Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-10-09
GOV. BnowN al CHATTANOOGA.

GOV. BROWN Ar CHATTANOOGA
From the Chattanooga Times.
Pursuant to announcement, the candi-
dates for Governor addressed the people OF
Chattanooga last night, In front of the
Burns House.
Inc discussion was opened by Gov.
brown, who said that he was before the
people seeking their endorsement of his
administration. II be had done right he
should be supported. IL he had brought
to the discharge of his duties neither in
tellect nor patriotism nor honesty, it was
right that he should be branded. After
paying handsome compliment to his COM
petitOr, be discussed the State policy briefly.
He reviewed the Democratic policy In re-
ducing the State debt, by authorizing rail-
roads to buy up the bonds of the State to
pay their liabilities to the State, and the
sale Of delinquent railroads. All the roads
but four had been sold before his Inaugural
ton, and these have now been sold. This
has reduced the State debt from S43 DOC, 900
TO $z0,OOO,OOO. The question is before you
still, Shall this debt be paid or repudiated?
de had always recommended the payment
OF the debt, and now repeated it. He was
In favor OF funding the whole debt, princi-
pal and interest, in 6 per cent. bonds; pay
able, principal and interest, in Nashville,
and taxable for State purposes, and deduct
from the. coupon the tax to which the bond
Is subject. During the Democratic admin
istration the expenses OF the State govern
ment have been reduced by 500, 600 a year.
Under Senter's administration the expenses
were 100000. Last year they were less
than 5000, 900. We have paid no interest,
because we have had to pay $3.50, 900 of
the old issue of the Bank of Tennessee and
$297 900 of outstanding warrants, and
$172,O00 Of warrants to the school fund,
which ought to have been paid by the
Brownlow administration. We = have
paid thus over two millions of
liabilities since 1889, and only had
the revenue of 1870 and 1871.
Gov. Brown showed convincingly the neces-
shy for getting what they would fetch for
the inSolvent railroads, and alluded to the
Mineral Home railroad swindle as a speci-
men Of Radical railroad legislation. The
Radical party spent 81, 900, 900 in bonds
and built only 100 miles of railroad. Be-
fore the war, the Wings and Democrats
spent $l5,000,000 in bonds and built $50
miles of railroad and 200 miles of turnpike.
Gov. Brown then reviewed his action in
the matter Of the Penitentiary, which had
been drain upon the treasury every year
since 1t was founded. From 1866 to 1861
1t cost an, average of $4,000 per year.
From 1855 to 1870 it cost the State $114, 900
per annum. In 1871 it cost $1,000. He
did not think he could make it self-sustain-
tag under the management of State offic-
ials, when all the Governors for 40 years had
failed, and when responsible parties offered
to pay the expenses and give the State $780,
600, he said he would take 10. .(Cries, You
did right. He would do it again. Yet he
had been assailed by the Radicals because
he had saved the $4,000 year and put
into the Treasury $4,000. The claim
that the Penitentiary made 100000 was
based on the fact that the Inspectors had
failed to charge themselves with 100000 of
warrants issued to them and $4,000 APP
propriated. He had ordered the report
reported that instead of making money in
those two years it had lost $4,000. No
enterprise managed by any State has ever
been self-sustaining, while when leased it
became profitable. This he illustrated by
the Canals Of Pennsylvania, the State
Road of Georgia and the Ohio Peniten-
tiary. The Ohio Penitentiary with 800
convicts is only leased for $4,000 year.
That of Indiana for s. 900 year.
Gov. Brown spoke briefly upon the pub
lie school system, favoring the county sys-
tenn with a State Superintendent. He
favored distribution of public lands as a
school fund among the States. If that
cannot be done be favored State tax as
soon as the State finances are reduced to a
system.
He favored immigration and the estab-
lishment of Bureau of Statistics to dis
seminate abroad information about our re-
sources,
The Governor made few humorous re-
marks at the expense of bis competitors
political record and strong financial argu-
ment against the Grant administration, in
which he made no personal charges against
Grant, but complimented him very highly
as soldier. After this he made few re-
marks upon the necessity for conventions
so long as politics exist In order to consoli-
date the strength Of parties. The conven-
ton system is superior to caucuses. He
gave history of political conventions, and
| said that the opponents Of conventions had
| always been defeated in national politics
If the convention system Is good for the
whole people of the United States, why moi
for the people of Tennessee? How
can party perpetuate its
ascendency, unless its vote Is con-
eentrsted upon q single candidate fol-
each Office. If conventions are not salts
factory it is the fault of the people them
selves. AS the Governor was closing some
man in the crowd wanted to know about
his encouraging a mob in Nashville. Ht
replied that whoever said he had en-
com aged mob told wilful and deliberate
faisehood. He had been informed their
was mob forming, and the Mayor o
Nashville and the editor of the Banne
came to him at his room. He went will
them and found that the mob had taken ;
negro out of the jail and hung him to
lamp post, but that he had been rescued
The mob was still anxious to take hin
again, and he had addressed the mob AM
told them to 60 home aud obey the laws
and let the law take its course and the.
had done so. He had never been blame'
for his course but had been praised for i
by bis political enemies, one of whom tolt
him he had done what no other Governo
of the State ever dared to do.
The Governors speech was listened b
with close attention, and at the close b
was heartily cheered.