The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-07-03
A CARD.

To the Citizens and Voters Of Hane5le1s Coun-
ty:
I adopt this mode of addressing you,
for the reason that it may be out of my
power to see you ALL owing to Affections
that have been subject to, more or less,
for several years. | hope, however, to
be able to see most of the good people of
the county, and talk with them about
the importance, and probabilities, of my
reelection to the Office that / now held.
I am disposed to be social, upon this
subject, interchange thoughts, and, as
far as / am able, give some reasons why
it is, and will be, to the interest of the
people to re-elect me to the office of
Trustee, for another term, at least.
Some one suge ests (perhaps he wants
the office himselG that / have been in
Office long enough Does he not know,
well enough, that [ have asked the peo-
pie of this county for an Office but once
in my life ? They gave it to me; I shall
always think that they did right, and
shall always like them for it. 1t is true,
I have controlled this office more than
once; that Is, the Trustees Office under
the old law; but every one is aware that,
with the exception of one term only, [
have always been appointed, or elected,
by the County Court, to bring up the
rear end of unfinished official duties, be-
gun and left unfinished by other men
and, as to the judiciousness of the selec-
ton made in these cases, l will let the
people of the county decide by the re-
suits SO far as l am concerned, | shall
always look with perfect approval and
appreciation upon their action in those
cases; and more, | shall always remem-
Der those men, with sentiments prevail
ing in my mind, of unbounded gratitude
for the confidence they reposed in me,
and the kindness they, from time to time,
have shown me. And / say to-day, in
the full consciousness of truth, that that
confidence has never been misused or
betrayed.
AS to how well the business of this of
fee has been transacted, the records will
show l would like for every man, who
is not acquainted with the facts in the
case, to learn and know for himself, and
if there are any to be found, bring out
the reasons why should not be re-elect.
ed. l have, long since, given up all 9TH
er pursuits, that / might give my entire
time and energies to the duties of the Of
fee, and to the best interest of the couns
ty. And not only my time and my en-
ergies, but as many are aware, the slow
and meagre savings of years of constant
toll This did at time when my way
looked dark I did it in order TO give
strength, credit, and financial character
to the county as one reason, and, at the
same time, 20 place my securities beyond
the possibility of contingencies.
And now, as reward for constant at
tention and labor, with full deternin-
alton to meet all financial troubles, no
matter from what source, we are pleased
to say that the day is breaking, and the
dawn is not far distant, unless some un.
seen occurrence changes present pros
pect, that our little county of Hamblen
will stand ut the head of the list; and :,
in point Of financial character, second to
none in the great State of Tennessee.
OF all the one hundred and odd cOun-
ties constituting the State of Tennessee,
with a population of one million three
hundred thousand souls, not single
county, except Hamhien, can say: 81
owe the State nothing, beginning with
1876, to the present time.
COUNTY INDEBTEDNESS.
As to the county claims, | expect to
be able to take up all of them for 1876
and 1877 by the time my present term
expires, or by the time the law requires
me to settle, whether l am reelected or
not. And in addition to this, l must
say before | close, that l have settled
several thousand dollars of the claims OF
| 1878, for the payment of which, as yet,
there is no Textbook made out. This
will be consoling reflection for my sue
! cessor, provided | am net elected for an
other term,
These things, my fellOw-c citizens, you
! must remember, have been accomplish
ed under the heaviest financial pressure
| that has ever been upon the country
since the memorable days OF 1887 to
1910.
In view of all these things, / would
respectfully ask of the voters of the
! county, where is the pretcxt, where is
the excuse, for turning out man who
has thus worked and worried for the
general interest of your county, for one
who has, comparatively, little expert
encc, and whose ability, as f1nancier,
is yet to be tried ? Let the echo answer,
on the first day of August" Where "
With feelings of warmest and I'M
bounded gratitude for marks of kind
ness and confidence extended toward me
in the past, | now ask that continuance
of these favors be demonstrated by an
abundant majority on the first day OF
August, 1878.
Hoping I . see you all, however, before
thatatime, | will close by subscribing
myself, your most obedient servant,
J. E. THOMPSON.