The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-08-27
OUR STATE CONVENTION.
Hon. Jas. ID. Porter of Henry
the Nominee for Governor.
Great Enthusiasm and Impair
aIIeled Harmony.
A Broad, Liberal UneXceptiOn-
able Platform Adopted.
Gov. Browns Administration
Endorsed Throughout.

with the Governor insisted that the rate
of taxes should bear direct reference to
the great question of upholding the faith
and credit of the State, and to make
that as easy to the people as possible.
He said:
s'Taxes, in a Republican or despotic
Government, should never be higher
than what is absolutely necessary TO
raise money enough to pay the public
debt, sustain its credit, and carry on the
Government economically administered
for the benefit and in the interest Of the
people. These are the only Legitimate
objects of taxation. The citizen will
willingly submit to them for the bless
ings the State bestows upon him in the
protection it gives to him and his pos
terity, of life, liberty and property. The
question then recurs, are we willing TO
submit to such a tax as will sustain and
uphold our credit, and maintain State
Government economically administer
ed? Or are we in favor of staggering
on, keeping the word of promise to the
ear and breaking it to the hope, till at
last we cap the climax by an open re-
pudiatiOn of our debts, thus sinking
down in the embrace of an infamy we
have invited, and which we cannot ex-
pei or repudiate. Applause.
The present rate of taxes in Tennes-
see is forty cents on the one hundred
dollars worth of property. There are
only three States in the Union which
pay less and all the rest greatly more.
To paw the honest debts of the State,
preserve fits credit and carry on home
Government for the people, taxes must
be levied and collected, nor can we re-
fuse to bear our portion of the buTthen
without mourning the penalty of dis
honor; curses if not loud, but deep, will
cling to our skirts forever. No nations
life is long enough to outlive the shame
of reputation"
He also proposes some very healthy
reforms which viii meet with hearty
endorsement from taxpayers, as fol
lows:
81 would reform every abuse, chastise
every malpractice that is prevalent and
apply the knife to every ulcer that has
grOwn-on the body polite. Nor would
stop here. l would reduce the enOr-
nous expenses of the courts, and the
salary of every officer in the State from
the Governor down, and exact rigid
accountability from every revenue Otfi-
Ger OF the State.
Whenever public men become more
greedy of money than of honest fame
more ambitious to fill their pockets than
to fill the measures Of their country glO-
ry, the days of the Republic are num-
bered."
He made a very forcible argument in
favor of abolishing the protective tariff
laws, and was especially eloquent in his
denunciation of the civil rights bill,
claiming that it was not only the "sum
of villianies'' in its infamous attempt to
force social equality between the whites
and blacks, but clearly unconstitutional,
and never can be enforced so long as the
Supreme Court remains the bulwark
against the exercise of unauthorized and
unconstitutional power on the part of
Congress
While the committee on platform and
resolutions were consulting, Gen. w. B
Bate and Col. Jno. +. House entertained
the Convention-the latter with one Of
the happiest and most appropriate eff.
forts of his life.
The committee then reported and the
Convention adopted the following
Platform.
"The Representative of the Demo
cratic and Conservative party of Ten
nessee, in convention assembled, mos
| cordially invite all good and true men
who desire to increase the prosperity o.
] the people of the State, and preserve
her honor untarnished, to unite with u'
in following out the following princi-
| pies, tO-wit:
LIST. That all honest labor should bt
| protected, and receive its just reward.
2. That the burden of government
should be borne by the whole property
of the country; that oil assessments Of
taxes should be equal, uniform and just
and no improper discrimination should
be made against any species of property
3. That we favor a strict construction
of the Constitution of the United States
and insist that no power should be eXer-
cised by the General Government that i!
not clearly delegated or clearly implied
in the necessary exercise of the power:
so delegated.
4. That we oppose all monopolies
rings and combinations formed for the
oppression of the people; that we are
for the abolition of all useless and un-
necessary offices; for the proper reduc,
ton of all excessive salaries; for tho
| most rigid economy in the administra.
! ton of the State Government; for al
necessary reforms in the law so as t.
make its execution speedy, Just and Ger.
/ tain; that We will hold the collectors oi
revenue to a strict accountability in the
| collection and application of said reve-
/ nue.; that we deplore the existence OF
! all Indebtedness, Federal, State, county
and municipal; and demand that nc
| 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 obligations
| and the preservation of its credit and
honor untarnished, and are therefore op-
/ posed to an increase of taxation.
3. That we favor the abolition of the
present OdiOus national banking system
and the payment of the bonds of the
! government by Issuance of its nOn-bear-
/ ing interest notes according to the con-
| tract expressed and implied at the time
of the creation of such obligations, and
a repeal OF the present oppressive Fed
eral tariff, and the enactment of a law
solely with a view to the collection of
! the necessary revenue.
6. That we denounce all legislation
that seeks to interfere with the indiyid-
ual right of the citizen to select his own
! associates, and particularly what is
known as the supplementary Civil
INlSIts Dill penulllS before the teOeral
Congress, as palpable violation of the
Constitution, intended to vex, harrass,
Cypress and degrade the people of the
Southern States, and productive of I'M
told social and political evils to both "a
ces, and which we should resist by all
legal and constitutional means in our
power"
Complimentary to Gov. Brown.
Althougkthe unanimous adoption of
the above platform was a sufficient en-
dOrsement of Gov. Brown, as it embod-
les his views precisely, the Convention
submitted the following supplementary
resolution, which was also adopted:
''ReSolUed, That his Excelleney, John
=. Brown, having faithfully carried out
the principles clearly set forth in the
platforms upon which he was. twice
nominated, is entitled to the gratitude of
the people for the able and Efficient man
ner IN which he has executed the high
and delicate trust committed to his keen
ing as Governor Of Tennessee."