The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-01-24
HON. D. h. KEY.
4 BEAUTIFUL. AND KERTTED
TRIBUTE.

| one OF the Representatives from
Shelby county arose and ad dress
ed the President as follows:
Mr.. President: On last Tuesday
I placed in nomination the name OF
the Hon. David NJ. Key. of Hamil-
ton county, for the posision of Sem
ator in the Congress of the United
States, to fll the vacan cy caused by
the death Of the Hon. Andrew
Johnson. -
Since that time it has been my
pleasure to use my utmost endeayor
to secure his election. This impor-
| tant position was conferred upon
Mr.. Key, oy the appointment Of
| Gov. Porter, on the 18th of Sep
TENDER, 1875. He Immediately as
sumed the position, and was in the
highest counsel OF our nation during
the year just past; and partici-
pated in one of the most important
sessions OF Congress held since the
establishment Of our Government.
His career during this time has GER
tainly been a,highly important one
to our nation, to our section, and to
our State placed In this high posi-
ton without a national reputation,
il was hardly to be expected that.
within one short year, he would put
himself in the front rank Of those
great statesmen who now adorn the
Senate of our nation but the time
was propitious; there was a crisis
upon the country he Was the man
for the occasion, and equal to the
emergency. He had been a soldier.
and true to the unfortunate cause
which impoverished his section and
fmperiIed our nation. With these
surroundings he was placed in this
high position upon the eve Of that
important struggle between the two
great political parties which. ins the
end, has become so bitter as to !
threaten the very institutions of our
country, that, to, at time when the |
position of the people in the South /
was Of great Importance to the /
masses of the North. in determining
whether the management of our gen.
eral government should be turned
over to the party with which our
sections so deeply identified. Mr..
Key being a representative Southern
soldier, at once saw the necessity of
taking broad national grounds with
regard to the attitude of the section
which he represented. He thought
that he could represent the real SEN
timents-of his people by a liberal
and conservative course. He dared
pursue this course. for the good of
our party, our section, and our ma
ton.
Mr.. Key by this liberal and con-
policy did much to secure
the late GLORIOUS triumph of the
Democratic party in our national
election, which will be followed by
a speedy return to constitutional
But we were told by /.
the Republican party at the North
that this course was individual, and
would be repudiated by the party
when Mr.. Key offered them an OPP
portunity to elect him to the position
which he held by opportunity. Il
/ had hoped that this charge
against the Democratic party of
Tennessee would be proved untrue.
An opportunity has been afforded.
the responsibility has fallen upon
this convention. It is a recognized
fact that BIr. Key had. within j
short time, taken high position in +,
The Senate Of the United States
His ability cannot be questioned /;
MS honesty is above reproach as a =.
statesman he is the peer of any man
n Tennessee his section Of the
State is entitled TO the position,
md it is here today solid for him
% a man.
Knowing the deplorable effect
hat the defeat of Mr. Key would
ave upon the Democracy of our ]
ration, our State, and especially the d
Democracy of East Tennessee,
ave felt that could not consistent I
y overlook the duty which | owed \
o these party and public interests, c
nd upon grounds of personal pre-. =
erence, vote for any other candidate I
e bis individual merit ever so great, :
7hile my support could be given to '
his distinguished statesman and 2
atriot. I fear that the Democr ats D
{ Tennessee have allowed their .
ersonal preferences to outweigh n
18th party and public interest N
ither this, or else we are both to ad G
lit that the Democracy of Ternes- y
&c have proved true the chrge made =
Y the Republican party, to the effect +
lat no man could receive the in sc
orsement of the Democracy Of tc
outhern State who dared to raise q
bove sectional prejudices and place Y
imseIf upon that high and broad n
round which is so necessary to our y
access as party and Preservation y
J q nation. Vi
Now let each member here, upon
HON this responsibility has been
aced, answer for himself the ques- cl
on; for which of these reasons m
I'VE refused to vote for Senator in
ey? ] prefer myself to attribute te
s defeat to the first reason assign an
/; in doing so believe that am st
Iartabie to the Democracy Of Ten in
,ssee. This defeat will, 1 fear be of
yerely felt by the DEMOCRACY OF ha
ast Tennessee and Of the whole 10
ate. Uponi this question l want an
v position to be well understood ~
I this reason and TO do Something II,
justice to Seaator Key 1 make ~
is explanation in Withdrawing his -
me from the further consideration
this convention. I would not do
stice to Senator Key were I do not A..
add that this withdrawal is his n n
sitive demand and against the COZ
-t,o- ~ I,tu frfanda and e1sf,ra0rtara thf