Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-08-24
Gov. Porter's Speech.

- ~ NSA - - Nv SAAs
The following is the speech
delivered by Gov. James ID.
Porter TO the Democratic State
CoSention, in response to a
notification Of his re-uomina-
ton for Governor. 1t shows,
briefly, what has been done for
retrcnchment and reform in
Tennessee during the past two
years, and will, probably, have
salutary influence in recon-
Cling disaffectcd Democrats,
and inducing them TO sustain
the ticket:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentle
men of the Convention-Thc
appreciation of a people is all
that a public man can hope for,
and ! recognize your action to-
day as evidence of their readi-
ness to sustain an honest and
tlisinterested effort TO save them.
In the discharge of my official
duties, as l have understood
them, / have relied with conf
dence upon the people for sup
port and sympathy, and | have
not been disappointed. | ac-
cept the nomination rendered to
me by the convention of dele
gates representing the Demo-
cratic masses of Tennessee, and
If / am honored with a re-elec-
ton for another term, l trust
that upon my retirement from
office at its close, that | can
carry with me the good will and
the confidence Of the people of
the State. In all my actions
and in all of my utterances as
Governor Of the State Of Ten
nessce, | have avoided every
thing like political intolerance.
/ have endeavored to lead the
minds Of our people to the con-
,5idcration Of the present, to Vi
tai issues, and to a forgetfulness
of the calamities and animosi-
ties Of the past, and / am con-
fident that in no State Of the
Union can there be found a
people more fully alive to the
Importance of the diffusion of
education, to the encourage
ment Of immigration, to the
advancement and development
Of their material interests, and
to the rule of law and order and
the fostering Of a fraternal
spirit; and the facts warrant
the assertion that the people
of Tennessee, i'll good faith and
without hesitation, accept the
results of the war between the
States as fixed unalterably by
the adoption Of the 18th, 18th
and 18th amendments of the
Constitution, and that they have
no hope or aspiration that is not
common to good people of all
sections of the Union.
The two years of my admin
istration have been years OF
great depression in all depart
ments of industry. The usual
burthens of government in Or
binary times are not regarded
by our people; now they are
oppressive, and the consequence
is that much resltessness and
dissatisfaction has prevailed.
Much of this feeling has disap-
peared with the prospective re,
turn of prosperity and good
government.
This prosperity must be as
sured before the tax payers OF
the State can submit to an in
crease of the public burthens.
In my message to the last Leg
islatrre | advised against an in
crease of the rate of taxation,
and | see nothing in the con-
dition of the country to war
rant a change of opinion. The
people of Tennessee have uni
fo1anIy demanded an economl-
cal administration of the State
government, and after a careful
sStndv of the financial history
of the several States, l affirm
that not one of them, in pro-
norton to population, is admin
istered with more frugality;
and | call attention to one or
two facts in relation to the cost
of your own State government
ms compared to that Of certain
other States. The State of Mas
sachusetts, with population of
49,. 351, expended for the past
Tsears1, 749, 300 for ordinary ex-