Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-07-24

in which the facts are fully sisted
and it is made manifest, that Judge
Cooper did 10 wrong but on the
contrary he did just what it was his duty
to have done, and just what any other
Chancellor would have done under the same
circumstances. I avn, therefore, feed from
the necessity Of resiating the fact~; apd re-
fer all to the card of Dir. Ewing, which
was published not long since in the papers
of the city. But | wish 10 state this much,
that, before the late civil war, Mr.. Andrew
Ewing and Judge Cooper We're partners in
She practice Of the law, and lad been part
ners for many years; that they were init
mate and had the entire confidence OF each
other, and that, since the close Of the war,
Judge Cooper has been the trusted friend
of Lis widow and children. IL is,
therefore, manifest that Judge Coop
er would have suffered no wrong
TO be done TO them. But let me say al IN
one sentence, the decree, which Judge
Cooper suffered TO be entered upon the
minutes, was in reality a consent decree and
was drawn up by Robert Ewing, who repre-
scented the widow aud children Of Andrew
Ewing. l expect Mr.. Brien knew all these
facts before he made the charge.
As to the other case III which he wrote
the bill as lawyer and addressed 1t 10 him
self as Chancellor, am frank TO admit,
that, in 50 doing, he made mistake. He
did not do an immoral act nor did he do a
LEGAL wroifg TO any one. But when l say,
that think lhe made mistake, mean TO
say simply shat se laid himself Cpen to She
miscOneeptiOn of his enemies and
to the charge made by Mr..
Brien, and, therCfJre, think
it would have been better TO have handed
the case over to SOME friend. But the act
was certainly Neither mean nor immoral,
Because il was dOre in the open day and in
che sight Of every body, ind wss PIT upon
record. Its publicity, therefore, is cOrclua
sive evidence that he was conscious Of hay
ing done no wrong. Ii is equally clear that
he did or could have done no legal injury
10 any body. Ills brother was a stOckhOld-
HrI ard ne vas solicitor for one Of the par
ties. Both OF these facts rendered him in
cOmI etent to sit in the case, and il he he'd
attempted to render a decree in the case, it
would have been no decree in law, unless,
indeed, it had been done with consent Of
I'll the parties, and this was known
to Mr. Brien aid 10 every ether lawyer.
Judge COOper's idea was, as | understand,
that he was only Chancellor by appoint
ment and until it cOud be filed BY the
people that his conserving to sit upon the
benth until the office could be filed by ali
election of the people did rot deprive him
Of the right 10 bring new suits. In this
opinion, Mr.. Cooper may be right or he
may be wrong. But right or wrong, one
thing is very clear to any man Of sense, and
that Is, that the act would not be Of such
a nature rs; In ths slightest degree, to lessen
tteif confidence w his integrity or prevent
them from giving to hiffi treir hearty sup
port.
Such are some Of the grounds put forth
by Mr.. Brien as reasons why the people
should not elect Mr.. Cooper. under
stand he idakes cher eherges-such as that
Mr.. Cooper is a man OF wealth and holds
himself too high to mingle with The people
and solicit their support. But such charges
ought not 10 be :, ade by a candidate for
the office Of Chancellor, and, in my Opin-
ion. would not be made by one who really
respected the intelligence of the people,
nor would they be listened TO, except in de-
risiOn, by a people who respected them
selves. l shall therefore pass these charges
by in silence
And now having Sid so mitch, suffer me
TO ask, shall we allow our own candidate
the man that we our Ownselyes put up as
our chOice--tO be beat? Mr.. Brien pre-
tends to be a Democrat, or Con-
sentative, and although his party met
in convention to make a nominal
ton, yet he refused to submit
his name before that convention. He
knows that that convention was composed
OF men Of the highest responsibility. He
knew that Mr.. Cooper had not csnVassed
the county with a view Of filling With his
own friends, that convention. Onthe con-
trary one Of his charges against Mr.. Cooper,
as have already stated, is, that Mr.. Cooper
has been too proud to solicit the support of
the people. That convention was called to
enable the people TO act in harmOny-tO Sc
lect the best candidate and not to be split
up between its own friends. why then
did Mr.. Brien refuse to submit his name to
THAT conventiUn2 If that convention had
been packed for Mr.. Cooper, Mr.. Brien
would have had 4 good reason for
Withholding his name. But he knows that
this was not So. BE himself, pretends, in
some of his speeches, rs | understand, that
he could have got that nomination If he
had submitted his name. Why then does
he put himself in opposition to his own
party and friends? II he beats Mr.. Cooper,
he knows that it will he by seducing from
their friends few white votes and uniting
them to the solid and united column Of the
negrOes. He will be the candidate Of the
negroes against his own party and will be
used by them to beat down his own party.
On the contrary, if he does not get the sup
port Of the negroes, but does take from
Judge Cooper a few votes, then, TO that ex-
tent, he will be cOaleScing with the negroes
and aiding them to elect Judge McClain,
tie Radical candidate.
Citizens of Davidson county, the case is
now fairly before you. Choose We this day
whom We will serve. There is no escape
open to you. You must either vote for the
candidate ofthe white mans convention or
march under the banner Of John COckrill.
A CITIZEN.
A-