Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-07-22
GOV. HENRY S. F00TE MAKES A
SPEECH AT ELIZABETHTON.
MS Specially severe on EN-Presi
tdent johnson.
Makes Scrious Charges Upon 'hat In.
dtviduRI. and Proposes 10 Prove
Them.
ELIzABETHToN, TENN,

this morning along the banks of the
beautiful and placid little Watauga,
through delightful valley, from
which an abundant harvest has Just
been gathered, we find ourselves in
the quiet little village above men
toned. Though early in the day,
when we arrived, the place was full to
overlooking with the sovereigns, not
only of Carter but of adjoining
counties We found Judge r. II. But
Ter and eX Gov. Henry S. Foote,
had already arrived. We Immediately
called on these gentlemen at their
rooms and learned that they were to
address the citizens Of this place at
noon, and thinking that II synopsis of
their speeches would interest some of
your readers, we retired to coagitate
and prepare material for this article.
The rip Van Wrinkle slumber of this
neck of the woods, is now thoroughly
aroused, and that by the sonorous elO-
quence of gentlemen, who have fig
ured prominently in our State and
national politics. The county canvass
is waxing warm in Carter aud John
son; quite n number Of candidates
gave vent to their feelings on various
subjects in the forenoon, none of
which we were able To hear. 1mme-
diately after dinner, Judge Butler ad-
dressed the crowd in "A speech of thir
ty minutes, he dwelt on the financial
condition of the Government, defined
his position on the Civil Rights ques-
ton, spoke of the present Administra-
ton. and the impoverished condition
of our State. He was frequently APP
plauded by the audience. He then in
troduced Gov. FOote, who spoke about
thirty minutes in substanceas follows:
He said, he was not a candidate for
the United States Senate, aud stated
that, were he an aspirant for this ele-
waited station, he should not pursue
the course for so august place as he
understood had been adopted by EX
President Johnson. He denied the
right of any man, however devoted, to
aim at the hands of Il candidate of
either House of the State Legislature,
ifeected to vote for himself in prefer
ence to others. He regarded such an
attempt as presumptuous and egotisti-
cal in the extreme, as il clearly indica-
ted an opinion on his part that his
claims to seat in the National Senate,
were far superior to those of any other
person, who might be possibly brought
forward.
Certainly, at so early period in the
contest, no one can he prepared posi-
lively to assert who the Senatorial can
didate may be. 1t will be certainly the
duty of the Legislature, when that
body shall assemble, to unite in the
choice of such an individual for the
Senate of United States as may then
appear to them with all the lights be.
fore them, TO be, upon the whole, the
most suitable man to be raised to so
eminent and responsible position.
To require specific pledge before hand
such as he had already alluded to,
might, in II case easy to be imagined,
place the Legislative member thus
pledged, in an attitude hostile to his
own sense of patriotic duty. He hoped
the people of the various counties of
the State would elect to tae Legislature
their best, their most intelligent, and
most patriotic citizens and leave them
in the absence of particular instruc-
tons, which perchance might or might
not be hereafter sent there, to vote for
such candidate for the Senate as they
might Judge most suitable in all re-
spects to perform the duties of the sta
ton with credit and ability.
He then proceeded to say that he was
here to-day, not to advocate the claims
of any one, whether to seat in the
y
Gated on the 4th day of March next
but he felt bound to say, and he rejoic.
ed to feel it in his power to say that he
knew at least twenty worthy and ca
pable citizens of Tennessee, any one OF
whom he was certain had never sought
TO claim the honor of being advanced
TO a seat in the National Senate. Then
the distinguished individual who he
understood was now canvassing for the
place with that zeal and perseverinl
diligence, which he knew so well how
to put in exercise for the promotion o
his own wishes of individual advance
ment. Mr.. Foote then proceeded t.
say "that he should probably have
taken no part in the Senatorial
contest had he not found himself as
sailed in various quarters 10y persons
evidently under Mr.. Johnson's influ
ence, and that the additional, fact tina
Mr.. Johnson, as he was informed, ha;
thought himself able to attend to hin
on more than one occasion, in "a man
ner which he would hardly have ex
peeted, that he (Mr. FOote,) woul,
leave un-noticed. He then proceeded
to delineate Mr.. Johnson's characte
as public man, and took specia
survey of his history. He charged
him with having been in a state of in
toXication on the 18th OF March, 1865
when .inaugurated rs Vice Presiden
of the United States, aud also of hav
ing deliberately presented himself L
the public view repeatedly since in Tia,
same disgusting condition. He chal
Hanged Mr.. Johnson, or his politica
friends anywhere TO deny the allegation
and said that he would prove what b.
had charged,
He then charged him with having
made a speech to miscellaneous GROVE
on Pennsylvania avenue, in Wash
ington City, during the month o
March 1886, while President Lincoln
was i'm Richmond showing signs o
,commisseration toward the suffering
forlurn city, in which speech he de
nounced Mr. Liuooln's clemency AM
moderation in the harshest terms, an,
in which he Numbered forth tina
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