Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-08
JOHNSON.
His Speech on the Square Last Night.
An Unqualified Endorsement Of the
Colyar Programme. -en
Twenty Cents and Semi. Reputation
the War Cry Of the Canvass.
Ex.Presidential Views on the National
Finances. -

! the citizens OF nashville last night ut the
Public Square. He was introduced by
Mai. a. L. Lands, who said: Fellow-citi-
zens: have the honor to introduce to you
ex-President johnson, who viii address
you tonight on questions of importance to
the country. A voice-"He don't need
any introductory Mr.. johnson then adj
dressed the assenblage, which was between
fifteen hundred and two thousand strong,
as follows:
Fellow-citizens: At the request, or in
compliance with the request, OF number
of citizens who reside here, appear before
you tonight for the purpose OF discussing,
/ may say, some of the questions that
agitate the public mind; and, in doing
so, it is under many disadvantages,
as have not been in the habit Of speaking
any latterly. My health is not the best
and especially my voice, but, IN compliance
with the request, and determination that
have long since formed, whenever could
contribute anything TO convey correct un'
derstanding to the public mind, respecting
the questions or privileges involving their
interests, present myself here tonight for
that purpose, and in compliance with that
dissemination.
| do not know that it is necessary to make
any apology for stating what | have stated,
but proceed TO examine some OF the ques-
tions that have been presented TO the pub
lie through the newspapers aud otherwise.
But before proceed with the examination
of some Of them will lay down what
conceive to be correct premise or preface
to what / will say.
When we turn our attention to the his
tory of legislation, we find that most of the
woes and wrongs that the people are afiiict-
ed with, grow out of improper, arbitary and
unjust legislation. Our own history, al
though embracing period Of less than
a century, furnishes abundant proof that
all Of our domestic troubles are directly at
tributed to the violation Of the organic
law and excessive legislation, and when We
for moment fix our attention upon many
wrongs that are inflicted upon the people,
it is all that is necessary for the public
mind at once to possess itself Of this fact.
Take our own State, for instanoe-and il is
not my purpose, even If had the strength
to consume any great portion of your time
here tonight, more than simply to inaugu-
rate or suggest certain fundamental notions
on our governmental affairs; take our own
State, for instance, and what is
the cause of most of our diff
ficulties and our expressions, all Of which
have brought us to our present condition IN
pecuniary, as we'll as political affairs? We
find that they grow out of National or
State legislation. For instance, to begin
at home, in accordance with the old saying,
which is worthy of repetition, that We
should first clean about our OWE doors be-
fore we commence examining those of
others. Let us, for instance, examine a
few things that have been done by our
State Legislature. Look at your present
tax system and what is the complaint?
Now what is the evil that the
country seems to be afflicted with? Il
seems to be, to some extent, growing out
of our tax system, improper and excessive
and, it might almost be said, uncOnstitu-
tional legislation-if not unconstitutional,
at least oppressive in its character. For
instance, you are taxed by your recent tax
law, taxed by your funding bill, taxed by
your assessors bill; take all of them up and
consider them, and when YOU look about
and see the various collectors, (and my in
tention is to cast no reflection upon them,)
it simply grows out of the system that has
harraSsed and pressed the people for money
and taxes.
We find that all this grows out Of your
excessive and improper legislation, and
hence, it has become important that the
people should begin to look into and inves-
tigate these things for themselves, and no
longer depend upon those who have been
deceiving us, perhaps not Intentionally; but
the fact is that our own condition fixes this
legislation upon them. When We look at
the immense taxes with which We are
borne down, cannot the people complain?
And when they ask for relief and re
redress the answer is, more taxes.
When they ask who done all this,
they will tell you that those measures
must be ignored; that they Uust not now
be considered with other questions that are
brought before the country, but must be
passed by.
1t seems To me, my countrymen, that de-
ception and indirectiOn, and failure to
come up and meet these questions, have
carried the people away from the true
merits of government and the true consid-
Grafton of principles. Why, when We look
at orr taxes, when you go out through the
country in the various sections of il, the
cry is nothing but show am | to pay my
l1ACc. WHY VIC AOOh W thC fNNNAoi
government, there are taxes, in
ternal and importation taxes, excessive
in their character. From our entrance into
the world, and along through life until we
pass into the grave, it is taxes all the time.
We are taxed upon our entrance, We are
taxed upon our passage; all we eat, drink
and wear, and even the last sad act that is
performed when clods are heard to rumble
H., e -
step we take through life. The query
comes up, if the time has not come when
the people can look into these things,
and see if there is any relief or
redress. i am free to say TO yOu that the
taxes ought to be reduced. (Applause).
The heavy hand of taxation ought to be
lightened. "a voice, "That's business
Why talk about more money and more cur
reney and all such as that 1t seems to
me that what is needed to meet the
wants and the present emergencies of the
people is reducing our taxes and leaving
the taxes in our pockets instead of extort-
ing them out in these hard times. ZAP
plause). But when You talk about lower
ing the taxes; when you talk about easing
and tightening the yoke that
bears upon the neck Of labor and toll, they
ask, ''ATe you going To repudiate the debt
of the State? You must stop there, else
somebody will become alarmed.JuSt the 9th
er day you will remember, fellow citizens,
the interest upon the debt of the State was
suspended for five years. There was but
little said then about Republication. The in
terest accumulated for five years upon the
bonds. Did they pay it? No. What did
they do? Why you were told that if you
would come forward with coupons upon
your bonds which have been due for five
years, they would DO what Pay you /?
No. What then? We will issue a bond
Of the State bearing interest forty years
afler daie. [Langhter.l And these are
the persons who are intimating and hint
ing Reputation, Y9u see, then, how that
operates. Well, now right here, my
eountrymen, will say that the most | can
do, if l were disposed to do otherwise, is
simply to hold friendly conversation and
talk about these things. / believe Paul
said once &" Let us reason together" We |
see, then, the condition we are in. But |
they say the best way to relieve this is to |
amend the assessment law, and that by so |
doing We would find out something we had |
not found out before. We would class in |
all the personal property of the country,
and when we found ont all this We would |
tax it again, and by finding out more arti- |
cles to tax, after estimating your property
higher they come to ''relieve" your taxes. |