Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-05-31

AhS WktC oi u Tic IclloN.'
| Ais trade never degraded him, and the ham
pest days OF his life were spent at work, cspe-
clally on Saturday, when his customers came
| for their garments
lie would tell the truth-he had told Il I'm
der more trying circumstances--and was nroud
or the mechanics of the country IL he could
add any memento in the cornerstone of a mo
chenics building, it would be the proudest act
Si ms iiie; ne had seen mechanics SGT OF
tered, and seen them go over TO those who ca
ioled, while they despised them. instead of
bringing them to their sphere. At one time he
was despised but had since made others re-
| spect him, as all could do Mechanics should
| be protected and made respectable by their own
merit, Capital was frequently necessary but
small Quantities well managed were better than
too much money. The happiest people were
those Of whom few were poor and few rich-s
home for all, however humble was highly do
sira6le The middle state was preferable lie
would dispense with the peni.entiary in improy-
| classes oughtto be punished, one he would hang,
arg inc otheridepriye Of ftAs Ho0er 10 propagdfe
tAe,r spee,es. Ina few hqndted or Thousand
70 those now living In his situation perhaps
| his last speech, tcries Of hope notrl The had
begun with mechanics, and i would be good to
| end with meGhanism, He had tried 20 do his
| ise. Having run the important race-he smoke
not in egotism, though proud of it4araco few
had run run He thanked, God that his march
| "
| bridges he had crossed not eatfsewayed with
bodies of countrymen slain No GoIgothas or
| potters, fields were on either side. He would
rather his brow was furrowed with the cares of
pubic life or ms coat dusty with labor, than
wear the glittering tnsse or gaudy epaulet of
the soldier gained in civil war. .'.r ~ M
Remembering his past public life he had
nothing to regret Events had proved the cor
rectness of his vews--he had no desire for gain.
and asked, whom have l defrauded? What
brides have l receiVed2 lH4N
His thoughts were on peace Rally around the
! banner OF our country with the constitution and
| laws--one and inseperabe--on its folds ms the
watchword. On the subject of manual labor he
would be cal Hewould rather effect a Judgment
OF one idea, than speak week and leave only faint
Impressions 1t was hard to argue the labor
| question without hurting some one but he had
been invited to speak on the subject and would
do so; In what condition he asked was the cap
ltaL OF the y, country l Locked up in bonds. The
| debt was S25O0,0O0,000. The interest at per
| cent. amounted 10 $50 100000 The labor of
the country paid this interest No nation had
paid larger pnblic debt without reputation.
| Ihe,revolutonary war debt was nearly all re-
pudiated No nation had a right to create a
debt for future generations to pay. 1t is claim
ed we could leave the property. What proper
IVY we found the country unembarrassed and
| should leave the same heritage to our children
| We had no right to make q debt permanent.
| He desired the attention of the laboring men
finding this debt was q step towards its perms-
nency. No nation was free with large inan-
| eal burden.
| Congress was now almost an article of mer-
| chandise. Manufactures and labor paid the
bondhGlderS interest His highest ambition
was to have his name inscribed among those
| who loved their country. Here he read stats
| tics regarding interest
| Bonds and National. Banks were exempted hut
the people were taxed to death. Our credit
should be preserved but due regard for The mass
| es should make the early reduction of the prin-
cipal of the public debt Imperative This was to
be done by ignoring the interest, and he remark
ca that by insisting on his bond Shylocll lost his
| Idle capital made no nails, used not the chisI
welded no hammer--but the workman paid in
terest on this idle capital that consumed the
| sweat and life of the country. d.. .r.s nm
We should have greenbacks instead of Ma
| uonal Bank currency, and save II per cent. on
bonds, No, but they wanted to fund the debt.
Ihe bondholders were willing to take a less rate
Of interest if for longer time. Like the horse
| leech, give, give, was their cry. A military
despotism would compel the people to labor at
the point Of the bayonet The monopoly of
| capital was more injurious than the want of It.
Money is lik muck-of no value unless scat
tered BY the paymentof the interest on bonds
as part of the loan the debt could be cancelled
IN iractlsn less than seventeen years Capital
and power, like the sexes affiliated, and wanted
| strong arm TO lean on. In time capital will
control the entire production ofthe country and
n n. q few years would control the Government.
| by substituting greenbacks for National Bank
notes they could resume specie payments.
The laboring men of the country ought to be
and doubtless are opposed to the present system.
This is matter of principle, not party 1t is
for the Interest of working men. He went into
and came out of public life the advocate of the
laboring masses. They need advocates
He thanked God he was not a rebel
nor a radical. He loved his country. If
| all the States had equal rights, this would be
the best government in the world. The fate of
Paris was the result of arbitrary and unjust
legislation, destroying the labor of artzans and
| architects. Emperor William vauntingly as
serted that he received the crown of Empire
| from the hand of God, and not from the people
where all power sprung. 1t was as Injurious
| for nation to be too wealthy as an individual,
| and cited the cases of Tyre, Babylon and
| other ancient cities whose glory had departed
| centuries ago. The fate of Paris would be
| similar and was the result of concentrated
| corruption and power. Laboring men had TO
pay all, work all, fight all and shoald look
| into the subject Gratitude, like disinterosted
| beneyolenee, was severe. 1t was undetermined
| to mean lively sense of favOrs to come not
those that had been granted He had violated
| no promise to his cOuntrymen, and his traducers
| and calumniators might SNAP and and snarl in
| their impotent wratht-they hurt him not
! The English aristocracy needed, said the
| Tory press, healthy infusion of plebian blood
| to remove the impurities. lie felt grateful to
| his countrymen. All he asked in retiring from
! public life and coming in behalf of the Mechan-
| les OF East Tennessee, was place in their res
pect and the confidence of all whom he had
served: Let the country go on in mechanism,
| agriculture and labor, and it would be safe.
| Monopoly was great evil. England during
the war was a professcd friend Of tho South,