The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-10-11
GOV. HARRIS SPEECH.
The People of Summer Eloquent
ly Addressed by Ex-Governor
ISham c.. Harris.
A Calm and Patriotic Review of
the Political Situation.
His Course in Connection with
the Bank of Tennessee Fully
Vindicated.
Special to the Nashville American.


the Bank of Tennessee Fully
Vindicated.
Special to the Nashville American
GALLATIN. Tenn, Sept. 20. 1876.
-Ex- Gov. Isham @. Harris address
ed the people of Sumner county at
the courthouse in this place to-day.
He met with warm reception at the
hands of our people, among whom
he has many old friends and sup
porters, and they turned out in large
numbers to hear what he had to say
upon the political issues OF the day
Those who attended with the expec-
tation of listening to a political IT,
rade and secession harangue must
have been disappointed, for it is the
unanimous verdict of all who heard
him that speech more genuinely
patriotic, national and statesman
like has not been delivered in our
midst since the war. | cannot give
You anything like full report of his
speech, which occupied in its deliv-
cry two hours and half. but only
4 an abstract of his remarks.
wv II All 10 ny say iu0 Lntt
it was some seventeen years since
he lad had the pleasure of address
ing the people of Sumner county.
with whom, in the days gone by. his
political and personal associations
were close and intimate. These
years had brought many changes
some extremely sad-changes to him
as to others. His locks were some
what grayer than then, and his heart
did not beat with the same elasticity
as of yOre, but none the less true TO
the people of Tennessee as at any
former period. He did not come
to make set speech, but to
renew his acquaintance with our
people, to shake them by the hand,
and confer with them upon the con-
dition of our common country. New
er in the history of our country were
more important issues presented to
the people for their consideration.
He said:
There are usurpations of power
that seriously threaten the constitu-
tional liberties of our people. You
are called upon to elect your Ma
tional and State officers in Novem-
Der next. 1t is vitality important
that you should pause and ponder
how you shall exercise the right of
the ballot. 1t is at the ballot box
alone that we can exercise our pow
ers as sovereigns and govern our.
selves. You are in an impoverished
condition to-day and it becomes nee
essary to locate the causes that have
produced this condition of affairs and
see if we cannot provide remedy.
The entire credit Of your present
condition. whether you may call it
good or bad, is due to the Republi-
can party. 1t has been in control
of the Government for sixteen years.
and during that time no Democrat
ic voice has been heard in the land,
or IN the councils Of the nation.
There are two great political parties
in this country. Cooper occupies
no real position in this contest
What is the present condition of the
country? What has it been? !
need go no farther than to appeal tc
your own individual experience
Hard times. with all the catalogue
of evils that follow in their wake
have settled down like a mountain
weight upon the prosperity of the
people. You feel and know that
year by year the times have grown
harder, and you poorer and poorer
These hard times have been pro
dnced by one or two causes or both
1t may have been caused by your
extravaganza. recklessness and
thriftlessness, or by the maladmin.
istration of your rulers. The first
stated IS not the cause. You have
been more energetic, prudent, econ
omicai, and self-denying than ever
before. The soil has proved as gen.
erous, and the rains and dews have
fallen as Of old. Your harvests have
been as bountiful. But did these
bring relief? We are forced to the
conclusion that they have been
brought about by the maladministra.
ton of the Government, by extrav.
agant waste, by oppressive taxation.
by improper means of the collection
of the public revenues and by spir-
it of class legislation. The policy
of the Republican party has been to
burden labor aud enrich capital.
These causes of themselves have
been sufficient, to cause the distress
ed condition Of the country.
/ Gov. Harris now went into the
details of the history and manage
ment of the Government under the
Republican party. He showed that
the revenue collections Of the Gov
ernment in 1860 amounted to 60
millions of dollars Our population
then was 80 miilions--or $12 per
capita. In 1870, with a population
of 38 100000, the collections were
$50 millions. What a difference in
a single decade! lie then gave a
thorough expose of the defective
which only about 81 out ST every So
went into the Golfers of the govern
ment. but was wrung out Of the
pockets Of tile people to 60 to en-
rich the pampered few. This $780,
100000 multiplied by would give
what the people actually pay each
year. $50 millions of dollars-two-
thirds of which never reaches the
! Government Golfers, bat goes into
the pockets of those who are pro-
teeted by class legislation and high
protective tariffs.
He next showed the working of
fhn tariff cvcfnm how If hos hnan