Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-10-19
THE CANVASS.
GOV. Harris at wsversy.

cording 10 appointment Gov. Harris ad-
dressed large number of the citizens of
county at this place on Monday
last. The great part Of his speech was de-
voted to the necessity Of thorough Demo-
cratic party organization, in the pending
election. He demonstrated what an easy
matter it was for minority party when
united and compact to force It's representa-
tive man upon a majority party, which is
torn and disrupted by discussions, and
shorn of its potency, by running multi
plicity of candidates for the same Office.
The minority party he said never ran but
one candidate for the same office; and upon
that candidate the full strength Of the party
was always united. While on the other
hand msjority party, conscious Of its SUI
perior strength, frequently became indiffer-
ent In popular elections and often FILTERED
away its strength by running several can
didates for the same Office. He showed the
people how thoroughly the Radical party is
organized in Tennessee to-day, and what
an effort is being made by it to get posses
sion Of the legislative department of the
State once more. The way to defeat that
party in the pending election was to organ
ize and support the Democratic nominees
for the various State offices. We could
hope to gain nothing By division;
we might expect to lose al for
want of concord and concert of action.
1t was for the people to say whether they
desired success, or preferred defeat in the
November election. If they desired the
former, then organization was necessary;
if the latter, all they had to do was to foster
and support the spirit of disorganizatiOn,
which, in an evil houl, has been permitted
to creep into our Eden, and which is now
threatening the disintegration Of the Demo-
cratic party. The people Of Tennessee
could not complain after the 9Th of No
vember, if instead of finding Democratic
they should find a Radical delegation in
the Congress of the United States from
Tennessee. In his own Congressional dis
trict, there were two Democratic candi-
dates for Congress, when the strength of
the Democratic party only exceeded that
of the Radical party one thousand votes.
If Col. Kellar should receive one thousand
votes on the day of election, Barbour Lewis,
the prince of Tennessee Radicals, would be
the Congressman from the Men phis dis
triot for the next two years. So in every
district unless the people in the exercise
of their sovereign power, should frown
down this spirit and feeling Of disOrganiZa-
ton, and support the regular nominees of
the Democratic party. Success was with
in our reach, and defeat to the Radicals was
inevitable, if the people would only make
proper use of the means in their power.
The means was to hold conventions in
every county and district, and bring out
men of the best material for the various
offices, and then unite as party upon
them.
Gov. Harris then took up the record of
Mr.. johnson, and in a lucid, mastery and
eloquent manner, held it up to the inspec-
ton of bis hearers. He showed that Mr..
johnson was the creature of conventions,
having never been elected to Office, with
one or two exceptions without their aid
and endorsement. He insisted that the
late convention which nominated Cheat
ham, was as respectable in members and
talent, as any similar convention that had
ever been assembled in Tenns ssee, perhaps
with one exception. More than two
months notice Of the convention vas given
through the press of the State. For that
length of time, the claims and relative
merits of all the persons whose names had
been mentioned in connection with the
position of Congressman, from the State at
large had been freely discussed
and canvassed in all the counties.
Gov. Harris then showed how inconsistent
Mr.. johnson had been as member Of the
Democratic party. During bis whole life,
up to 1861, be had combatted the idea of
the absorption of the reserved rights of the
States, by the Federal government; and
taught the people that resistance to en-
croachments made upon their reserved
rights would be legitimate, right and COM
mendable, whenever and by whemsOever
made. He showed that Mr. Johnson, prior
to 1861, in his advocacy of the doctrine of
States rights, and in his condemnation of
the entertainments made or attempted to be
made upon those rights by the dominant
party Of the Northern States; went as far
as he (the speaker or any other man in
Tennessee. He alluded to the manner
in which Mr.. johnson denounced Mr.. Bell
in the Senate Of the United States, just be-
fore the war, because of bis supposed
Northern tendencies and predictions.
How he supported Mr.. Breckenridge and
Lane in 1860, for the Presidency and Vice
a. as5aiA4ob OO05leeoo AA10 4DEAlg
both of whom were known to be uncondi-
.tionally Union men. How in q speech
made in Murfreesboro, in 1850, be de.
snouuced Mr.. Lincoln, saying to the people,
that his election would be one of the direst
calamities and saddest misfortunes that
ever befell people. How four years after
wards, he accepted position on ticket,
for the Vice Presidency of the nation, head
ed by Mr.. Lincoln, and was elected by
party which was the especial champion of
the idea of the absorption of or centraliza-
tionin the Federal government, the reserved
rights of the States. --
Mr.. johnson had always claimed to be
the especial friend, champion and expoun-
der of the Constitution of our fathers. The
speaker showed that Mr.. Johnson violated
the Constitution when he accepted the posi-
ton of Military Governor of the State of
Tennessee, and when he performed the
functions or discharged the duties Of that
position, which was unknown to the Con-
stitution of the country; and right here the
speaker feeiingly and eloquently spoke Of
the motives that prompted or could prompt
a man to accept of the position Of military
dictator over people, and to rule them
with rod of iron, who had honOred him
with every position in their power, and who
had bestowed upon him their suffrage for
more than twenty years. The speaker
showed that Mr.. johnson violated the Con-
stitution in making the leyies he did upon
the people Of the State, and enforcing the
collection of the same during the war.
That be violated the Constitution when in
time of peace he appointed Military
Commission to investigate the alleged
crime of Mrs. Surrstt. That he violated
the Constitution when he forced her to
trial without first being indicted or pre-
sented by Grand Jury. That he violated
the constitution when he forced her to be
tried otherwise than by jury of the
country, and that be violated the Constitu-
ton when he specially suspended the writ
of habeas corpus at the time and the public
safety not requiringit.
He then alluded to Mr.. Johnson's cant
about the politicians war and the poor
mans fight, and denounced it as a foul
slaRder upon the dead, and a gross insult
to the living. He paid beautiful tribute
to the nobility of the living and the virtues
of the dead, who, from pure motives and
honest convictions, embarked in that cause
which Mr.. johnson denominates treason.
He had as much respect for the boys who