The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-05-06

trlcC, ana during That campaign
devoted my time, energy and means
to the success of the party in this
district with what success you all
know. | do not mean to say that
your success was due to me; not al
all; but l do mean to say that de
voted to the party during that time
all the energy, time and ability
within my power and shared with
you the joy of the success within
our section.
In 1876 the democracy of Giles
county in convention assembled,
without my solicitation and again ST
my protest, gave me the un ,nimous
nomination to represent you 10 the
Lower House OF the Fortieth Gen
eral Assembly of Tennessee How
l administered this trust you all
know, as have heretofore in this
building rendered to you full and
detailed account of my acts and
votes as your Representative in
that body. Suffice it for the pres
ent to say that had the gratifica-
ton to know that every leading
measure, with perhaps a single ex
ception, which | advocated in the
canvass before the people either be-
came law or passed the House to
which 1 belonged. Among these
measures was the reduction of Off
cial salaries; the repeal of the ten
per cent. interest law; the enact
ment of the first general appropria-
ton bill, providing for the future
current expenses of the govern
me1t, within the history of the
State; the lease of the State Peui-
tentiarv at a clear profit of $4,000
per annum; the regulation of local
freights on railways; the continu
auce Of the common school system ;
the taxation of telegraph, express
and sleeping car companies, and of
all railroads, forcing them in COM
mon with all other property to bear
their proportlonate expense of the
State Governmental of which
cordially supported, and many other
acts which / have not now time to
mention. After the adjournment of
the Legislature, with the assistance
of Mr.. Frlerson, of Bedford, the
able chairman of the Committee on
Finance, Ways and Means in the
House, we made an estimate by
which we found that the Legislation
of the Fortieth General Assembly
had saved to the people of Tennes-
see over 1921, 900 biennially in the
current expenses of the State Gov
eminent.
The time may come, perhaps,
when my acts and votes as a mem
Der of that body may be criticised;
and desire here to-day to say to
you who sent me there and whose
servant l was, that every act and
vote of mine while a member of
that body was the result of careful,
research and investigation sustained
by the conviction that l was acting
in the right and in the service o.
my constituents, and l now have no
reason to change my mind in regard
to a single act or vote cast.
With these preliminary remarks,
L now proceed to discuss the
questions which are likely to en-
gage your attention during the en-
suing Canvass canvass involving,
perhaps, by far the most impor-
tant and vital issues ever presented
to a people struggling to demon
strate the success of self govern
ment. The spirit and letter of our in
stitutions teach that to the people be-
long this government, and to them The right
to say hoaU and By t0bom Il shall be ad-
nainiStered. This right cannot be
preserved unless the people use the
ballot to perpetuate and guard
it. Much has been said and writ
ten of the genius of leaders and the
wisdom of statesmen, and, indeed,
great has been their power in the
United States. While it is right
and proper that Difference should be
paid to wisdom, and admiration to
genius, yet this concession become
dangerous indeed, when it extends
to the point OF rohb.ng the masses
of the people of free vote and voice
ID elections. 1t becomes equally
dangerous, when people refuse to
exercise this right. l am one OF
those who believe that the safest
counsel in all governments is the
free and unrestrained voice of the
masses of the common people. In
fact our forefathers so believed and
formulated their ideas into the fab
ric of this republic, and the adop
ton of the constitution of the Uni
ted States, which places all power
in the people.
There is no darker chapter in the
history of any party in this coun-
try than that in which is recorded
the throttliDg of the voice of the
southern people in elections since
the war, by the republican party.
And, strange to say. this Ubiquitous
proceeding is still followed by that
party. Having exhausted all civil
power, they are now striving to re-
sort to the military and to a horde
of United States marshals to manip-
ulate and control elections and sup
press the free voice of patriotic, SOW
eign men.
GOVERNMENT EXPENSES.
The administration OF the general
government has become proverbIal
for reckless extravaganza and the
dIssoluts luxury of its officials, and
if not checked In q few short years
will absorb the revenues until some
new means of taxation must be de
vised. l believe that the general
government and all its offices
should be administered on the same
plane of rigid economy which the
people themselves are forced to ex
ercise. II the government is of the
people and belongs to the people
its administration and offices should
not be endowed and aggrandIzed
above their condition, but should be
operated on the same plane Of in
come and economy and basis of ex
pense as the people themselves ex-
ercise. 1t is q demonstrated fact
that the money over is the most
corrupt and pei .eious that Yields
an influence among us. On the
same principle, If your President