Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-10-16
TBE aALLATIN CONVENTION.
For the Union and American

TIE GALLATIN CONVENTION. g
For the Union and American.
LEBANON, Oct. IA, 1S72.-As an act OF
justice to the Hon. Edward !. GolladaY and
his friends In the Gallatin Convention, /
consider it my duty to make to the public
the following statement: / concede that
the GaIlatin Convention did not do its du-
ty. 1t was the duty of that Convention TO
have made a nomination. 1t is not my
purpose to indulge in the language Of CEN
sure. / presume that every delegate to
that Convention has reasons satisfactory to
himself for the course he pursued; and
cheerfuIly concede to every one Of them,
what claim for myself, honesty OF purpose
and purity of motive. But entertain, at
the same time, the honest and conscen-
tious conviction that the responsibility of
the non-action Of that Convention
does not attach 70 the friends of
Col. G0lladay. II the friends of Col.
Golladzy had determined az the outset to
carry the proposition that q majority should
nominate, they could very easily have done
so. The twc.thirds rule was adopted by
vote Of So to 81. Wilson county casting
her "a votes and DeKalb her nine votes in
favor Of its adoption. If these two coun-
ties, which on every ballot cast their votes
for Col. Golladay, had voted against that
rule it could not have been adopted; but,
on the contrary, the majority rule would
have been adopted by a vote of II to IS,
and under that rule Col. Golladsy would
have been nominated on the first ballot by
16 majority. -s ...s- es ~
The Wilson and DeKalb county delega-
tons voted for the two-thirds rule because
that rule was one of the time honored
us2ges of the Democratic party. There is
another time honored usage of the Demo
cratic party that the friends Of Col. Cola
day had every reason to believe would be
respected, and that is the denomination Of
the incumbent when he has made a faith
full and efficient Representative. That
usage was respected and prevailed in the
denomination of Gov. John G. Brown, aud
Of Hon. John III. Bright, and we saw no
good reason why the Gallatin Conven-
ton should make an exception TO
it in the person of Col. Golladay.
In the presentation Of the name Of Col.
Golladay as q candidate for the nomination
before the Convention, the perpetuation of
that usage was earnestly solicited; but the
solicitation was made in vain, as shown by
the result of the Convention. am frank
and free to declare that the Wilson county
tWo-thirds rule unless they had believed
that the other usage would have been OBJ
served. The one was no more binding
than the other.
And again, the friends of Col. GoIladay
have GOOD reason to complain OF the exclu-
sion Of proxies from the Convention. On
principle, am opposed to proxies; but
cannot endorse or sanction the action of
the Convention In excluding proxies, with
out first having notified the people that they
could not be represented in the Convention
BIZ proxy. Its action in that particular
was unprecedented, as the history Of the
proceedings of conventions In Tennessee
VIII abundantly show. If the twenty-five
or more proxies, held by the friends of Col
GoIaday, had been heard in the Conven-
ton, his nomination would have been as
sured and certain, for they could have car
red propositions that would unmistakably
have secured his nomination.
And again, the friends Of Col. Golladay
have good reason to complain that the
friends of other aspirants would not agree
10 the adoption of the majority rule when
il became apparent that no nomination
could be effected under the tWo-third rule.
The majority rule could have been carried
at any time BY the united vote of Col. Col
ladl's friends; but many Of them did not
wish TO adopt it against the earnest con-
victions, opposition, and protest Of the
friends Of other gentlemen, and sincerely
desired toeffect a nomination in strict &C
cordance with every usage Of the Demo-
cratic party, and particularly so considering
the present state of the party in Tennessee.
By their open, upright and just minded &C
ton they desired to place before the people
nomination that would, in the entiremanner
Of its consumation, efectually silence every
clamor against conventions and every muir
muir of dissatisfaction. And that Is the res
son why the feeling in the Convention was
so strong against the nomination of an out
slider. That was considered q dangerous
experiment in the present condition Of the
Democratic party, and particularly, consid-
erinz the condition in the 9Th Congress
ional district 1t was not thought safe TO
risk even the appearance of defeat Of the
will Of the people through the agency OF
convention.
And here venture the assertion that so
many gentlemen were never before, and
will never again, be offered the bright pos
sibility of seat in Congress, as there were
during the sitting of the Gallatin Con-
vention.
And here l call the special atten-
ton of the people to the signi6-
cant fact that, after the balloting had pro-
ceeded for sometime and several results
had been announced, and just at the time
when Col Golladay was for the first time
found in the minority before the conven-
ton, Mr.. Calender, a friend of his, pro-
posed the suspension OF the two-third's
rule and the adoption Of the majority rule;
but that proposition was not accepted.
Even Col. Golladay's friends were not
ready for the majority rule at this stage OF
the proceedings, unless his opponents had
been willing to accept It..
Ard again, further on In the proceeoingS
of The Convention when Col. Gonaoay
was in the minority, the proposition was
presented by myself as compromise anu
in The interest OF harmony and conclllauon,
but it was not accepted. As the frleno OF
Col Golladay, and by his authority, an,
nouEced to the Convention that ne Woulo
not be any longer before the Convention
but for the fact that all the ballots, taken
together, indicated that he was the choice
of tie Convention for the nomination, and
but for the very significant fact that the
outside information was that be was much
stronger among the people of the Demo-
CRAZE faith than the ballot of the Conven-
tion indicated; and that the exigencies of
the Democratic party demanded implicit
obedience to the popular will to prevent
decentralization, disorganizstion, and dis
int grstion.
Ccl Golladay received inthe Convention
ONLY four out of the seven votes to which
TroCsdale county was entitled, and usually
only 81 votes out of the z; and yet
Mr.. Andrews, a delegate from that
coul.y, informed myself and others
thai IN Monday before the meeting Of the
Cory utioD he found sixty-eight citizens in
Ha.f- vile, who resiced in different portions
d.. = county, and that on taking the vote
l. md fifty-nine of them for Greeley.
T., outside information in regard TO the