Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-09-12

/ ion or politics, sud / rejoice to know tina
many have come to us, and that the re
cent large purchases OF mineral lands II
the mountain region secures to the State
sn increase Of many thousands OF intel
ligent and industrious people to our pop
ulStIon.
TIE STATE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM
need lot announce to you that l ap
prove it and its Endorsement OF Ttider
and Hendricks. They sTe men Of grest
purity, uuqusstioned integrity, and un'
surpassed ability as statesmen. Mr!ILl
den carries the spirit of reform every
where, and I believe that his election
will secure to the country wise and pure
administration of the government. The
| Democratic party could not do less thar
demand 8 rigid enforcement OF tbs
laws Of the State for the protection OF the
persOn and property Of all its cit'zsns
IL is pTe-eminently party OF law anC
order. Our material advancement as vel
as the social comfort of the citizens de-
pends upon their maintenance, and, il
SO far IS my actions and utterances al
governor of the State are involved, they
heve been In the interest Of peace and
for the protection OF all classes of oul
people.
THE Decentralization OF SILVER
was condemned by our State eouven'
ton. The constitution Of the United
States establishes gold and silver coin ST
lawful money in payment of all debts
The act Of 1892, fixing the relative COM
mercial value, was in force until 1927
whom the amount in the silver dollar
was changed from 4l6 to 4l23 grains
showing that silver bad increased in
value as compared to gold. This was
the law until February, 1873, when, by
legislative trick, the congress Of the
United States passed an act by which
one OF our constitutional coins was de-
moDetized aud this precious metal de-
based. Why, and for whose benefit
was this act passed? Not for the benefit
of the masses Of the paope. Not at all,
but for the capitalists OF the east and OF
Europe who hold the bonds of the
United States. Germany, Great Britain,
Japan and the Scandinavian states have
demonetizsd silver coin. The result has
been that its value has been diminished,
and hundred dollars in silver is only
worth eighty.two dollars in gold; our
bonded debt is payable in coin, not gold
coin, but gold and silver coin; and as
soon as the value of silver coin was
destroyed in the States OF Europe, the
capitalists of the world combined to pre-
vent the payment Of the interest on the
debt in the cheap coin, and indpced a
Republican congress to pass the sct Of
1873 in their interest and for their bene-
fit. If the gold was coming to US we
could not complain, but we are the
debtors, and il by this sction Of other
Statas and governments silver has hasn
cheapened since We contracted our debts
since we issued our bonds, it is no fault
Of our own. We claim the option of
paying in silver coin; of paying in the
cheap coin, by which We would save Is
per cent, or nearly one-fifth of our in
debtedness. II our contracts were made
payable in gold coiD, would
say let US keep faith
with our creditors; but since they are
payable in coin, they must accept pay
ment in the cheapest coin; coin that
was by law legal tender when our
debts were contracted, a fact well under
stood by the holders of our securities
when they purchased them. The con.
vention Teadopted that part of the plat
form of 1874 which treated of the rate of
taxation, and declared that it shall not
be increased. This aeeOrds with my own
convictions and position; the reason as
signed by the convention for the adop-
ton this ofpolicy is recognized by every
thoughtful man; i"because of depression
in business, shrinkag9 in values, the
prostration of all industries and impov-
erishment of our people, we are unable
to endure" a higher rate Of taxation.
Recent legislation has iightened the
burdens of the people and much more
can be accomplished in this direction. /
recommended to the last legislature the
passage of q "law limiting the incomes
or M Uf8oislS &c certain amount. and
providing that all fees In excess or the
prescribed limit shall be paid
into the public treasury" Such
law would bring large revenue to the
State, and If it becomes necessary to en-
large it, let the knife be applied sll
along the official line, from the first Of
ficers of the State down to the hum
blest, and let practical proof be given to
the country that the Democratic party
means reform and retrsnchment.
/ now propose to discuss the candidates
who aspire to the high Office to which
you elected me two yeats ag1. l will
take them in the order ia which they
have announced themselves.
COLONEL DORSEY B. THOMAS,
now a citizen of Humphreys county,
formerly q citizen of the county of Hay
wood, claims my attention fist. In the
year 1851 this gentleman wss candi-
date for the State senate, and issued this
heroic circular to his constituents. The
circular to which l refer was issued in
July, 1881, and had reference to the
election to be held in August of that
year. The following is true copy:
'To the Voters of Madison, Upton, Lauder
dale and Haywood Counties:
"As there have been various reports
put in circulation by my enemies to my
prejudice in regsrd 10 my position, L thus
address you. was Union man in the
strictest sense of the word, until con-
vinced of the subjugating policy Of the
Lincoln government, but at all times op.
posed to the pollcy Of coercion. Since
that time l have done ali in my power
to recon Gle the Union men OF my county
and of the State to the change. / am in
favor of the adoption of the permanent
constitution, and aOM do all that is in ma
pOtOeT to sustain the independence of the
south, and an every respect aOiH be as loyal
to the TetO as I aUGS to the old govern.
n9ent / am 8 Tennessean by birth, and
with her and her interests Is my fate in.
dividually linked. For her honor l am
willing to give my ali, and offer my life,
if necessary, to sustain it. If the 1OGT
continues eTpect to be found in the
ranks, fighting for the honor and inde.
psndence of my sec ion, where will be
pleased to see all those that have talked
so much, but refused to 60 unless hon
ored with an Office. II elected to
your State senate, L shall do
all in my power to correct the
abuses that have crept into our legisla-
ture in the appropriation Of money to
improper purposes, and specially, not
myself to receive extra or railroad mile
age. D B. THOMAS"
He was not elected, and consequen ntly
lost the opportunity to receive "eXtra or
railroad mileage" but whether he was
"fcuad in the ranks fighting for the
honor anu independence of every Sec
tion,u or whether he simply remained
at home and urged the adoption of the
permanent constitution" his story does
not tell US; but the author Of the brave
words, "I am W ling to offsr my life, II
necessary" must have supplied mate
rial for national amnesty of his own.
The "subjagating policy" for four long
years, and after it had exhausted itself,
Colonel Thomas become a contestant
for a seat in the Federal congress, and
made an application for his pay ss 8
contestant. Preliminary to this he cub
Cg;bed to this oath;
II, D. B. Thomss, cit z,n of the
UniLed States, 10 sOlemnlV swear that /
have never voluntarily borne arms
against the United States since 1 have
been a citizan thereof; that have vol
unfairly given no aid, countenarce,
counsel or encouragement to persons
engaged in armed hostility thereto; that
l have neither sought nor occupied,
nor ATTEMPTED to exercise the functions
Of any office whatever under any aG'
thority, or any pretended authority, in
hostility to the United Stats; that L