Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-08-26
GOV. HARRIS.
He Declines the Nomination for Flee.
tor for the State at Large.


Democratic Executive Committee of
Tennessee. Nashville: Having twice
asked the convention not to place my
name upon the Electoral ticket, and
having been nominated by so large and
hattering majority Of the convention
after my repeated and earnest request
to be excused, felt that I owed the
people of Tennessee too much to re-
fuse to take upon myself the respon-
sibilities and labor of the position to
which the convention had assigned
me, and therefore, reluctantly accepted.
But having learned that my nomina-
ton, as one of the Electors for the
State at large, has produced some de-
gree of dissatisfaction, at least In one
portion of the State, I respectfully,
but firmly decline to be candidate
for Elector.
/ have at no period of my life had a
political aspiration that did not hold
subordinate to the success of princi-
Piles which were, in my opinion, i'm
portant to the public welfare. there
fore most cheerfully retire from the
position of Elector, in order that per-
feet harmony may be restored to the
Democratic and Conservative party
throughout the State.
Every public Office is high public
trust, which to be honestly exercised
must be exercised with an eye single
to the public good, and he who prosti-
tutes such position to the ends of per-
sonal ambition, self aggrandisementor
private pecuniary gam is wholly un-
worthy of public confidence or official
position.
| do not decline the dictatorship to
avoid either the labors or responsible
tiles of the canvass. Nor is it for any
want of interest in the great and i'm
portant struggle which, at this time,
so deeply interests the American peo-
pie. The nominations and platform
of the st. Louis Convention command
the approval of my judgment and shall
receive my active, earnest and cordial
support. In taking my position as a
private in the ranks l shall not be 81
lent; / shall not be idle. / shall
fight as cheerfully, as vigorously and
as earnestly in that position as l would
if covered with the honors of the most
conspicuous of leaders.
Show me where [ can aid the cause
of constitutional, honest and econom-
ical government, no matter in what
field or how onerous the labor, / shall
Immediately enter upon the work with
all the zeal and energy, and with what
ever of ability | possess.
The country greatly needs and de-
mands thorough retrenchment and re-
form, and honest administration of the
Government.
1t needs and demands that the num-
Der of offices and ofiiceholders shall
be diminished to the smallest number
consistent with an efficient admins
tration.
1t needs and demands relief from a
system of nepotism which is prevail
ing and which holds public Office to be
private perquisite to be used for the
personal aggrandisement of the officer
and the benefit of relatives and person.
al friends, without regard to the pub
lie interest.
1t needs and demands that public
Office shall be held as a sacred trust,
and administered purely and alone in
the interest of the people.
1t needs and demands integrity, eff
cheney and economy in every branch
of the public service, and to that end
it greatly needs civil service reform.
1t needs and demands that the Con-
stitution, in all of its parts, as we'll the
late amendments as the original, shall
be respected as the supreme law of the
land, and that the Government shall
be administered under and in subor-
dination to its letter and spirit, and
not upon the narrow preiudices and
sectional hates engendered by the war.
[ shall earnestly advocate the enforce
ment of the Constitution and the laws,
federal and State. | believe in the
punishment, by Indictment and con-
viction, Of all lawlessness, no matter
where it may occur or who may be
the offenders.
stand ready to vindicate the con-
stitutional and legal rights of every
man, no matter of what race, nation
atty, or color, and without regard to
his previous condition or opinions.
| stand ready to resist any and all
efforts to intimidate or coerce the ex-
ercise of the elective franchise, be-
lieving that every citizen should vote
his honest opinions in every election.
I am opposed to military govern
ment in time of peace, and shall ear
nestly oppose the policy of remanding
any of the States back to q territorial
form of government.
While | shrink from no response
bility which attaches to me by reason
of my past official action, it is evident
that the revival and discussion of the
merits and dement's of the issues of
the war can only irritate and arouse
our worst passions, and lead to no
practical or good result.
When the Confederate soldiers sur
rendered their arms eleven years ago
the people of the Confederate States
surrendered with them, in good faith,
the issues in which the war had its
origin. From that day every intelli-
gent citizen of these States has re-
garded the. issues of the war as settled,
finally and forever settled, and has en-
deavored to make himself q law-abi-
ding, good citizen, deeply interested
in the peace, prosperity and happiness
of not only his State, but all the States
of the Union.
If we would make this country pros
porous and happy, the people, North
and South, must place themselves up
on higher plane. a broader national
ity, and broader brotherhood ; forget
the sectional prejudices and hates
which have heretofore prevailed, and
are to-day to some extent prevailing,
and return to the simpler, economical
and constitutional methods of admin
istration. This accomplished, every
feeling of distrust will disappear from
the Union, and the people of all Sec
tons may work tremendously together,
emulating each other in the effort to
achieve that bright and glorious desti-
ny, which awaits us as great country
and great people.
Let every American citizen feel that
the laws and the flag of the country
no longer cover and protect half the
Union only, but that they cover alike,
from the humblest to the greatest, all
the citizens, of all the States, and that
they are everywhere entitled sto be,
and are profoundly respected.
This is the home and the country of
the Southern as we'll as the Northern
citizen; we have no other country
no other home. If we were actuated
by no higher considerations than
those of self-interest, these interests
all conspire to make us struggle for
and desire the peace, prosperity and
happiness of the whole country, be-
cause the peace, prosperity and happi-
ness of ourselves and our State de-
ponds upon it.