The Hickman courier., 1871-09-02
THE HICKMAN COURIER,
Judge NIchOIson,s Letter.


! a meeting was recently held in West
Virginia by the friends of Chief Justice
| Chase Of the United States Court, which
adopted platform upon which they pro
pose to present Judge Chase to the Ma
tional Democratic Convention for nomi
nation as the candidate of the Democra
cy for the Presidency. A copy of the
proceedings of that meeting was forward
ed to Chief Justice Nicholson of Ten
nessee, and his views thereon requested
The following is Judge Nicbolson's re
/ ply;
COLUMBIA, Tenn, Aug. 6, 1871.
| NJ. g C. CHgRcH, Esq Dear Sir +:
have examined with care the printed
copy of the platform on which the friends
oi Chief Justice Chase proposes to pre-
sent his name 90 the Natiouai Democrat
| ic Convention for nominstion TO the
| Presidency You are aware that since
| the people OF Tennessee called me to the
position which | now occupy as Chief,
Justice OF the State. | have deemed III
my duty to abstain from ali politica
movements and to devote my whole tine
to my Official trust The judgment, then
tore, which / shall express as to the
Chase platform and its acceptability 10
the Southern Democracy will rest mush
more upon my general views as to tle |
Southern character and Southern semi |
ment than upon any knowledge on these
subjects acquired within the last twelve
months
IIegard the principles and policy hid |
down in the resolutions on which Tou
ask my opinion as eminently sound and |
orthodox, and those only on the success
of which we can hope to preveW our
government from becoming a confirmed /
central despotism. Relying upon my
knowledge Of Southern character and |
sentiment have no doubt that the great
body of the Southern people would cor
daily support Chief Justice Chase or
any honest statesman standing upon this
platform.
l do not think that the Southern Dem
ucrats have any decided preference as to
the persons to be nominated for Presi
dent and Vice President. They look to
the convention for the selection of two
honest statesmen, with the adoption OF
sound Democratic platform, aud on such
a ticket there will be a substantial una
nimity. think / can safely add that
Chief Justice Chase, by his frmness. in
dependence aud ability in the discharge
of his judicial duties. has secured the
decided confidence of the Southern De-
moeracy.
But. if am not much mistaken in the
G. IL ho m
preston that the selection of candidates |
ought to be made by the Northern Dem
ocrats, and that the Southern Democrats |
would neither suggest nor advocate any |
preferences for the nominations to be
made This course Is indicated wise |
on the part of the Southern Democrats, !
because of the conviction that there ex
lists in the Northern mind a jealous SUE
pieion OF Southern statesmen. which !
would render it imprudent in them 70
take any prominent part 10 indicating or
selecting candidates.
For the same reason think the South |
ern Democrats are prepared to acquiesce
generally in the nomination of both can
didates from the Northern States. In
deed. il would not be easy to- find in the |
Southern States statesman fitted for |
either position whose connection or sym
psthy with the late civil war would not
cause his nomination to become ground !
of weakness 10 the ticker give it to |
you a. my Judgment that the Southern
Democrats 10 general deem il their duty |
IN the pre.ent state of political affairs to
awBi, in silence the action Of their North |
ern friends. hsviDg tull confidence that |
they viii ad"p such platform aud make |
such nominations a. will command the |
cordial suppori aud co operation of the |
Southern Democracy. Very respectful
~, A o p NICHOLSON.