Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-03

cuss only facts, and with you devise ways
and means by which the party now in pow
er may be shown Of power before it wrecks
all our interests.
Following an unmistakable desire to
remedy existing evils, the people Of Ten
neSsee met in convention on the 10Th of
August. 1t was composed of representa-
tives of the people, and they placed upon
their platform a candidate any American
citizen would delight to honor. l need
not speak of James d. Porter. Many of
you know him and have seen him where all
the elements of man were necessary to
discharge the duties deyolying upon him.
[Applause.l
l desire to call your attention to the
PLATFORM OF PRINCIPLES
adopted by that convention. The first
plank provides that call honest labor shall
be protected and receive its just reward"
What broader platform could be given the
people and upon which all interests and
avocations can unite? The second plank is:
"That the burden of government should
be borne by the whole property Of the coun-
try; that all assessments of taxes should be
equal, uniform and just, and no improper
discrimination should be made against any
species Of property"
As it is, more than two hundreds of mil
lions of national bonds pay no taxes. Their
holders, equally protected in life, liberty
and property with the tiller of the soil and
the honest mechanic and the merchant,
draw their interest in coin, wrung from the
labor and the toll of the country, yet they
pay nothing to support the Government.
Our third plank reads as follows:
"That we favor a strict construction of
the Constitution of the United States, and
insist that no power should be exercised by
the General Government that is not clearly
delegated or clearly implied in the neces-
saIy exercise of the powers so delegated"
No intelligent man will question the
sOundneSs of this doctrine. 1t is a beauti-
full blending of the ancient theories of the
Wing and Democratic parties. Webster,
one Of the great expounders of the Consti-
tuition, and by his political opponents
charged with fayoring strong central gov
eminent, declared more than once, that the
States of this Union had exclusive juriSdic-
ton over all questions at issue between its
citizens and for the punishment of all crime
within their bdfders. And that 10y no lati-
tudinarian construction could that power
be assumed by the Federal Government.
The fourth plank is such an important
one that l quote it entire, though it is
somewhat lengthy:
"That we oppose all monOpOlies, rings
and combinations formed for the oppres-
SIGN of the people; that we'are for the aboli-
ton of all useless and unnecessary offices;
for the proper reduction of all excessive
salaries; for the most rigid economy in the
administration of the State Government;
for all necessary reforms in the law, so as
to make its execution speedy, just and GER
tain; that we will hold the collectors OF
revenue to strict accountability in the
collection aud application Of said revenue;
that we deplore the existence Of all indebt-
edneSs, Federal, State, county and NUM-
cipal, and demand that no more taxes shall
be laid upon the people than shall be found
to be essentially necessary for the support
of the State Government administered on
principles of the most rigid economy, and
for the payment of its just debts and obli-
cations, aud for the preservation Of its
credit and honor untarnished, and are
therefore opposed to an increase Of taxa
ton"
Here is a plank broad enough for all men
to stand upon. Do YOU know what the Re
publican party expended in running our
General Assembly one year? The sum of
1895 600. How long did that General AS
Sembly sit? The pay rolls show it was in
session 500 days. So you see they can not
only suspend the writ of habeas corpus, but
they can lengthen the year out by a day.
(Laughter.)
-. That we favor the abolition of the
present odiOus national banking system
and the payment Of the bonds Of the Gov
eminent BY Issuance Of its non-bearing in
terest notes, according 10 the contract ex-
pressed and implied at the time of the crea-
ton of such obligations, and a repeal of the
present oppressive Federal tariff, and the
enactment of law solely with a view to
the collection of the necessary revenue"
In contrast with this, look at the Radical
declaration at Chattanooga, upon the Ma
tiOnal banks ana finances:
THAT the system of National currency
founded by the Republican party, has
proved the best ever devised for the pur-
pose intended, and while we would favor
no violent change which might be Cypress
i've to either the debtor or creditor class,
We would recommend a system of free Ma
tiOnai banking, based upon a safe plan for
and return TO specie payment
at the earliest practicable period consistent
with a sufficient supply of currency to meet
the reasonable wants Of business"
They declare the national bank system
the best ever devised, but they recommend
its adjustment and a system Of free bank
ing adopted instead. Their platform of
1872, which they re-affirm, fully approves
Of the system Of national currency, and
styles it sour excellent national currency"
The question naturally suggests itself, if
''the sytem has proved the best ever de
vised," and if, as they pretend, the country
has grown great and prosperous, under it,
why abandon IT, 1Id go out into the shore
less sea of experiment.
We are in favor of the Government |
.aking up the national bank notes and |
issuing greenbacks instead by which a
saving Of S25, 000,0 600 per annum in interest |
will be saved on the bonds deposited in the |
Treasury, as basis of banking for the |
national banks, and at the same time a |
uniform currency furnished the country.
CIVIL RIGHTS.
In speaking Of the Civil Rights bill do |
not propose to appeal TO your preiudices. | |
nave no war TO make against the colored |
nan; | am the friend of the colOred man. |
The Civil Rights bill is a misnOmer; it |
should be styled the Social Rights billn-
he bill that proposes TO put the African,
Who is my inferior, side by side with my |
amily, in great lines of travel, in the par
or, in the church and even in the grave !
-ard. Who has foiSted this upon the coun-
ry? Who inaugurated it? The Repub-
lean party-the party that was brought in
o being by the agitation of the African /
question; the party that had its origin in
he desire to eXtenninate slavery from the
south.
The results Of the war freed the slave,
md the people of the South accepted tie |
situation, and in our Constitutional Con-
7entiOn Of $50 we so declared by the Con-
The Southern people desired |
hat the black man should have all his legal |
lights. We conceded him the right TO /
-Ote, the right to hold office, the right to
,wn property, the right to. serve on juries,
{ the court so ordered, but we said then,
md we say now, sdhus far shall YOU 90, |
.ud no farther" LApplause The great
apostle Of the Republican party, Mfr. Sum
Ter, well knew this Till would not benefit |
he cOlOred race, but the bill was originated |
o perpetuate his party in pow
II. What does that party in Tennessee |
ay on the subject?
I'VE are in favor of the full and equal /
enjoyment Of accommodations, advantages, |
lights and privileges by all citizens and |
Wit