Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-10-26

the sale OF Offices at their disposal,
which has brought shame and
disgrace upon the country'
| These things, and many others
have aroused the moral sense of
the people to the absolute neccssi
~ Of change, and TO reform in
the administration Of public pffairs
and this has brought the Demo.
cratic party in being, as it now
exists.
Hsv6 we reached Q point, when
a political party coming before the
people, and opposing the party in
power on account Of its policy and
measures. and appealing to the
people for their judgment in refer
ence to questions # public policy
affecting US now and ia the future
are to be stigmatlzed as Rebels,
and why?
While | have been your repre-
sentative | have given prompt ats
tention to the business of my
constituents. | have answered
every letter addressed to me, and
given my best efforts to all the
people alike. | have known no
one as a Republican or as Dem
ocrat. A large portion Of my
time and labor was given to those
who we're Union men, their widows
and children. l procured the
passage through the House of
more bills togive pensions by
special acts than was ever
done in any one session under Re-
publican rule. | voted for every
measure proposed in favor of the
sOldi .r of the late war, their wid>
ows and children. voted to pay
all the pensioners of the late war /;
to eqaai4e the bounties /; to re-
peal the statute of five yo RS. so
that all can prosecute claims for
pensions and back pay until 1880
which is now the law.
| offered bill TO give every
farmer and planter the privilege
of selling $100 worth of leaf to-
bacco withoutpayinc any tax. |
offered bill to modify ami amend
the Internal revenue law, | labor
ed to get an appr 'priation to open
our rivers 10 East Tennessee which
passed the House but was defeat-
ed in the Senate. | voted to re-
luce the expenditures Of Govern
ment, including the President and
members of Congress, and also
to discharge useless officers, as ii
Ia now shown that since 1865 the
number of employees have lncreas'
ed over 10000 in time Of peace
large numbers of whom render nc
services whatever These meas
ures Of reform aud economy were
opposed in many respects by the
Senate, but a reduction io the pub
lie expenditures effected to the ex'
tent of $4,000 600 and other re
forms inaugurated.
I voted to restore silver as 9
legal tender in payment of al
debts public and private, which
passed the House and was defeat
ed in the Senate. | voted to re-
peal the act compelling return
to gold payment on the lst of Jan
uary, 1879, believing as | do thai
the mea, ure enacted in the inter
est of bondholders and gold gam
blers is proving and will prove de
structive to the business interest
of the entire country, and especial
ly to the laboring men. That the
best policy is to reduce the public
welfare, remove as far as possible
the burden of taxation to let tht
currency alone revive our busines,
interests, give Employment to oul
people, develope our resour'
ces, restore confidence, stop the
assurance Of bonds which are there
by increasing the burden of public
debt and the burden Of the people
and that we will thus be able soon
er reach specie payment aud avoid
the bankruptcy aud ruin of all oul
business men.
cannot refer to other measures
here. ! invite investigation into
all nv official acts. | claim thai
| have not been acturated by the
spirit of partizaD, but by a regard
for the best interests of all. FIJI
volous charges, uniounded in truth
and justice, have been circu ated
to prejudice the public mind
They will, 10 doubt be repeated
with variations to suit every local
ny. | have no act, | have
givorp no vote that | desire to hidS
from the public view.