Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-09-28
Gnyernor Porter;s statemeut

represer t6tive OF the american called on
Cover or Porter, at the SaffO.d house Fayette-
vile. last Sunday morning, shortly alter
breakfast, for the purpose of having an inter-
view with him in regard to the passage that
occurred hetweeu MIN and Mr.. Thomas a.
u elbyville last I 1ursday. The reporter found
Governor Porter In excellent spirits and in
good health, except that he was suffering to
some extent from hOaseness contracted by
outdoor speaking. The governor spoke of the
canvass and MS prospect OF election very en-
coursgiDgly. having ex DRESSED himself as
being Eill ng to give statement of the affair
referred 20 our reporter took cut his tools and
went IN m ed ately to work. The fol owing is
a fl statement OF the facts eltcited in the
interview: Governor Porter said he had
charged Air. Thomas ii his speeches from
Carthage to Sheloyville, as being opposed to
and voting against Senator COOper's DILL eX-
empH z two hundred and fifty dollars worth
o. raw material in the hands of me ,hanics,
and tust Mr.. Thomas had not taken exception
% IL Until the Sheloyville meeting. Mr..
Tn mas reasons tor voting against tue bill
was that there was already q general ext mp
uJn law IL force which exempted raw ma;eri-
10 the value OF fifty liars. During
his rpeech Mr.. Thomas had Useu
erreu against Tim tnat the governor friend
thought was rot proper. ne governor left
the r ON after ne finished his speech ami was
alb ut to start to Winchester, where he was
announced to speak the next day Just as he
was ,ut Ie wing, come of his friends, who
had heard Mr.. Thpntas's denUnciatiou oil hi N,
Informed tue governor of what had been ssld
about him, and ne Immediately returned 10
the cOurthou with his books in his hands.
Mr.. HON IS then repeated what he had SAID
about the governor. Governor Potter said
that be listened 90 n1m quietly and stten-
i've Y, and when he concluded he stepped
upon the stand and pulled his overcoIJ off
and put II on chair brbind him. He told
lie crowd that as Mr. Thomas was a non
cOmbatant by ais own confession he (GJverT-
or Porter did MOI intend to let MIN place
him at a disadvantage by striking him. The
governor said that he propos-d to discuss the
question at issue bstwten them fairly and
from IL to prove that what he had
aoOnt Mr.. Thomas was true. He regretted
Lu's little un pie aatness, and said there was
no cause for II. Mr., Thomas had taken eX ep-
tion for the first ums to an argument that he
mad made in every one of his speeches since
he LIT Lebanon, and Mr. Thomas row pro.
posed TO make martyr of himse.f, but he de-
clineu 10 make msrtyr of him. He closed
C. minutes speech by saying that any
RD' Wb0' Rgh or Tbs fTeaf be ptsnt,ana SMALL
mIsrepresenJed him, or was guilty of
making any false represe nations, lied In
/ is hea { and teeth. Just Jnen," said the gov
ernor .sMr Thomas reached out sloW.y for a
large b.udgeon in the shape of a crooked
stick. Suspec ing that Mr.. Thomas intended
hsnd at him aud said: Thomas, take care
aud do lot CfIer TO Strise me; il you do, you
do it at your peril Some Onr caught the
stick and that was the en1 OF it, The gOverrCrT
said that w.,su he W wed his let hc,,,,i at Mr.
Thomas lie placed his right md A., MIS- over
coal cket, which he sa1d Contained a pistol,
OuH Ho -.ou LO intention OF drawing
uniesS IL -oppened tnat he should be COM
Ptlleu % defe. himself from violent assault.
Ee ~outinutd tn address the crowd for q few
minutes, and at the CONCLUSION OF his speech
S me Of the did citiZ ms of Shelbyville took
him by the hand and told him that he bad
done ght, and that he exhibited wonderful
70 beaTance and GOODNESS. He was satisfied
that the crowd was with him aud sanctioned
the manner in witch he had thwarted the at
tempt of Mr. Thomas to commit violence
upon him. G GJvernOr Porter said he was not
excited IS e
was ami all he wanted was to SGT himself
right before the people. II was for this reason
that he had responded as he had done to MIR.
Ihomas's unjust denunciation."