Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-19
COL. A. s. COLYAR AND HIS
WRONGS.

ton" originally published in the Ban
Rer by Col. A. S. Colyar have been re-
produced in pamphlet form, and are
being circulated throughout the State
in the interest of the Reputation
movement. When they first appeared,
the UNION AND AMERICAN gave them
but passing notice, for the reason that
the public were, pretty generally, as
well aware of their source as If the
author had been permitted to append
the but too familiar initials, "A. S. c."
In the preface to his pamphlet, how
ever, he falls back upon his individuality
and plays the martyr with such
consummate skill that our tenderest
sympathies are touched and we perforce
admire In the actor what we criticize
and condemn in the man. We let him
tell his woes in bis own words:
The only apology which 1 offer for
publishing in pamphlet form the letters
herewith, on the subject of the cur
rency and taxation, Is the manner In
which the press (the Democratic press
have used my name since Itook ground
for a reduction of taxes. have no dis
position to parade before the public my
grievances. As my grievances, the
public have no interest in them, but l
submit if a party claiming to be demo-
cratic, is justified in suppressing free
speech by the intolerance of its organ.
Since have been acting with the
Democratic party have been COM
PEELED to differ with its leaders in some
things. When 1 have so differed, l
have earnestly but always respectfully,
given my reasons, and on no occasion
have dealt in personalities. But for
differing and daring to express my
views, as in the case of the funding and
assessment bills, the party press has
sought by every means to make me odl-
GUS. Since 1869, when found it TO envy
duty to differ with the gentleman who
was or soon became editor of the organ
In Nashville, upon a question of a pub
lie nature, and in which by the very
nature of the contest some feeling
sprang up, but which with me passed
away with the occasion, that paper,
though have been a private citizen,
has, through its widely circulated col
umns, repeatedly and without the
slightest provocation on my part,
sought to bring me into contempt.
beg leave to say to many personal
friends still acting with the Demo
cratic party, that they must pardon me
if / do not exhibit as much party har-
mony as otherwise might be expected.
I submit these letters with the facts
they contain to intelligent and
thoughtful men, with the hope that
the facts Will be carefully weighed, and
without reference to party, such course
taken as the goodof the State demands.
The dread of assailment from the press,
which but few men are willing to in
vite, may deter every man IN the State
from any public discussion of the fund
ing and assessment bills, and this is
what is intended, and therefore l sub
NIT these letters, imperfect as they are,
and ask one question. If al men who
speak or write, inviting an examination
fl the burdens which have been mistak-
emily put upon us, are to be driven from
the field by personal assailment and
dread of contempt from the powers of
a party press, hasn't truth been as eff
fectually suppressed as if the Bastile
were In use?
Unfortunately for the plea of perse-
cution set up by Col. Colyar, it has
come to be almost household saying.
from Carter to Shelby, that any cause
or question for which he ventures to
say good word is absolutely certain
to be damaged thereby; whatever its
merits or popularity, a speech or letter
from him is only needed to give it the
coup de grace. The UNION AND AMER
ICAN has never sought to make him
''odious;" if he stands in that light be-
fore people of Tennessee, it is himself
he should arraign and not the party
press" He cannot name a paper,
Democratic, Conservative, Independent,
or Radical, that does not have Its shy
at him whenever he comes to the front.
The few that squint approvingly at his
financial theories do so In way that
shows how little sympathy they have
with the author. We may have been,
at times, somewhat emphatic in the ex-
preston of our views concerning the
part he has played before the people,
but his most devoted admirers viii
hardly deny that these views have been
Endorsed by our contemporaries, IRE
spective Of party, with a unanimity
that has IN it something remarkable.
twas amatterof general comment,when
Col. COlyar made his most recent and
most lamentable failure to organize a
new party-it was only last month
that even the Banner, which lad been
for years his staunchest friend and
peculiar organ, went back on him and