Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-21
THE VACANT SEAT.
Address OF Col. ThOs. BOyers 90 the
Voters Of the Fourth Congressional
District.

Address Of Col. ThOs. Boyers 60 the
Voters Of the Fourth Congressional
District.
To the Voters of the Fourth Con-
gressiOnal District, composed of the coun-
ties Of Clay, FentreSs, Jackson, OyertOn,
Macon, Putnam, Smith, Robertson, Trous-
dale, Sumner and Wilson:
/ am candidate for Congress from this
district, and, as | have not had the Oppor-
tunity to become personally acquainted
with majority Of the voters, it is proper to
state to them my views upon leading
national questions. Having been actively
connected with the newspaper press at
Nashville, and in my native town, for more
than twenty-five years, my record as poll
tician is embraced in that of the
Democratic party during that period.
have shared in its good fortunes and
in its reverseS, and am now, as at
first, a thorough disciple of 'the doc
trines of Jefferson, Jackson and Polk; an
advocate Of3 strict construction of the Con
stitUtiOn. l am of that old fOgy class who
believe in opposition TO banks, and high
tariffs, and high taXes-to protection 10
favored rings, and to monopOlies of every
character. My whole life has been devoted
to maintaining the rights OF the people
ainst oppressive legislation and theunjust
exactiOn Of capital. An ardent adherent TO
the cause Of tie South during the war,
have striven since to bind up the wounds OF
the civil strife, to cement our Union into a
harmonious whOle-in a word, to do all in
my power to have a united country. l am
now a national, not a sectional man.
To accomplish these results, our national
government must be administered with
wisdom, and its rulers must be men Of in
tegrity and animated by a broad national
spirit. Every class Of society must be rep
resented, and, above all, the agricultural
and industrial classes OF our people. fyou
wish them to flourish, you must dignity
and encourage them. Can this be done by
ignoring the aspirations Of those whose
lives have been devoted to their advance
ment? Are not those men quite as intelli-
gent and capable as those whose lives have
been spent in wagging their tongues, and
do not they know more in regard to the
great industrial and commercial interests
Of the country? No reprOach is intend
ed in this connection upon any pro-
fession, but merelyto direct the attention Of
the public TO the Importance Of repre-
senting the great labor interests by dele
gates from their own ranks. We want
more ,cOrking ability in Congress, and less
popular oratOry; and propose, if elected,
to occupy my time by a laborious attention
Il public business and to its practical de-
tails. Whether / can come up to the old
Jeffersonian standard of qualification for
office-"Is he honest? Is he faithful? Is
he capable?" l must refer to the voice Of
the people, against which there is no ap-
peal. Ny calling in life has occupied my
entire time in the examination and dis
cussiOn Of all the important legislation
of our government, and / trust that
this familiarity with the politics Of
the country will not detFact from my
ability to serve you. As Congress is
now constituted, being a huge unwieldly
body of over three hundred members
legislation is transferred from the balls to
the committee rooms, and there the real
work is done. The cOrruptiOns pervading
every department of the Government, the
immense amounts of the peoples money
that are filched from the treasury, under
various pretenceS, are notorious. In the
printing department, alone, millions are
fraudulently expended, and L believe that
in stopping those frauds could be of some
service TO the country.
In conclusion, it is needless to say that
will cheerfully abide by the action of the
people of the district in whatever manner
it may be expressed, as regard the integ-
rity and success of the Democratic party
as far above the interest Of individual as
pirants. THOMAS BoYERS.
Gallstin, Tenn.