Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-10-26
rHE GovERNoRsmIP.
Withdrawal of tIle National NOM
inee from the Canvass.

/,
Withdrawal of tIRc National Nom
lnee from the Canvass.
NEAR SHELBYvILLE, TENNEs-
SEE, Monday, Oct. IA, l878.-Col.
A. j. Kellar, Chairman of Execu-
tive Committee, etc.-Dear Sir: A
week ago to-day, and only three
days after my nomination as the
candidate of the National Green
back party for Governor, / COM
menced the canvass, and have Wis
tied six counties in this Congress
sional district, making a speech in
each county. | had attentive hear
ings at all points, save at TullahO-
ma, on the 18th. There / first met
Judge Marks. He spoke first, and
consumed all his time ventilating
my Republican record, so exciting
the audience toward me that he and
friends of his had to appeal to the
audience to hear me, or | might not
have made any reply. At Shelby
/ vile, on the next day, we had a
large audience. | spoke first, con-
fining myself to the proper manage
ment Of the State debt, concurring
with Gov. Porter, Senator Bailey
and other distinguished Tennessee
Democrats in regard to the justice of
! the debt, and agreeing with Col.
Burch in his position that the Leg
lslature ought to have accepted the
proposition of the bOndholders, and
settled the State debt, and then
showing, from Judge Marks plat
form and Franklin speech, that the
conditions he eXacted of the bond
holders, Federal Government, Rad
ical Republicans, or somebody, be-
fore he paid anything, amounted to
reputation of the whole debt.
then briefly presented our "fiat
money theory" He followed, say
ing he was willing to pay what the
people were willing to pay-no
more, no less. Then he assumed
that his party, in 1868, laid the foun-
dation of our "NatiOnal party"
referring to Democratic platforms,
propositions in Congress, etc, to
prove his pOsition-which, | then
held and still hold, We're stabs at the
national credit. He said he was in
favor of gold, and silver, and green
backs, and State banks, it the peo-
pie wanted them. So, you see what |
kind of a National fiat money man
he is. Devoting not much time to |
the vital issues between us, he |
turned again to my Union and Re
publican record, as at Tullahoma,
and it was soon apparent to me |
that the political differences and |
resentments of the past were still so
strong that it was unfortunate for
the National party that / had been
nominated.
On my return home from the
weeks work, | also found letters
and papers showing strong disaffec-
tion toward me in "Clubs" of our
own party, for the same reasons, l
suppose, to wit my Union and Re-
publican sentiments and acts in the
past. When 1 accepted the nomi-
nation, it was to advance the true
theory of money which, as / had
read and believed, would give per-
manent relief to the nation without
incurring the disgrace of either
State or national reputation. l
accepted, as you know, at the hands
of very respectable mass meeting,
not believing then that / could be
elected. Now, believing my past
Union and Republican record, of
which L am proud, affords the BOur-
bon Democracy the opportunity,
through it, to injure the cause of the
National party in the State, hence,
as requested by some of our friends,
1 withdraw from the canvass, never
having had any personal or political
for the station. / hope
you and friends about Nashville
will be able to get some suitable
man, of Democratic antecedents, to
take the position, and fill my APP
pOintments if they suit him. / hope
Mr.. Nixon, of Lawrence, or some
other good man, will enter upon the
work at once. | shall avail myself
of every opportunity to still advo-
cate our doctrines from the stump,
but think it better that the election
for Governor should go by default,
so far as the National party is con
cerned, than that should continue
in the field as its standard-bearer.
am not unmindful of the high
paid me by the nomi-
and shall ever gratefully
appreciate the honor. Respectfully
yours, LEWIS TILLMAN, SR.