The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-10-03
The GnhernatoriaI discussion

!
The GubernatOTial candidates,
Gov. Brown and Col. Freeman, had
a good crowd to hear them on Tues
day. Col Freeman led off in an
able, graceful and digniHed speech
of an hour and twenty minutes,
which made better impression up
on all classes, except perhaps upon
the low and ignorant, who desired
and expected from him appeals to
prejudice and passion, than any rad
ical speech ever before delivered in
Pulaski. His cause, in our opinion,
is bad one, all of his premises were
false and untenable, but we give
him credit for honesty, at least, in
the discussion of national politics,
and more than ordinary ability in
upholding the standard of his party.
True he was weak in his attack up
on the policy Of Gov. Brown, as al
so in the defence of that of his own
party. But this could not have been
otherwise. The administration of
Gov. Brown was not subject to at
tacks, at any point, and Col. Free
man evidently felt it, for he made
only two fimsy assaults-only two
unsupported an d unsupportable
charges against it. One of which
was his lease of the Penitentiary tor
$33, 900 per AMMAN, when it might
have been made to pay ninety-thou
sand, and the other was bis sacrifice
of the States interest in the railroads,
both of which are plumes in the
Governors administration.
Governor Brown, while he could
not and would not be otherwise than
courteous to an honest, fair AID
candid man Ike Freeman, was per
fectly crushing in his expose of the
party of which he was the candidate
and champion. The administrations
Of Gen. Grant and Governor Brown
low were handled with ungloved
hands, and the villainies and cor
ruption of the radical party merci-
lessly, exposed. He reviewed with
some severity the yindictive policy
Of the national administration to
ward the helpless South and dwelt
with fervor and eloquence upon the
unexampled iberality, Statesman
ship and heroism of Horace Greeley
the first man in the nation to de
clare for universal amnesty and uni
versal suffrage, and to advocate
pacifcation and publication. His
defence of the penitentiary policy OF
his administration showed that he
had made that institution a source
of revenue to the State, when it had,
from the day of its foundation to the
present, except one year, proven a
burden and an expense. By this
lease he had saved an annual de-
felt of $4,000 and secured an in
come of $4,000, thereby saving an
nually to the State and to the over
burdened tax payers the enormus
sum of $4,000. In regard to the
sale ofthe Railroads, he showed very
clearly and to the satisfaction of
all candid men, that this was the
best and only means of escape from
a serious trouble which had been !
upon the State by a former
in the reckless issu- !
ance of Bonds in fabulous amounts
to irresponsible railroad corpora
tiOns, which were not only not pay
ing the interest on the bonds, but |
running the State deeper and deeper
in debt. Gov. Brown and the Leg
islature thought it best to sell out
the States interest, and did so to the
of their constituents
Gov. Brown concluded with a most
fervent appeal in behalf OF Oblivion
of the past, and reconciliation, am
nesty, publication and peace for
the future. Therejoinders of TWEEN
ty minutes each were animated and