Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1872-10-01

derstand for themselves. Conven-
tons have become a farce and a
fraud on the democratic party and
the convention at Nashville aroused
and stirred up great popular rebuke.
| Witnesses lose as if by magic o.
the spot. in grand uprising Of per-
haps 1000; certainly 10000 were
in that great meeting. They adopt
ted platform whose tenets and creed
have always advcc tied. Creed
and tenets for which | have battled
all my life. It was a massive out
pOuring-mOving and living acres de-
handing that your speaker, having
served them as he had. should con-
sent to lead the people again. And
in obedience to the will of the peo-
ple-not pseudo. packed oonven
toni accepted their standard upon
which i, inscribed-''the constitution
our guide-the public good our aim.
| accepted that banner as the peoples
candidate. and said [ would carry it
throughout the State, let TIE conse-
| quenccS be what they may.
1t is time that the people should
look to their own interests in govern
mental affairs. In the days Of tie
Romans, money bribery. corruption,
usurpalion, rubbed out the rights of
the people. Pompey. and Caazar,
and Crassus, undertook to think for
the people. While Pompey and
Crassus we're conspiring against the
peOple, Ceazar returned and took
possession of the government as a
perpetual dictator The cry is party,
party. we have the democratic party,
the republican party, the Grant party
and all that, but the people have no
party, as Rome had none. 1t is time
the people had party. Go back to
1924, the days of King Caucus, or
Congressional Caucus, jackson was a
candidate. Crawford was the candi-
dale of Caucus. Clay was candi-
date jackson was defeated. The
election went to the House, and
Adams was chosen. In 1928 Jackson
VAS elected Congressional eau
cuses were dispensed with, and next
National Conventions were reSorted
TO. 1t was but new name for Con
gIessiOnal caucuses. Preceding the
rebellion, We had Conventions at
Charleston and at Baltimore and
clqucs. and schisms and contrivan
l.. LII e, II 1t4fH,,,lf.a-
My letter to the Young Mems Jack
son Association, canvassed the whole |
idea, Read it. The whole theory
| entertain is there submitted. [ am
charged with endeavoring to array |
the confederate soldiers against the |
office holders. with having levied con-
tr:butions with having interfered |
with the emancipation of slaves, re
opening all that transpircd while the |
rebellion was going en-. | see pub
liShed, a speech made BY one f. c. |
Huntington. / assume that it is re-
ally the speech of my competitor as il
Was made for him.
Gen. Chcdtham [ think my com.
petitor is assuming a great deal.
Then do you repudiate il? If you
do rot, thea | shall insist that it is
your speech.
Gen. CAsattam: l have never
even read it.
Mr.. johnson here read from the
speech the portion which asserted |
that the democratic party was dead,
and asked of Gen. Cheatham whether
he adopted or rcpndiated it, but the
Gen. was silent.
Now this man bennington is the |
Clerk of the Supreme Court. He is
my competitors friend, ensconsed in
Office. When did the old democrats
ic party cease to exist? What dem
ocratic party does he refer to?
claim the democratic party is the
same great party of Jefferson, and
Jackson and Polk of yore. L don't
admit that it has been destroyed
1t has been distracted. divided, but
it still lives. Mr.. JonSOn here read
Huntington quotation of his resO
lutions, and said they were garbled
from the record.
Why did Gen. Cheatham's friend
garble my resolution? He also read
the charge that he, Johnson was "a
traitor and an assassin of the constitu-
ton" Here Mr.. Johnson read the
resolution of the Nashville COnven-
ton of May 1868. These resolutions
asserted. that Mr. Johnson as the de
fender of the constitution, had enti
tied himself to the lasting gratitude
of his countrymen.
Now this was after | did all that
Huntington charges me with. Which
is right. the convention of 1868, or
Frank Huntington? Great ap-
plause.)
stood by my country when her in
terest's were at stake. Please bear in
attention. allude to
facts which are important. / address
myself to facts and to your judgment
Here Mr.. j., quoted his resolutions
of sympathy with the
South, but opposing disunion as a
and asserting that if the fede-
raj government should fail to execute
the law then such remedy might be
sought. Now, Query: Did the federal
fail of the great object for
which it was created? The personal
liberty bill had been resisted by Yer
mont, but Mr.. Fillmore and Mr..
Buchanan did execute it. Ali that
was necessary was for the Marshall to
summon posse and ifthat failed tLen
the army would have been at his ser
vice. We had President of our own
to execute the law and return fugitives.
The government did not fail. Seces-
sion was no remedy. In Congress
your faithful servant sounded the toe
sin of alarm. Secession was revolu-
ton. 1t is too late to charge me with
treason, 10y those who want me out of I
the way / guilty of treason / do
not speak in the language of the Ro- l
man Consul, who boosted that he had
DveFstepped the law but said / swear I
that / have saved the Republic. But /;