Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-02-18
MANLY, STINGING REBUKE.
What A Conservative Union Man Has
Learned of Tennessee Democracy.

Hon. W. r. Sewer, of Jonesboro', re-
Gently resigned his seat in the Tennessee
State Senate. He has written an address,
giving his reasons for resigning. 1t con-
tains a lesson for every Conservative
| Union man i'll East Tennessee, and we
know they will profit by it.
After stating that he accepted the posi-
ton against his personal wishes, and sole
ly from a sense of duty, he proceeds
Preliminary to a statement of the rea-
SONS which compelled me to resign my
seat i'll the Senate, allow me to direct your
! attention to some facts. During the war
was known, by all my acquaintance, to
he decided friend to the Federal Govern
ment. a discussion of the reasons which
I constrained me to occupy this position is
not necessary, nor indeed, relevant to the
subject of this communication. 1t was,
however, in accordance with long cher
ished sentiments calmly and deliberately
taken. The same right which | had eXer-
cised to decide respecting the merits of
the questions involved i'll that contest, was
accorded to all others nor did allow any
one differing with me, in regard to those
matters, to suffer disparagement in my es-
teem or confidence, because of such differ
ence. We had often entertained conflict
ing views and opinions concerning the
great political issues which marked the
history of parties for twenty years previous
to the war; yet / never suffered any con-
trariety or antagOnism of principles or po-
SltIOnS to separate me from those / loved.
The questions involved in the struggle
were such as could only be settled by the
arbitration of arms and the "caSuS GcHj'
being of purely political character, there
was not occasion or justification, i'll my
mind, for making it matter of personal
issue, dispute OF ill-will among friends.
The soldier who voluntarily took his life
in his hand,
In wars magnifcently stern array
and faced the cannon's mouth-whether
i'll the lines of the Federal or Confederate
forces, L regarded as terribly i'll earnest"
WHY HE WAS DEFEATED FOR SPEAKER.
After my election to the Senate [ was
designated, by portion of the public
press, as a suitable candidate for the Speak
Crship. ] never, fellow-citizens, vainly
imagined that i'll my person was found
that happy combination of gifts and
graceS which qualified me in any pre-emi-
nent degree for that honorable and re-
sponsible position. But the Radical press
had declared-and reiterated the declara-
ton a thousand times-that the Rebel ele-
ment when once in power would utterly
ignore and repudiate Conservative Union
men as an integral part of their political
organizations. ] regarded my position as
rather fortunate, inaSmuch as it furnished
the opportunity of putting TO practical test
and refutation the truth of the assertion.
[ stood, if my recollection serves me, but
for single ballot and. anxious to save
the party from an imputatiOn SO damag-
ing to Il prOfeSsedly conservative Organi- |
Tatinn | wit bHraIIy an1 tod 4 tO1
Warren, of McNairy-a gentleman ,confes- |
sedly, the best qualified member Of the 7
body for the position intelligent, atlable, /
of pure character and of Legislative eXpe- |
rience. In view of this fact, and in con- ,
sideration of the additional fact that in .
this election alone had the Conservative /
Union members signified desire or dis /
position to share in the distribution of Of
fees, | thought, and still think he should |
have been elected Speaker of the Senate. !
But the antecedents and principles of Col. |
Warren were discovered to be alike dis /
tasteful-we were lacking in that sort of |
record which Commends one to the graces !
of the majOrity-Or, to use the expressive /
and elegant language of distinguished |
Senator, we We're found with spots on !
our back The matter had been
predetermined and arranged, as
was evidenced by the fact that General .
Vaughn pulled his manuscript address
from his pocket and read it, after he had .
been conducted to the chair. AS person
ii contest the affair is destitute of interest |
OF Importance: but a. political demon
stration, the only light i'll which it can
be regarded, 1t is fill Of significance.
Had then been, as | subsequently be-
came, better acquainted with the policy
the anmus and programme-of the party,
/ should not have suffered my name to
stand even for u single ballOt-(Nay /
should have felt compelled to decline the
honor had il been rendered: for, as will
be observed from the subiOined roster,
the presence Of Mr.. Warren, Mr.. Hughes,
myself, or any one of like antecedents, i'll
the Speakers Chair, would have seriously
disturbed the harmony Of the political
otherwise 50 perfect:
STATE OFFICERS WHO WORE THE GRAY.
The Governor a full bench consisting
of six Judges of the Supreme Court; At
torney General and Reporter; Secretary OF
State; Treasurer; Comptroller superin,
tendent Insane Hospital; Superintendent
Superintendent Capital
Public Printersf; Speaker of the House
Speaker of theSenate; Clerk of the House;
Clerk of the Senate; DoOrkeeper of the
House; Doorkeeper of the Senate, and
even the colored porters, all of one faith
and order all, and particularly the last
mentioned functl0narleS, wool uyeu.
These remarks are not made i'll derOgatlon
of the gentlemen filling the offices deslg-,
mated; for many of them are my esteemed
friends and are faithful and efficient Off
GERS,
THE TABLE SCRAPS
Some minor offices, here and there III the
State are occupied by men of Union anet-
cedents but they are comparatively few
and nsignificant-mere table scraps -
crUsts, crumbs and bones.
The criterion of merit with this class OF
men is the extent and Importance OF the
services rendered by the candidate to the
late Confederacy; and, per coRrG, the
who were the friends of the Government |
during the war, regardless of their sacrl-
hees and efforts in behalf of peace spopulaT
rights, universal amnesty and universal
suffrage, since that period.