Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1872-10-08
Andy Johnson,
HORACE MAYNARD;
AT BRISTOL.
SPEECH OF JOHNSON AND MAY
HRRD In FULL.
MIR. sOHNsON,s SPEECH.
Ladies' and Gentlemen i.

Ladies' and Gentlemen
appear before you Candi
date to represent the State at large
in the Congress Of the United States
1t may be well enough to preface
with the remark that | fear | shal
not be able, that | have not strength
of voice, to be heard. | don't know
that it will be necessary for me tc
make any explanation how or my
competitor, Gen. Cheatham are be
fore you. / imagine the people are
prepared to Judge of our fitness and
qualifications as we'll as those who
compose the cliques and rings and
pseudo conventions of the day
Whether | am competent or not to be
your representative, yOu are the judg>
cs. 1t is high time the people were
emancipated-cliques and rings bro
ken up, and the people free. Gen.
Cheatham claims to have been sent
before you by 4 convention. He
calls it democratic convention. The
name democratic may sound fanil-
lar, but so great has been the change
and trlnsmutation of parties that we
can't tell which is which-which right
and which wrong. The Convention
at Cincinnati nominated Greeley, the
one at Philadelphia, Grant. At Bal
timore they confirmed or re-nomina-
ted Greeley. The Louisville COnven
vention assuming to be democratic
nominated 0'Connor and Adams
Hence we see it is little difficult to
keep the run of conventions. When
gotten up properly there has been no
objection. prorided the people we're
suited. But conventions. cliques and
rings have arrogated control from the
highest office to the lowest. | imag-
inc it is of little importance that my
competitor claims a nomination. \
convention adds nothing to him and
takes nothing from me. 1t adds
nothing to his fitness TO represent the
people that a pseudo packed cOnven-
tiOn has sent him here. How much
better would | be with. or without it
10 represent you in the Congress of
United States? Are you not compe-
tent to decide on my qualifications +?
1t is time for the people to think and
chose for themselves. Conventions
are at best generally managed more
by intrigue aud corr"ption than by
talent and integrity. The kin and
friends of aspirants use them to di-
vide out the offices. Have we come
10 the point that the people are not
competent to select their representa-
tives? l served you for long term
of years in the Congress Of the Uni
ted States, and you chose me. | was
not before conventions and never in.
tended to be. | have been nomina-
ted i'm conventions and acquiesced.
but from my advent into public life
until the present, | have opposed
packing men on the country. In 1925
when in the Legislature, l opposed
them. Last spring, in letter to the
young men at Pittsburg, l took
decided ground against conventions
as managed in modern times. In
May last as my competitor has
reported one of the fullest cOnven-
tions ever he'd in the State, nomina-
ted a candidate for Governor, among
other things, a resolution was offered
providing for an Tx Central Commit
tee, An amendment was offered pro
viding for the nomination OF a cam
didate for the State at large in an
ticipation of the action of Congress.
Gen. Cheatham was to be nominated.
The amendment was voted down and
the resolution passed giving the Ex-
Committee power to nominate or
practically to appoint a congressman
for the State at large. The commit,
tee met. never authorized any one
TO put my name before it. The claims
Of various candidates we're discussed.
Gen. Cheatham was there, HIS
claims we're discussed. They would
not do The committee rejected
him. The matter was postponed.
Can any man say sought nomina-
ton? He can't be found. | was
asked and refused to 60 before a con-
vention. l wanted the people to Sc
lect their candidate, not me. The
convention was called. Not more
than thirty-eight counties were rep
resented. No county represented by
proxy was allowed more than one
vote. They contrived to get two be-
fore the convention so that, by the
failure of either to get thirds
vote. one of their own clique, one OF
their favorites could become the nom-
inee. never intended to 60 before
that convention. l was asked. L said
no, that its action would neither pre-
clude nor conclude my action IN rete
renee to the matter. Does Gen.
Cheatham's S nomination thus qualify
him for the position? What does 1t
amount to that he is sent before you
by trickstering, quibbling conven-
vention. The people know me as
we'll as they know Gen. Cheatham.
put myself before the country. My
competitor tried three times 10 get
nomination and won once out OF the
three efforts. Things have come to
apretty pass. that man must ask TO