Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-12-19
PLAIN FACTS.
speech Of Major " J. sykes. Delivered
al Huntington, Carroll County.
Last week

NhENNAN
: Lest week.
FELLOw- CITIZENS OF CARROLL COM
= TY-It was my desire 20 address you be.
fore the election, but.ciTcumstances pre-
vented me from so doing. | embface
this, the flrst opportunity afforded. and
permit me 70 say, think II is an oppor-
tune time The excitement OF the Plec.
ton, the passions and prejudices which
: weTe engendered, have ali, trust, pass
Ell away. The smoke has been blown
- on, and We can now take calm survey
o OF the Held. We can see what has been
accomplished and what remains 10 be
done. i.et Us not rest in fsncied secu-
{ Iity, imagining that no quicksands
. lie IN our pathway, and that no dangers
surround Us. l VIII not deal in mere
D genersllties, which may mean anything
or nothing-which may be used by one
parry OF the other with equal facility.
D 1 shall deal IN practical mstter-of fact
suggestions, to which 1 Invite your ST
tention, without regard 10 party; al
/ though We are OF different parties, We
have common interests and common
country. Legislation which viii injufe
4 Democrats will injure Republicans, and
that which Will benefit the one will
benefit the other. It = Ia this spirit
that / will address you, though my re-
marks will be mostly directed 20 my
= Democratic friends.
oFFICE-sEEKINa.
One OF the first difficulties with which |
! We, s Democrats will have 10 contend, |
will be the multitude OF candidates for |
the various offices. We should not, and 1
II we are wise We will not, permit any /
,
ual aspirations 10 divide and distract us. /
The success OF our party and Of its prin-
eiplss il OF more Importance than the /
success OF any man. There seems 10 be
an erroneous and mischievOus notion
about the offices; some men seem to re-
fgsTd them as intended for the benefit
of the men who hold them, and IS the
regard Of partisan services, when in fact
they reintended only fOT the benefit Of
the public. Every man that is defeated
seems to think that he IS not appTecist
ed, and that his services deserved re-
ward. The remuneration should only
I he sufficient to justify men in holding
Office for the public good, and should
not be the means; either directly or in-
directly, OF enrichiDg the officeholders.
Whenever OflicehOlding becomes bet
| tel and more profitable business than
any other in the country, il shows that
something is wrong, and needs amend
ment. Toe Democratic party Of Ten
nessee is pledged to apply the pruning
knife, and 10 abolish all useless offices
and eXOrbitant salaries and the people
will requie a strict compliance with
that pledge. l am not advocating a Dig-
gsTdy policy; men should be paid fair
remUp Grafton Tor their services, but then
oflicehOlding should not he the most
profitable and most sought-afjer business
in the eOunuy. II
ELECTION OF L. 5. SENATOR.
In conducting the canvass for United
States senator no bitterness of feeling.
no ungenerous rivalry should he in
dulged 10. 1t should be the contest OF
fCiends, aud those who may be defeated
should rejoice to know that others more
worthy than themselves were found to
serve the State. We must trust TO The q
wisdom aud sense Of Tightin our chosen {
representative, and feel an abiding con- !
fidence they viii make apprepTi- .
ate selections and will elect men Of
ability and undOubted integrity 10 ill I
the various Offices. / am not one Of Il
those who wish to beget a want Of con. q
ddeBcs among the people toward their ?
chosen representatives; for, il the peO- q
pie are not capable Of eieciing honest K
and true men, who are qualified 10 II
make judiCiOus selections Of the officers s.
to be elected by them, then republican =
government Is failure, which am not q
prepared to admit.
STATE FINANCES. "
Another OF the difficulties now before =.
the Democratic party Of Tennessee Is / ~
the management Of our State finances. y,
This IL, perhaps, the most difficult OF =,
questions, and il cannot be ignored OF Z,
overlooked. 1t presses upon u. The i,
party left the State with an n,
enormous 0eb,. Early in 1850 it was \,
: ., 600 600, in October Of the same wear =,
II was S25, 90, 900, and in January, iS70, .,
il was 80 900 600 iu round numbers, Of IA
which - 600, 900 was for Tennessee N
banks. The deb. for which the Stste ~,
viii now have to provide will be s2l tb
10000. This IL 8 serious question. n
5Oue OF that debt viii soon be due, and ns
must either he paid, arranged, or the h,
state must be again diseredited. The ~
present governor cODstTues the funding M
lct to mean that no coupons OF bonds no
slling due after the first Of July, 1874, 70
,an be funded without additional legis. nj
alton. Something was to be done. a,
TIE Democratic party Of Tennessee, in IN
! convention representing all parts Of IN
he State, unanimously declared that Nj
10 more taxes shall be laid upon the so
people than shall be found to be essen. ~.
islly necessary FOR the support Of no
he State government, administered lar
N principles Of the most rigid econ- in
my, and for the payment OF its just siS
ebts and obligations, and for the preseT- wi
alton Of its or, dit and honor Untarns a.
she'd, and are therefore opposed 10 an -
90 .-,Vs .
onveDt.on was ratified by g popular ma og
,rity Of 45,4Ss. How this is to be done s,s.
sqnires ssgacity and long experience. mi
will not permit myself to doubt but bv
lat the legislature will De equal &c tho an.
seSslOn, and will meet the emergency err
} 3 proper manner. Our present hnan- ON
al troubles have besn caused by the IN tbe
use no hErsLer term roc
gisistiou from 1855 to 1870, and by All
hat seems 10 me to be the mistakes in +,
.sde by the legislature elected IN 1863, VIII
hen the DISTINGUISHING oath prevented m,
fair representation ~ the people; but ear
0 matter nov these things were done, sfa,
who are TO blame, they are nov upon den
, aud We must so manage affairs 81 not son
infl'c. q wound upon the name VI the
ate.
SATIONAL DEBr. Fioi
In regard TO the national debt 1t Is only \
.eesssry 10 gay that the payment Of the
is debt 10 made obligatory by the city
amendment 70 the cohstitu- ore
lu Of the United Statss, which we stel
I'VE ell agreed TO support. We cannot, mo-
e viii not, be guilty Of bad faith. Il IL the
IT only Idle, It Is criminal, IN q south ms
n man 70 advocate the nOn-payment iled
this debt, because he is thereby fast the
ing the chains OF desPOtism peTpetu- den
ly on his own section. Had southern d Al
en-, Representatives Of southern senti- TIE
ent, advocated any siich policy during was
e recent canvass. the Democrats would y.
Il have carried single northern State. be
Ir only hope is that with an honest Oi =
ID capable administration Of the Fed me'
al government, We can reduce govern iutl
ent expenses so SIS to lower the tlTiffl ~ !
u other taxes, ana 81 the same time ooJ
adusily reduce the debt. as tie cOun- o. 4
y gains ia wealth and population the ,sis
bt will become relatively less from Fan
ar 10 year, until We may hope under etnl
Democratic administration 70 eEtin- loui
.ish il within the lifetime of some q la
no now hear -..s. was
JNDE3INTTY TO TRE eCUEH. ina