The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-09-08
State Canvass.
Judge Wright S OPEN
ing Speech
At SpT'in gfieId.
The Issue Fairly Stated and Will
sons Record Reviewed.

SPRINGFIELD, September - Hon.
John V Wright, Democratic candidate
for Governor, addressed a large and en-
thusiastic meeting of his fellow citizens
at this place to-day. Judge Wright
said:
He expressed his qualification in meet
ing the people of Robertson county.
That county was held sacred in his
memory as the early residence of his
mother, who he had heard in his boy
hood days speak with pleasure of her
early associations here He said we are
now in the midst of a great political
contest between the Democratic and Re
publican parties, and he regretted that
his Republican competitor, Judge Haw-
kins, had seen proper to decline joint
discussion of the present attitude OF
these great parties. The differences be-
tween them are now fundamental. The
tendencies of the Republican party had
been and were strongly toward central
ization. This was shown in its deter
mination TO interfere with the elections
and legislatures of the States, in its de-
termination to make the courts of the
States subordinate in matters purely of
State concern, to the courts of the Uni
ted States in its wasteful extravaganza
in the expenditure of the peoples treas
ure. They had gone on to increase ex-
penditures, until from ffty-nine mil
lions expended upon the administration
of James Buchanan they had raised ex-
penses to the enormous sum of $500, OOO,-
900 per annum. This, it was true, had
been reduced to lower figure, but the
amount was still urreasonably large,
and out of all proportion to our increase
of population.
REPUBLICAN FRAUDS.
He made brief mention of the most
glaring frauds, such as the credit mObi-
Iier, DeGolyer pavements and back sal
airy grabs, and said that the Republican
party had charged and proved that the
candidate of the Republican party for
President was deeply implicated in these.
1t was the first time in the history Of
this country when American people
were called upon to elevate a man to the
Presidency whose official conduct was
characterized by such acts as these. He
stated that the friends of the Republican |
candidate for President, whilst not de-
nying his completely in these things, |
sought various excuses for his conduct.
Instead of a plea of not guilty, they
plead and avoid; that is, they confess
aud seek to excuse. lie illustrated this
position by some anecdotes. He said
the idea of the Democracy was that ours
was a perpetual union of indestructibIe
States; that secession had been settled
by the results of the war, and now no
man that he knew of had such an idea.
They now, as formerly, held to the doc
trine of a strict construction Of the con-
that all powers not delegated
were reserved, and that it was wisest
and safest not to exercise doubtful pow
ers. Our government could be made
and the blessings of liberty
to remOtest posterity by
to the constitution as the an
chor of safety, The Democratic party,
guided by these principles, had, in the
past, carried the country safely through
foreign wars and through times of peace.
1t had always administered the govern
ment with economy, its greatest expend-
Iture prior to the war not exceeding
$50, 0OO 600 per annum,
People talk about high taxes and low
taxes. He said the Democratic party,
both in State and national administra-
ion, has always advocated the ightest
burdens consistent with the life of the
State and the discharge of honest obli-
cations He said he had made his re-
,ord on that subject whilst he was a
representative in Congress from Tennes-
ZEE, and he challenged the closest scru-