Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-29
Ex-President johnson Still on
the Warpath.
The Scrimmage Between Him
and Brown but Barely
Begun.
And it VIII Last from New Until
january.
Look Out for Some TAN scalping.

AOhOCu MS SyccCu rs IOllONSs
FellOw-citizens, am before you to-nigh
by request to answer some charges pro
ferred in speech not long since made il
this hall. l shall come up at once to III,
work in hand What refer to is this
Gov Brown, here last Friday night aLG
elsewhere, has seen proper popreesr charge.
against my official conduct, Il viii be re
membered that / have made no attack
against Gov. Brown other than TO review
his administration as / thought it ought
to be done. II Is understood
that he is a candidate for the United States
Senate. His disclosures amount to a con-
fession of the fact. Gov. Brown, at
Pulaski, in q speech defending his admin
istration, makes a kind of appeal as to
what the people should do in the S4na-
torial matters. Prior to this, it will be un-
derstood that l have made no charge
against him or his administration.
| Mr.. johnson then read the report of GOV.
Browns advice 10 the people in the Sena-
torial matter. Now why is this? Why
should Gov. Brown prepare public speech
or issue a semi-Oficial proclamation that
they should express no opinion in
reference to the Senatorial matter?
Must freedom of speech, and of the press,
be suppressed when certain parties are
invOlvedS Must we obey such instructions
or shall we go on in accordance with The
| great idea that man is capable OF self-goy-
eminent? Why is this great terror of the
people expressing an opinion? 1t has been
contended BY some that it would be better
I 10 transfer the election Of Senator directly
to the people, but forsooth, we are told
that you must not express an opinion,
Ii viii remembered that four wears 400,
when the State was actively canvaSsed to
! restore the elective franchise, in which |
actively participated, we elected what was
called Democratic Legislature. | admit
that, after having stood upon the constitu-
ton, and resisted to the utmost the encroach-
mentS Of arbitrary power until the party
thought he an obstacle 10 be removed,
and an impeachment trial resulted, but,
thank Ged, not a conviction. | did think
It would have been a compliment to me if
the Legislature had sent me back to the
Senate to confront my prosecutors, and vim
dictate M career and expose the corruption
OF my criers. thought could have rem
dered service TO my State, and acquitted
myself with honor. One of the great
charges against me was that had granted
too much amnesty, aud had turned rebel
with the South.
Gov. Brown now thinks best TO advise
the people and hold himself in reserve, so
that if you send Legislature that can be
managed by the ring or clique that seems
to be running things, thenhe may be can
didate. If by some hugger-musgert the Legis-
lature can be managed as it was before then
be may be a candidate.
He then accused the Browns of being in
the conspiracy to defeat him for the Senate.
He may put in e special plea like an ac-
cOmplished lawyer that be was not in that
conspiracy, but if he was not in, he was
outside, prIvy TO what was going on, and
helped to prepare the plan and was most
efficient in helping TO carry it out. Some
times the executor is more responsible than
the nnewho forms the design. This same
Gov. JnO. &. Brown was an ally in this foul
conspiracy, urging his influence i; the
Legislature to carry it out. And when
the result was announced, this man Brown
threw up his hat and reioiced at my over
throw.
Who was this Gov. John c. Brown? |
Mark you he has provoked this and he will |
find between nOw''and the first of January |
next, not Monday next, that while there |
are blows to give, there are blows to re- |
receive, and while he with his Southern |
chivalry can throw his iayelin, there are
Others who can bend the spear. What |
wrong had ever done him except to vim
dicate him from the law and protect him
from its penalties. While he was plotting.
he had my pardon in his pocket which |
protected him from the penalties of the
law. He say 5 in his speech that his pardon
was granted gFudgingly. 1t was not, and
If il was before me sometime there
were some granted before, and some
Afterwards. We had TO consider
the Character Of the persons, and grant
them only as fast as TIE public opinion
would sustain us. All had to wait till
their turn came. But when it was granted
it was very willingly recei7ed. But he
says granting pardOns should not hitch a
man to the person who granted il. Who
ever claimed such thing? | never did.
But if II did not make him my friend it
ought not to have made him my enemy
lndmy prosecutor and my cOndemner. If
it did not make him my friend. it did not
him to enter into a conspiracy for
my destruction.
After winding up his illustration of Peter
and Judas with his Edmund and Henry |
and John &. Brown, he said: Mr. Brown !
charges me with having done a great many
bad things. My subject here tonight is
Brown, Laughter and applause,1 and be- |
/ Il frFfav fr,1 ov- |
iissecting board, and if there is skill in
surgery, or sense in mathematics, / intend
o scatter his peurile sayings to the winds
n his speech at Waverly he makes out a
ill of indictment against me. He then
cad from Browns Waverly speech.
Gle discussed other charges made by
IOv. Brown. replying with great bitterness
nd much force, accusing Browns admin
stration OF creating debt Of twenty live
Millions.
In relation TO the Surratt matter. he said {
erhapS he had made a mistake Nav be
e would have pleased Brown better to '
ave PardOned I
Mrs. Surraft and Hung Him. I
lie had never charged Brown with being a
Vhig, but had said he never was a Demo-
rat. He (JolnsOn) had always been a :
Democrat, but if to have created a tax
{ million and half was Democracy, he
-as no Democrat. II to have burdened :
be people in these hard times was Dem J
cracy, he was no Democrat. Brown had
cen Wing; then a rebel; then Greeley :
.e, trying to force Greeley upon the people .
S one of the pureSt Democrats in the
Ountry. Greeley was a Civil Rights
IAN. Then is Greeley-Damocracy.
Brown a Democrat?
rom such Democracy may God i'm
be plentitude of His mercy and power de-
md us. He also attacked Brown on the
oil tax qualification, and denied having !;
Oted for a property qualification. His /.
harkey letter was intended 20 disarm pre- =
Idice at the North, and he challenged ;
rown to compare administrations with Y
i'm.
He accused Brown Of misrepresenting
IS position on the penitentiary. and read IL
ON his message in 1SjG. recommending
r. abolition of mechanical labor in the
In conclusion, he said he had demon N
rated Browns unftness for the place he p