Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-28
speech of Hon. Horace HI. Harrison.

zens present, as this was the first time he
had ever had an opportunity Of addressing
an Edgefeld audience. He had always be-
leyed that the political questions affect
| ing the interests of the great body oil
| the people ought TO be discussed
fairly, and witlscalmneSs and candOT, and
III this conn sctiOn he would say that he had
never before conducted a canvass whicl
was so entirely free from personalities as
was the one he was now conducting with his
distinguished competitor; but he thought
that, in his zeal to Keep the minds of the
people of this district upon the wrongs Of
the South, and TO secGre the success of his
party, his competitor had presented issues
which were not now before the country.
The issue OF the reconstruction acts OF
Congress was presented before the Ameri-
can people in the canvass of 1865.
He would insist upon it that the
questions growing out Of the war
we're settled, and were not now living
issues. As for Mississippi and Texas not
having been re-admitted into the Union AZ
the time the other Southern States were, it
was purely the fault Of the people Of those
States in hanging on TO their Slowed and
lost" cause. He said lie sympathized
deeply with the people of South Carolina,
or with any other people who have been
ourged by war, but while his competitor
talked about the burdens of tax
alton, charging the fault upon the
Republican party, he must be
Of Affairs in Virginia-a State which has
been under Democratic rule ever since the
war, and in which he State debt had been
in 81 e., -
He should also look at our own State,
where the people bad been as sOrely OPP
pressed with taxation under a Democratic
as under Republican administration. He
must also look at the condition of New
York, where Democratic administration
had increased the city debt 100000 in
one year.
Judge Harrison said he would refer his
readers to what the Republican party had
done in the last fourteen years. He said
the country had been left at the close Of
the war with a debt Of S2,7OO,OOO,OOO and
that the Republican party, aided by the
people of the North, South, East and West.
had paid the interest upon that i'm
mense debt, had sustained the
credit of the country, had negOtiat-
ed the sale Of bonds within the last
ninety DAYS, TO the amount II Sl79.O01.000
at five per cent. interest, sayin. one per
centum .er annum, on the am )un. Of in
terest the Government had previously and
IS now paying. The Republican party has
also paid So 1900, 90 Of the public debt,
since the war, and hadsecured the payment
of Sl5,OOO,OO0 awarded against Great
Britain.
As for the Civil Rights bill, he said that
was one of the reconstruction measures of
Congress, and that he had clearly stated i'm
his recent speech accepting the nomination
that he had, as a member Of Congress,
voted against that bill from cOnScientiOu,
motives. He admitted that he had .Oted
to suspend the rules and take the bill from
the speakers table, but said his object in SO
doing was to have it 70 Omnitted
to the judiciary COMMITTEES, in
order that it might De amended. In thus
the bill, he fit that he was
not aiding in its final passage, as it would
ne GIVE a full and free discussion when
coming before the House for final action.
Later in the session he had voted against a
of the rules on two different Oc-
casiOns, as he was of the opinion that, as
Congress was so near adlOurniDg,
the measure could not, at that time, be
as fully and thoroughly discussed as was
deemed desirable. He said he was not in
favor of the mixed school clause, nor mixed
anything else, in the Civil Rights bill, but
planted himself Squarely upon the platform
recently adopted at Chattanooga by the Re
publican State Convention In this con-
lectiOn, he charged his competitor with !
having Endorsed the Civil Rights bill when |
ne Endorsed Greeley for President.
The speaker had said he hoped the time |
would come when the cOlOred men would |
De found in both parties. Since the war |
hey had voted with the Republicans, be-
,ause that party had supported principles
which benefited their race, while the Dem
,cratic party had advocated policy in di-
ect opposition to the best interests of the /
olored people.
He was opposed TO a rapid contraction of
he currency, and a speedy resumption of
pecie payment, as he believed such a
curse would bankrupt the country. He
Wished it distinctly understood that he was
lot in favor Of reputation in any form.
With reference to the editorial read by
lis competitor from the paper published by
OlOred men OF this city, he would say he
vas not responsible for that article; he was
only for the positions taken by
himself, and for the platform Of the Repub-
lean party. He had not intended to say
lnything about the CustOm-hOuse apprO-
,riatiOn, but he had seen it stated by that
truthful Organ-the NASHVILLE UNION
md AMEHCAN-that ''when Col. House
ame to Nashville he would ventilate Har-
ison as TO the part he had taken in pro-
.uring that appropriation His Compel
tor had referred 10 the matter, and in a
yay calculated to do him an injustice,
bOugh perhaps unintentiOnally. lie would
ay that when he got spare time from the
ommittee he was a member of at the last
essiOn of CONGRESS, he had done everything
n bis power To urge forward that
He had talked on
he subject with every member of
congress; he had prepared a careful state
nent of the many reasons why Congress
hould make the appropriation; he showed
hat Tennessee had been in the Union
more than three-fOurths Of century, and
hat not one dollar for public buildings had
zen expended within her boundaries; he
bowed that nineteen years ago our Rep
esentative in Congress, Gen. ZollicofieT,
lad obtained an appropriation of $4,000,
e which sum $4,000 had been expended
Or lot; he showed that for
lineteen years the State had been
furnishing Government officers with quar-
ers free of charge, and he Showed in this
tatement several other important facts.
However, the Appropriation Committee
lad determined to cut down expenditures,
nd had unanimously reported a bill to
revent the further erection Of public build
nos by the United States, and 10 cover
ack into the Treasury the money already
ppropriated for this purpose, where
he building had not been conf
lenced, consequently the apprO-
ration for the Nashville custom
ouse went by the board. Then, the
peaker said, he turned over his documents,
Including a correspondence he had held ,
18th the Secretary OF the Treasury, to SEN
tor Cooper, who had introduced an amend
tent to the appropriation bill, thus secur-
~ for our custOm-house the sum Of ST.
IN. The committee on appropriations
i'll opposed it, but through the exertions
T Senator Cooper aud himself, the amend ,
lent was agreed to, and the bill passed.
He said, he did not desire to detract frOn
le efficient services rendered by Senator