Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-02-05
EXPLANATORY.

Speech of Representative VIII A.
McTeer in Relation to his Vote
for Senator of the United
states, Delivered Ina the House
of Representatives at Nash
vile, February L, 1851.
Mr.. McTeer rising to question
of privilege said:
Mr.. SPEAKER The Knoxville
CHRONICLE of the Both ultimo con
tains communication from Greene
vile, in which the following language
is used in relation to our Senatorial
election: -........ .-. "a
"The Republicans who voted for
the bourbon Democrat will have to
explain a great deal to their con.
stituents before they will approve
them as good and faithful servants.
1t is reported that the Republicans
were bought at $5 per head. That
is cheap. How is it?' F4 --rs--
Now, sir, I desire to make q per-
sonal explanation of this matter, SO
far as I am concerned. I am frank
to admit that admire the quiet de-
meanor, the iberality and ability of
the gentleman who was elected, but
his politics are poison to me. --s
From the time the panic struck
our convention I was sorry for hay
ing changed my vote, and have been
on the stool of repentance ever
since. IF Twas of any assistance to
Democracy, the Lord knows it was
from no intention on my part. My
object was to break up the election
of Scion E. Rose, which was reported
to be the result of the changes on
the Democratic side Of the house,
and thus defeat the election Of any
Democrat on the thirtieth ballot, and
allow us another chance to elect a
Republican. I did not change until
some Democrats agreed to change
from Rose, and then the election was
broken. In order to get this change
made, I promised to.vote that ballot
for Hon. Howell E. Jackson, whose
name had not been before the con-
vention, and [ always endeavor to
keep my word [ could not foresee
the panic that was coming, but soon
it did come like a mighty avalanche.
AS soon as the election was de-
feated L went to Republican mem
bers and urged them to stand firm,
that our work was done and we
would get another ballot. I was
very hopeful that the next ballot
Republicans would stand as one for
that man who, as scholar and q
statesman, has no peer in Tennessee
and but few in the Union; that 1nar
whose ability would stand as mighty
tower in the Senate of the United
States, and of whom even the narrow
partisans OF Democracy would have
been proud!
When the Senator-elect says that
he understands his election to mean
that it is best for the Senate of the
United States to be under Demo.
! cratic control, I will inform him that
he is at least one-seventieth mis-,
taken. He can take my part of that
utterance back. I did not vote for
him to elect him, but for the purpose
and with the intent of preventing
any election.
My observation of public affairs
has led me to the conclusion that il
the Senate of the United States did
not have single Democrat in it, the
country would be better off. I can
assure the correspondent of the
CHRONICLE that there was no sale at
any price for one of the Republican
votes, and my opinion is that sales
were few and far between with any
of the Republicans.
I had rather, to- day, than half OF
what I own that Hon. Horace May
nard had been elected. With his
reputation and ability Tennessee
would have been elevated above any
of the Southern States, and the
cursed cry of sssolid South" could nc
longer have been applied to oul
proud volunteer State. immigration
and capital would come to our COM
monwealth, and fears of intolerance
in political views would cease, so fal
as our State is concerned. AS ]
look back and review the past TWEEN,
ty years in the history Of our conn
try I fail to see a single redeeming
trait in the Democratic party. She
sits and feeds upon the carcasse:
of the dead past, and with face turn
ed backward, worships at the shrine
of revolution which rose ''upon the
wing of buoyant hope, eliminated in
meridian splendor, and at last fell
amid the ruins Of our country"