Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-10-22
The Independent Candidate for Cover.
nor, Who is Endorsed by Freeman,
FOOte and Other Radicals,
Speaks His Piece.
A Rehash OF His RepOrtOrial Interviews
What He KnOEs About State
Finances and the Funding Of
the State Debt.
A Mass Of Self-StuItifleatiOn and Aerid
Abuse Of the Democratic Party
which Refused to Nominate
Him ISLANDERS OfPOTter
Repeated.

sey B Thomas, independent candidate
for governor. There was by no means 8
full house, not half so many being pres
ent sa upon the occasion Of Governor
PoIteI's speech. The audience, while
not enthusiastic, was, however, orderly
and well-behaved, paying strict atten-
ton 10 what MI. Thomas said. His
speech was good for q man of his cali.
bsr, nothing more nor hardly anything
less in line and style than what was ex.
pected by those cODversant with Mr.,
T1omss and his public efforts on the
stump and ia the legislature. He was
appiAuded ct times, but this demon
strstiOn was not general, and there was
q marked lack of enthusiasm or even
cordially Of feeling on the part OF the
sudience, a fact no less apparent than
discouraging to the friends Of Mr.. Thorn
as. On the s,sge were Councilman Tom
Boyle, Msj) j. J. Bdsby, Jesse Brown,
William NJ Harrington, Minor Meri-
wether, M. A. Allen, ard r q. Thomas,
of Brownsville. Msjor Busby intro
dueed Mr.. Thomas, who at Orcs pro-
ceeded 20 deliver his speech.
MR.. THOMAs's SPEECH.
Mr.. Thomas scommeneed his speech by
rsgretting that the inclemency of the
weather prevented many from baiug
% ,esent, as he wanted TO address a large
audience of Shelby county. He said he
was o candidate for governor without
being the nominee Of any party, posi
ton which had been honored by some
Of the best men Of the State He knew
that to become q candidate, without the
nomination OF any party, was pre-
suming 8 great deal, and such cam
didste wss subject to criticism and as
persi0n. But Why should it be 80 in this
lend Of freedom? In all of our courts, he
said, the riglt of appeal was granted,
and that conventions were party eX-
pressionsI but when that w8s done with
out the wishes OF the people, 1t codld
only be done away without the freedom
Of he ballot box. He had been attached
to parties which resulted from parties.
We have seen parties rise into exist
ence upon given issues, and then pass
away. Such, he said, was right.
He said be had il the psst CO. operated
with the Democratic party, believing it
was right and proper, but now we find
the chief issues of the result OF the
war had changed. lie here spoke Of
the freedom of the negroes, and said
that sll hsd agreed to il. But the only
present cOntendiug SO the result OF the
war was the financial question, ano
why should not those who had differed
now egree. He would cOnfine himself to
S .sLs policy and State fl ances. he
wss willing TO accord equal rights and
equally honest ints1tions of all; but he
said it was necessary for hin TO state
why he wss a candidate. He had hoped,
he said, ths State would soon regal it's
misfoltunes of the war, but We fed
that cur people have gone rom bad to
worse until the State was in state OF
bankruptcy, the result Of the contrsc-
ton OF circulating medium upon which
our business and prosperity rested.
The people were without money, valus.
ton Of land had decreased, and thou
sands OF dollars worth Of property are
advertised for taxes all over the State,
there being over five thousand lots Of
property advertised in the city paper he
heId IA his hand. Seeing a movement
iuaugurated for an increase Of taxation,
ne determined to prevent it, Mr..
Thomas referred to the eond ton of the
State and individual property before the
war, since which there has arisen vast
O4c37c VI NANA-
zens noTs potent than the influence of
the people thenaselvss. This interest
antsgoniz the interest OF the producers
all those engaged in commerce and ag-
Iiculture. Mr.. Thomas Dext entered into
q discussion of political economy, and
tried to show that labor is the true basis
OF all values, and should not be antago-
nistic 10 capital, ss is the csse now, the
AAnraSaaA
all manner Of productive inter
tsts. Tnis was maze TO show
that Don.productiye capital dictates
political platforms, legislation and the
to the detriment OF "the
people," Hence the necessity Of closely
scrutinizing the platforms of parties and
which can only be accom-.
plished by independent actions. Ee-
leving the maj Jyity party has been
used in times past to the detriment and
injury Of the people, he deemed this
s .rutiny essential to the public good.
He said at little town way up in Jack
son county, meeting was held and
adopted fsVoring the MAIN
tenance of State credit and Increased
taxation as an expression Of Demo-
cratic sentiment. The Newspaper
pressn ali over the State and a Journal
of Memphis, took up this as the key
note of the Democracy. He, believing
that 1.-The people" could not re-
deem their pledges and wishing
TO have i'the people" represented,
determined 10 correct this evil
Hence he has become q candidate
for governor, not unmindiul that two
Y eSrs sgo ''the people" gave him q
complimentary vote for the position,
although unsolicited by him. He had
20 secure line Of policy in
the late Democratic convention at Eash-
vile to correct this evil, but failed. Mr..
Thomas next gave whRt he termed an
insight into the manner conventions
aIe manipulated. He spoke at Muir
freesbOrO tefJre the convention, 1.-The
peoplen ware unanimous for low taxes,
; meeting was he'd, a gentleman,
whom they did not like to vote against,
was made chairman, and appointed Oh
peIsOns fRvOriDg the
ideas. The report favOriDg
low taxes Wss favored by the com nit
tee, but the other report favoTing high
isxes Wss decided adopted. In q SIM
liar wsy are s ete conventions man.
aged. Believing the d mOcratic State
convention at \ nashville did not repre-
zeut The sentiment Of "the people,"
be remained on the track. The Re-
publican party has Withdrawn from
the canvass, so far as any author zed
candidate be concerned. The Rspubli-
,an party have hence left the settlement
1f the public questions to the free and
will Of the people. His
bss nothing to do with the
national canvass, ana ne does not ex-
Ject 10 il fiaeDce siEgle man. He asked
no nnsu TO vote for him because Of party
IDENTIFY alone, but from agreement OF
,entimeut upon the measures he fsvors.
He referred to the funding bill as fsl.
scy not inGorsed by "the people" OF
Tennessee, it heipg passed under Gov
srnoT John G. Browns administration.
Mr. Thomes then gave his ideas OF what
q finding viz compCuudiDg IN terest
3Ld giving new bonds in lieu. Under
he Funding acts Of 1855 and 1868 there
nave been renewed over fourteen mill
Jon dollars Of public securities, the in
= sssd obligation for which ''the reO-
1!sn are pledged by means Of the fuad.
pR act amounts 20 fo-tv -seven million
ioilars, principal and interest, which in
evenly years would amount to two