Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-10-09
COL. ]. M. THoRNBuRGH.

We publish call on Col. ]. NJ. Thorn
burgh in our present issue, signed by
large number of mechanics and working
men, asking him to become candidate
for Congress in this district. 1t will be-
seen that he accepts and will make the
race. He could not have done less under
the circumstances. No man, as we COLI
ceive, is at liberty to disregard the voice of
his friends, when his services seem to be
required in their behalf. 1t is fact very
patent to all, that the candidates who have
been announced for several weeks, have
failed to arouse anything. like a feeling
of enthusiasm.in their behalf. 1t is very
clear that neither of them Is the choice of
q majority Of voters in this district This
accounts in some degree at least for the
action of the mechanics and workingmen-
of Knoxville, and the surrounding coun--
try.
Among the names lto.this call, will be-
found men of all political parties. Though
it is and has been well understood that Col
Thornburgh is Republican, yet it is con-
coded by all that his course has been lib
eral as well as firm and decided, and the
workingmen have always found in him a
true friend.
Among the many reasons.to be urged in
Col. Thornburgh's favor, We will mention
a few.
In the first place, in his official capacity
as Attorney General for this Judicial Cir
cult, position to which he was appointed
by Gov. Brownlow, and afterwards twice
elected by the people, he did as much, if
not more, to quiet the unsettled and I'M.
pleasant state of affairs that prevailed at
the close of the war, than any other man.
He discharged the duties of his office faith
fully and impartially, at time when it
required courage and firmness to do So
No man can say that he ever was swerved
from the performance of his duty by
threats of vengeance or by political preju-.
dice.
Again, after having performed these du-
ties to the satisfaction of all, he was pro-
scribed and legislated out of office by cor
rupt, incompetent, partisan Legislature
to make room for party favorite. This
act met with universal disapproval, and
his election to Congress would be a fitting
rebuke to the men who have thus pursued
him.
His election would also be rebuke to
the bitter partisans of the last Legislature,
who sought to disfranchise the people of
that portion of our Congressional district
this side of the mountains by the pass
age of the infamous and unjust appor--
tionment bill. That Mr.. Caldwell is
the representative of the men who
passed this act that will forever
disgrace our statute books, no one
will deny. Further, his election will be a
rebuke to the present State administration
that has lost to the people, the tax payers,
more than ten millions of dollars, and re.
fuses to answer any questions on the sub
ject. And Col Thornburgh will be the
last man to favor the policy of bringing
convict labor at sixty cents per day in
competition with the labor of honest me-
chanics, who are striving to support and
educate their families.
But aside from all these consideration.
his ability, integrity to principle, his zeal
IN behalf Of what he believes to be right,
and his devotion to the material in
terests of the country, qualify him
in high degree for a Representative.
of the people. Elect him, and our inter-
ests will not suffer at his hands. We be-
lieve that in Col. Thornburgh, the people
Will find candidate whom the masses can
heartily support, and if every man who
believes he will make a more efficient
representative than his competitors, votes
for him, he will be triumphantly elected