Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-12-29

Personal Sketches of ths Members
of the Fortieth General Assembly
Of Kanueaaeo.
srrPHEN !. ROSS lpEN.l.

q and Hardin, lives st Henderson Station,
on the Mobile and Ohio railroad. BE
: was born in Hickman county, and is
sixty-two years OF age. His father wa,
/, a Scotchman; his mother English by
, descent. BE received a common school
education; married, but lost his wife by
death, and is by occupation a farmer.
Does not belong to any church, his
motto being to deal fairly and honestly
with mankind, keep credit with his
~neighbors and a moral communication
with his own conscience. Ee was in the
Tennessee Senate in 1857, and after his
term expired he retired from the strife
of public affairs to stay, but in 1859 the
Democratic convention Of his district
again nominated him for the Senate.
This be positively declined. During the
late war he was a Confederate and acted
with Captain Crooks company, OF the
Thirteenth Tennessee regiment, com
manded by A. Vaughn, and was in the
battle of Shiloh, near Pittsburg Land
ing, and wounded there, acting as an
independent volunteer. Mr.. Ross is for
the lowest rate OF taxation consistent
With the credit and welfare of the State;
il opposed to reputation; thinks the
Legislature of Tennessee should place
itself in a position TO hear propositions
from the bondholders, and make an hon
orable compromise. BE was nominated
by a Democratic Convention; retrench-
ment, reform and rigid economy-stand-
log in full accord and harmony with the
Democratic party-were the issues.
The candidacy he neither sought nos de-
sired, but accepted the position assigned
him by the Convention to harmonic the
Democratic party in the Eighteenth
district. His opponent was E, j.
Hodges, of McNsiry county, a Republi.
can. Mr.. Ross is opposed TO the rate Of
interest above six per cent. per annum
In regard to United States Sena-
tors, he is for e%lecting one from
CWest Tennessee, first for the rea-
son that we have men em%inently
qualified; and secondly, for the reason.
that Eas. and Middle Tennessee have
had lifetime estates in United States
Senators Tor eighty years-West Ten
nessee neve, &sving had a United States
Senator except for a few brief years in
the person OF Governor James G. Jones.
The vote be received in his district we
have not ascertained. The precise ma
jOrity by which be was elected was be-
tween 1900 and 1000. In his own county
he received a larger majority than Gov
ernor Porter, General Atkins or the
county Representative. On the subject
of finance he is opposed to the Legisla.
ture chsrtering a State bank or any stock
bank. His views on the currency question
are, that the government OF the United
States should furnish the circulating me.
dunn. First let the Congress of the United
States authorize the issuance by the
Treasury of greenbscks and take up
every National Bank note now in exist
ence. By that policy the government
will save $2O, 0OO. 600 of gold interest
every year. Then let the government
authorize the issuance of a sufficient
amount Of %greenbscks to answer the
demands Of trade and commerce, say
$3.50, 0O0, 900; make it receivable in all
monetary transactions, including inter-
est on the public debt, go far as our own
citizens are concerned, duties on imports,
and all taxes Of every description due
the government Of the United States.
This g~reenback currency will be Of equel
value all over the country. Let the vol
ume Of currency be distributed among the
several States and Territories according
to population and the wants Of trade. 1t
will not then be in the power Of bankers
and brokers to expand and contract the
currency at pleasure, or as their interest
may indicate. Congress should restore
silver to its original irmness aud put it
upon an equal footing with gold; then,
10 a short time, g~reenbscks would sp-
p~reciate gold and silver aRd be at par,
the prices Of products and property
would be more uniform, confidence would
be restored, all the industries Of the
country would be stimulated and pros,
perity and happiness to the people would
follow.
The vote Of the Eighteenth Senatorial
district by counter was as follows: For
President-Tilden, Hardin county, 9ss;
Hayes, 1911; Decatur, Tilden, $40;
Hayes, 324; Benton, Tildeu, 1921;
Hayes, 3O4; McNairy, TiIdeu, 1886;
Hayes, 974; Henderson, Tilden, 1857;
Hayes, %999-totsl, Tilden, 1922; Hayes,
1872. For Goyernor--Porter Hardin
comfy, 694; Thomas; 1856; Decatur,
Porter, 721i Thomas, 400; Benton, Por.
ter, 6l7i Thomas, III; McNairy, Porter,
1856 Thomas. lll3i Henderson, Porter,
1876 Thomas, lOel-total, Porter, 4547;
Thomas, 1891. For Congress-Eighth
district, Atkins, Hardin county, a6si
Hawkins, 1876; Decatur, Atkins, sO7;
Hawkins, 1885, Benton, Atkins, s54j
! Hawkins, 3lS; McNsiry, Atkins, 1872
Hawkins, 967; Hesderson' Atkins, 1914;
Hawkins, 1920 - total, Atkins, 5255;