Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-08-11

Addre. s Of En7 rrs.ident Andrew johnson.

speaking, the crowd began to assemble at the
grove in front of the Female Institute and short
" afterwards the notes of the Turn Verein Band
were heard approaching, followed by citizens
on foot and in carriages.
Shortly afterwards the distinguished speaker
arrived, accompanied by Col. John Williams,
| bearing a paclln ge containing the constitution
and other documents for reference ominouS in
| their bulk. He was met by Hon. Thomas a. X.
| Nelson and escorted to the stand where he stood
a few moments surveying the crowd, all too
| small for the mOmentous occasion.
THE STAND Ef Et
! Was a hastily improvsed structure, made of
new material though every plank in the plat
| form could not have been considered sound ~
| though draped with the national colors, as be-
| fore commencing it was deemed advisable to
| have the speech from the portico of the Insti-
| tute Accordingly the crowd about faced, and
| by right and left reverse, counter marched in
| that direction. a-s6
After music by the band, the speaker was in
| troduced by Hon. Thomas A. r. Nelson. as the
great exponent of constitutional liberty, in a
speech highly eulogistic of his ability. He took
pleasure in calling before them, the old popular
favorite by the name he was often called by,
ANDY JOHNSON"
He did not come before the peopleof Knox
county in the character of an offce-seeker He
hoped they would not expect too much from
him on the present occasion, and though his au-
dience was not as large as some he had address,
ed in time past yet he would make an effort to
enlighten them on public affairs and in order to
do so it would be necessary to refer to the first
| and fundamental principles of the government
The constitution was his guide and the public
| good his aim, and if that venerated instrument
| had been preserved we would have had no eff
fort to have another free government and an
other constitution But the principles therein
contained had been abandoned and we behold
our present condition. We heara great deal of
Democracy and Republicanism-many were d.
vided in name and yet agreed in principIe-the
constitutional Democrat and the true Republi-
can were synonymous and in what he had to
say he was talking for his country, the fortunes
of which swayed like the pendulum of clock
from tyranny to anarchy, between which ex
es were aristocracy and theocracy.
THE CONSTITUTION.
The speaker seemed to consider this almost
sacred, the voice of the people being the voice
of God" audit being an emanation from the
people. This provided for three departments
the executive, legislative and judicary-but
Congress was aggressive and one of the depart
mentS was trying to swallow the other. 1t
might be the last time he would have an oppor-
tunity of addressing the people and he urged
them to stand up for constitutional liberty, for
without that, he said, where are you ?p' per-
haps in the sense the freedman asked when Civ
ing his preference for riding on the old fashion,
stage COACH against the steamboat, "Ifyou's
ridin' on de stage and it breaks down, dar you
is but if on de boat when de biler busts, acAar
IS you 2"
He construed the Interpretation of the con-
stitution to be as much against public officers
receiving presents from a millionaire as titles
from a foreign Prince. He then referred to the
charges of gift-taking against the President and
repeated the exploded stories about their
Crime :
Since 1891, he said the population of the coun.
fry od hofxu II
only, while, he said, the increase in expendi-
lures had been over 5000 per cent. The tax
per capita then was only about one dollar,
while now it amounted to more than nine dol
order to guard against the future, and while
abuses were tolerated during the war, yet they
would not be now. 81
Abiding to Mr.. Summer, who had be en- on
of the prime movers in his impeachment, that
gentleman had now become so disguised with
the party he belonged to as to declare against
its corruption. He was impeached for adhering
to the Constitution, and the next impeachment
would be for dishonesty in office. As a matter
of course, he don't admire Sumner much, and
there being but few colored men-his especial
wards, as he considers them-present, although |
as matter of policy" he would perhaps have |
wrnng in q word of praise, but there was moth |
ing that could possibly be gained by it. 4
THE oNE-TERM PRINCIPLE.
The speaker alluded to the old Democratic |
idea of the one-term principle. Gen. Grant |
came in for one term and now wanted to hold |
over for two That was embodied in the Gin
cinnati platform, and he endorsed it. He was
also in favor of eleeting the President and Vice
President directly by the people and the amend /
ment of the Constitution to that effect. By that |
means the people would get rid of the electoral |
college and nominating conventions. Time had |
fee. He was ikewike in favor of electing Uni
ted States Senators by the people, because it |
was impossible to corrupt the people Of an en-
tire State, while a minority in the Legislature |
could be bought, as it doubtless often was.
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.
The speaker took a retrospective view-the |
present reminded HIM of the campaign of 1910, |
Clay,-gallant g Harry of the West,"-had |
organized against the Democratic administra-
ton of Van Buren,. Very unwisely they nom-
mated Gen. Harrison as the most available |
man, and he was triumphantly carried into of |
fee in the boat that Clay had built. 1t was a |
great popular change, and the great Wing |
champion could as easily have been elected as /
the hero of Tippicanoe, He wanted 'availa- |
bic" men left severely alone and liable" men |
only nominated. Il
t9e conservative party-the masses wanted a |
eeinange OF administration, and he thought the |
tlual wave" was strong enough for them to |
nave nominated one of their own political |
oneeu, instead OF going to the camp of the en-
SnS anu selecting as their standard bearer the |
find they had 0'i'oi ''''iS ' 6 "ooio
ErE EE# COMMITTED A BLUNpERv.s-
in so doing, and that they would find Il d;4;cult
to keep the party organization intact. if indeed
it could be done at all In support of tbs u;a'u
of the matter, Mr.Johnson refreshed his audi |
ence with leaf from ancient history. where in |
war with the Samnltes number of Roman |
soldiers had been driven into the Caudine
forks and Enclosed in triangle, with water on |
their front and TANKS and an active enemy in
their rear, they were cut off from their sup
plies and forced to surrender. The foe then
compelled them to submit to the humiliation of
nassing under the yoke and then permitted
them to return to Rome But the Romon Sen
ate would not receive them. so keenly was the
disgrace felt and they returned to the Sanfnites,
hui thou hnd no nsn for them Perhans