Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-10-23
EsTABLIsHED 4sAo.1 o.11380
SOMERVILLE.
The CanEass-Speeehes OF Colonel Rob-
ertsOn TOpp and Judge Henry
&. Smith.
What Tie Citizens OK Fayette County
Think About Grant and Greeley.

day our regular October term OF the Cir
cut Court commenced. From this cir
cumstance, and the knowledge tha
Colonel TOpp and Judge w. q. Smil
were 70 speak, drew out many Of tn
leading citizens Of The county.
At one O'Clock In the afternoon th,
court adjourned, TO yield up the court
house to the speakers.
Shortly after the court adjourned
Colonel Topp TOOK the stand. he ssit
he came before them 10 discuss the lead
ing issues OF the canvass--the pracitca
questions involved in the legislation o
the country; thai be should not insul
his condition OF degrade himself by
rakinC up irrelevant issues, ancien
prejudices or the pitiful and eontempti
lie personalities toe frequently paradeC
before the people Of the country. HG
left these and kindred measures TO mind;
addicted TO such issues
Taking up the platform promulgated
10y the Republican party that nOmi-
mated General Grant for the Presidency
in Philadelphia on the sixth OF Junt
last, he said: "This party had appealed
TO their glorious record Of the past as
the party's best pledge for the future.
de meant TO take issue with them, anC
examine their record, and the sound
hess Of the doctrines promulgated by
them
Beginning with section one, he TOOK
up the different positions OF the Repub-
Ican party, and for about two hour
made one Of the most dignIfed, learned
logical, eloquent, stRtesmanlike and
f0rcible speeches that we have ever La
tened to. The audience listened 20 Colo
mel Iopp throughout with intense inter
est.
In discussing the fifth section Of the
platform, which begins with these words
ANY system Of the civil service unCei
which the subordinate positions Of the
government are considered rewards fOi
mere party zeal, Is fatally demSrzlizing,
Colonel Topp displayed = talent for ridi-
cule and sarcasm that was simply
overwhelming. The shouts and laughter
Of ridicule that burst forth upon his ex-
posure of theiy acts, cOntrasted with
their doctrines, compelled him frequent
is u desist from speaking until the audi
ence became composed.
When he approached the sixth resOlu-
ton, We are opposed 70 further grants
u public lands 70 corporations and mo-
uOp0lies, and demand that the nstiOHal
domain be set apart for free homes for
the people he said be was aware thst
the Greeley party had adopted the same
IN substance, and that he would take
that occasion 20 denOunce both as Yield
ing TO a contemplate spirit Of dema-
Coguism unbecOming statesmen.
He went into the history Of the leg;a-
1ati0u Of Congress upon this subject, and
showed that this very system Of dOuat-
lu- alternate sectiOns-retaining half
and doubling the price Of the half "a
tanned had done more 70 settle up the
unsettled lands Of tie country, To usher
fur7 existence great and powerful Ststee
~ it were by enchantmsnt; bad done
more % provide homes for the homeless,
had done more to forward the Irogress
of schools. the pOpulatilg and enrich
fnZ the country, and bringing wild lands
into cultivation than any system that
could possibly be adopted, and that, too,
without costing the government far
thing While be was speaking On this
subject YOU could hear old, gray-headed
men say. He Is a statesman; he speaks
like Clay and the great men Of other
DAYS" In discussing tho sixteenth res
oIiuou Colonel Topp went into an elab-
a-ate argument upon the theory, char
ger.r aud form Of tie government, snd
fHe construction Of the constitution,
LIat gave immense interest 70 his
speech. and forced the conviction on the
minds OF Eil that We were listening to
1se Of our greatest and most profound
thinkers. who had studied deeply the
constitution. and understood il rs Mad
f-51. Webster and the great men Of
other davs understood it. Indeed, that
he knew il by heart
When Colonel TOpp closed, Judge
smith took the stand. He paid but
little attention 10 the points raised by
Colonel TOpr; took 40 the quarter part
of his two Tours in 8 studied denuncia-
ton OF Mr.. Greeley, in weI-considered
eulogies upon General Grant, and IN an
attempt C. convince the people that
they had heretofore lost everything by
srraving themselves against the gov
eminent, and that it was now their tue
uoIf.v 20 sustain General Grant aud his
administration. if they desired u see
-anewed prosperity 10 y bleeding and
suffering country. As we understand
his remarks viii be published, we viii
tske no further notice Of his speech than
TO say this: We believe Judge smith
honest in his convictions; be displayed
great familiarity with the questions he
discussed; was manly, dignihed, sin
eere. and throughout maintained Lne
character of an earnest, conscientious
and courteous gentleman.
Colonel T01p replied in a speech OF
ryyel. ty-tive minutes. He said he had
not a-s.tiled General Grant, and did not
mean 20 90 S0-that he did not sympa-
thiza with the many pitifui charges
made against him, and held them in
contempt he then went into q defence
Of Mr.. Greeley, and Of the people for
sustaining him. His eulOgy upon 8ir.
Greeley for the part he took In bailing
NIr. Davis, and proclaiming amnesty 10
ala. was eloquent, beautiful, grand, snd
raised q perfect storm Of applause. Col
oaeI T13D concluded by saying be was
NOT a candidate for anything, and simp-
Iy appeared before them in obedience 10
q sense Of duty.
If we have heard one man ssy 50, va
have heard a thousand Of our leading
citizens say they would support him for
anything he would desire in preference
30 any mau in the State.