Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-09-15
OF THE CAMPAIGN.
Col. Gibson and Capt. Ledger
wood at Trundle's Y Roads.
A Fair Discussion of Political
Principles.

ra.---- principles.
The joint discussion between the electors
for tho second congressional di.t .trict com.
meaced yesterday at Trundles X Roads.
A very large audience was assembled at
the church. CO.. Gibson opened the dis
cussion In a speech of one hour and half
and was follow.d by Capt. Ledgef-
wood in an address of nearly equal length.
Each speaker presented his. case
in very fair and unex:i manner a, d
there was but little demonstration of ap-
plause on the part of the aud ence. Want
of space confines US to very small portion
OF the remarks. Col. Gibson began bv
allud,ng to the ca 4ses that brought the
people together on this and similar assem-
blages throughout the country at this par
ticuIar time. What are we met here Tor to-
day z Mt to worsh ip or extol any particu-
Lar man. The days Of man-worshlp has
p4ssed. Between Inc worship OF men and
That OF idols the WORK of mems
hands the former was preferable. But In
this country We worship no man, we wor>
ship something higher than men-we wor-
ship prlnclples-and the great question
now before the American people is, not
what man shall be president of the United
States and draw SsU,UOO salary and receive
the plaudits of the people as he travels
abroad through the republic, but the ques-
ton is, what political party shall manage
the affairs of the nation lOr the mex. four
years.
Ii Hancock is elected he is bound to
carry out the principles of the democratic
party, and II their candidate WAS John
Smith 1t would be the same thing. AS
the hands OF q clock do not move except
as the works move them, SO the president
don't move except as the party moves him.
and II the democrats are successful, just as
the democratic machinery moves, SO Gen.
Winheid Scott Hancock will move upon
the grand dial plate of politics.
The history of parties dates from the
foundation of the government. The two
parLles now before the country sprang up
la the convention that framei The consIitu-
tlon of the U a ted States, tho people divid-
ing upon she idea of strong central gov
ernment as opposed to state rights. The
war of the revolution was fought BY n
partnership of states. Washington, Ham
liLon, Knox and others saw that this would
never do, ana that closer union would
h1ve to be eetabtIshed in order to make q
gov e.nueut that would stand. There the
partles were torme med-one Ia favor of u
strong government and weak states, and
the other IN favor of weak government
and sLrong states; the one With Washington,
aud tae oGher with Jefferson at its head.
The parties thus formed have continued.
wuh 81 ght mOdifcaLIons, TO the present
day. ana during The administration of
w ashingt0n the very same questions, in q
measure, spTaUg up that WI have been
the last twenty years: namely, the
pay ment OF the War debt, which Jeffer-
SON opposed, and the esta ablishment OF ma
tionat banks. W ashington decided that
National banks were constitutional, and
signed ne frat bill that gave The national
Dsnk currency. There Is where the re-
publican party has stood ever since.
The democrats are opposed 10 internal
Improvement, because it tends To
strengthen tie central government, and
every internal Improvement bill that
has ever come before democratic ad-
N luistrstion has been altered, VIII lie on the
otner hand the republicans are for internal
Improvement; aud no less man than Gen. |
W asbInRGon was the author of the first bill
for tnls purpose. g. |
The first rebellion ever gotten up in the
y nIted Otates Was the whisky instruction |
of Pennsy tvanla and It's direct Cause was
the carry lug Oat OF the democratic idea ot |
y weak central government. Washington |
said he consider, d this Insurrection ss me |
drst formidable iruit Of the democratic So |
Gle les. Then, the democratic party Is re. |
sponslbie for the first rebellion that ever |
sprung up against the United States, rs it |
was tne direct result Of she doctrine Of |
state rights.
moyemeot of Aaron Barr, who was one of |
me men VINO founded the democratic
Jarty with Jefferson, and Was rewarded by
ne democratic party by being elected vice
resident Of the United States on the ticket
Win Thomas Jefferson, the father of their
,arty.
Inc first notification was started by John
J. Calhoun who was another man the dem
'crsts honored blythe high position Of v.cs
,resident of the United States.
The fourth rebellion WAS headed by Jeff |
DAVIS another distinguished democrat. Ac-
ording to these teachings, i think it is
dangerous for that party to get possession
md control of the government again.
Col. Gibson reviewed at length the sub
ect of resumption, aud the paying off of
he national debt, and in conclusion said
me War Tor the union cost six thousand
M hundred aud eighty nine million d l.
ars, Of this we have paid over four thou
and two hundred end sixty five million;
IA 0OO 90 every year for nineteen y ears,
,l8, U,000 every mon b; $25, $50 every
our; St33 every minute and t7.22 every
econd of lime tor nineteen years. If You
nake a string of ole dollar bills of this
that has been paid by sewing the
nds together it will reach 1880 q miles. or
un around the world nineteen times and
80, miles to spare, or if you lake silver
ol III and pu: them side by side it makes
string little uver lou 900 miles long or
our times around the earlh
That IS what the republican party has
cen doing, and We have dealt kindly
nth the people. We have taxed
nose things that can best be taxed, and
MS is tue party that is asking to be put
ack into power.
At the conclusion of Col Gibson's ad-
ress, Capt. Ledgerwood took the floor.
le spoke OF this being his first visit TO Sc
i r county although lie had often heard
+ the place ana tie people as possessing s
IL the virtues except that of
emocratlc ideas, but hopeful the audience
'ould give him the same re pectful hearing ,
hey nad accorded to Col. Gibson. He exS ,
lalned the object of his visit and said that,
D the extent of his ability. he intended TO !
pIold the paansr and principles of the
emocracS; was sorry to know that the
enpe of Sewer county were not democrats,
Ut toat they mad stray ed away after strange
DDS.
The speaker extolled Jefferson SIS the
,under Of the democratic party. The old
sderalist party went down, and the time
not far distant when the republican party
Ill! cease to exist from the lakes to the
ulf. and from New York to San f ancisco,
ne federal patty representel the aristocFs.
y of Great Breton, while the democratic
arty was the party of the common people. Is
ne republican party IS of recent
rigin. There is not man with
/ the sound of my voice who
the result Of disintegration OF the da-
ho r.