tina
no State shall enter into any treaty, al
lance, confederation grant letters o
marque and reprisal, coin money, emf
bills of credit, make anything but gol'
and silver a legal tendr, or grant any titl'
of nobility, is conclusive that a State i
not a sovereignty.
Then again, the Constitution provide
that no State shall, without the consent o
Congress lay any imposts or duties ON lin
port or exports.
And again, the Constitution provide
that no State shall, without the consent o
Congress lay any duty of tonnage, keel
troops or ships of war in time of peace, o
enter into any agreement or compact witt
another State.
With all these rights surrender is
State a sovereign? The emphatic answer
is, No, a State is a government OF limited
powers. This doctrine Of Estate sovereignt.
and its consequences oughtnot to have beer
put into this platform, especially it was al
effort to unite the the old parties; especia
ly should it not have been done by a com
mittee to whom every thing upon the sub
iect was to be referred without debate.
There is but one remedy for men WHIT
think as [ do, aud that is not to get on TIN
platform.
States have rights-Congres cant't ejec
a State-nor can Congress make for a Stat
a military government, for the States ar
entitled to governments is republican In form
But to maintain these rights with vlgo
| and power. we must make no false lssu'
The abandonment of the'doctrine of 1868
that the people, both North and Soutl
should accept the settlement as final an.
conclusive and substituting in It's stead
the fallacy of State sovereignty, which on
ly a few men in Tennessee believed II
my opinion, endangers II civil Stat,
government, and will bring upon us mil
itary reconstruction If this terrible calam
ity comes upon us. l propose to be IN tn
right and not in the wrong. and then tn
question will come, who will stand by tn
right the longest?
Therefore for myself, l adopt the reso
luton of 1868, and cordially invite Gen
IL - rlntfnrn