Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-06-05
GEN. GORDON,s FATmER.
A Touching Appeal 90 the People
of Georgia. s.aa st
IAtlanta Conatitution.l

see from copy of your paper,
which has been sent me by some
friend, that my son, the Hon. John
b. Gordon, has resigned his seat in
the senate of the United States, and
that much excitement prevails on
account of it. ] see some favorable
and some condemnatory express
ions concerning it.. Think il per-
haps not out OF place for me- his
father, to write you this short com-
munication. My son has ever been
dutiful, obedient and confiding.
From his earliest youth to the pres
ent time he has been the pride and
the joy Of my life. lam now near
ly eighty-five years OF age--a few
more days and l shall have passed
away.
|a I would feel that my teachings
and counsels would have been to
little purpose if the ISLANDERS aud
falsehoods4 uttered against nay son
had any foundation in fact,
AS / stated above, he has always
been obedient and confiding. When
he could reach my ear. he has al
ways consulted me before taking q
momentous step.
He made me a visit in March last,
and while here he said to me, spa,
l am tired of public life, crave
the peace and quietude Of my home
and home affairs besides, l can't
save up any money out OF my sal
ary; and the idea OF dying and
leaving my family without a COM
potency troubles me no little" He
then went on to say that If he was
out of the senate he could make
great deal more money and spend
a great deal less, and added that he
had about concluded to resign, feel
ing that the public interests would
not suffer thereby, and his private
interests would be protected. / adj
vised him to that course and urged
him not to delay it, and instead OF
being surprised at his resignation
now, / am only surprised that it
was not sooner. AS to the insinua-
tiOns that he was 'ibought outn or
"bargained out" / pronounce it in-
famously and shamefully false, and
my blood almost curdles, and my
old limbs totter with indignation
when / think of such charges being
made against him. From his youth
to his manhood he has been the
embodiment of honor and truthful
ness. In his boyhood he would
never betray friend, and at least
once to my knowledge he suffered
"A severe punishment at school rath-
er than betray the condolences of a
schooImate. Would he then now,
in the zenith and glory Of his man
hood, betray the people in whose
defense he has proven, on thous-
and occasions, his readiness to die
Would he betray or sell for lucre
that integrity and honor which Is
dearer to him than life itself2 Mol.
no! mol Away with such infa-
nous falsehOods. Let those who
condemn his course put themselves
in his place. He had served his
people In war and in peace with un-
diving devotion. He had on his
hands large and growing family;
his state and people are now free
and prosperous, and no longer re-
auire his services; his financial af-
fairs and home matters demand his
attention. The constitution and
the laws Of his country give him
the right to retire. His salary is
not sufficient to support his family
and meet all his needs for money.
He is not rich after years of toll in
his country's service, he comes out
poorer than when ne went in. He
is offered position which will af-
ford him a competency. Georgia
has other sons capable Of filling
his place in the. senate. Where,
then, is the crime of which he is
guilty? What one of his accusers
would not have acted as he did un-
der similar circumstances Z?
u. III. GORDON.
Innboor, nonnfu Ala