Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-02-05


the statute-books2 If you do not
I trust our republican friends anC
our democratic friends viii act Il
concert and settle this state-deb
question.
am not speaking to you as part
isans. but as Tennesseans. We have
seen the result of these divisions
What has been the result we hav,
witnessed to-day The atmosphere
is full of rumors. CaucuseS are be
ing held; joint conferences are beins
invited.
1t is said that for the first time ii
the history of Tennessee, Tennesse
ans, by birth, by association, who
hope to live and die in Tennessee
are about to prove false to the state
FelloW-citizens, ii is sad day
when such words can be spoken
that he who has been elected as a
democrat could prove false to his
engagements with his constituents,
or that republican can prove false
to his republican constituents. Foi
myself, / say | have friends who
are republicans, and that / have
been candidate for Il seat in the
United States senate; but now say
that, as long as there was reason
able chance for the election of re-
| publican, ] would not for the Office
have had republican violate party
fealty and vote for me, while he had
Il chance to elect a republican.
Nothing should prevent the dem
ocrats from uniting upon a candi-
date. Applause. ] speak upon
! this question with some feeling,
perhaps, but it is only the natural
Outburst of an honestsentiment. lsit
possible that there is man in Ten
| nessee who can dare TO violate these
pledges, expressed or implied?
! If such there be, go mark him well,
For him no minstrel raptureS swell.
High though his title, proud his name,
BoundIess his wealth as wish could frame,
Despite these, title, power and pei,
The wretch concentered all in self,
Living, shall forfeit fair renown,
And doubly dying, shall go down
To the vile dust from whence hesprung,
Unwept unhonored, ana unSung.
/ trust there will never be such a
sentiment expressed in Tennessee.
/ speak not to you as democrats, not
to you as republicans, but to you as
all Tennesseans, when | say that
there will never be such sentiment
existing in the hearts of Tennessee
ans that will tolerate the breach in
these engagements. The time will
come when every public man will
denounce such a sentiment the
smile of every beautiful woman be
Withheld society will stamp it with
Indignation SO that never hereafter
we shall hear the fair name of Ten
nessee soiled with the breach of en-
gagements.
| have, perhaps, been led too far,
in the Judgment of some, but in my
opinion there is no security for dem
ocratic institutions, there is no
ground upon which we can hope To-
perpetuate our institutions, unless
the agents and representatives OF
the people sh II be led again to
strike for the discharge of every OBJ
legation that they enter into with
tnat people.
What more have we here to-day?
| have alluded to the necessity of
settlement of this question in regard
to the state debt. For six years |
have endeaVored to arouse public
attention in the interest of its settle
ment, not because | desired in the
beginning to occupy the position |
now hold, for it meyer occurred to
me | would become a candidate for
office. but because | was Tennes-
sean and interested in the future of
Tennessee. The postpOnement of
the settlement of this question for
another two years will only cause it
to come again to divide US. There
fore, implore our friends to go for
ward and settle it upon such com
mon grounds upon which we all can
unite and not be led by letters and
proclamations issued by your cred
itorS for the purpose OF alarming
you, because they are written by
men who know nothing about the
sentiment in Tennessee. Pay no at
tention to that, but come together |
and settle this matter. Let US have
peace, where we now have some |
thing that borders on war, Let us
have quiet and repOse. Let Ten
nesseans and let democrats rally /
under a democratic representative I
flag and the republicans rally under |
a republican flag. You have
right to your opinions, and l trust
you will ever utter them. | trust
that the day will never come when /
a Tennessean shall be afraid to speak
his sentiments. Loud applause.
did not come here to make
speech tonight. The compliment
bestowed upon me is not personal to
me. | am unworthy of such com
but accept it as testimony
to an idea or sentiment or rather
to sentiments such as | have eX-
pressed tO-night-sentimen which
| believe will animate every heart
in Tennessee. Let us be reconciled
to each other. Let democratic
friends meet in counsel, and give to
Tennessee a democratic senator, be-
cause they are entitled to it.
According to American usages
40, 900 democratic votes should be
by democrat. My re-
publican friends cannot complain of
this, because if they had the 140,-
300 instead of 100000, they would
claim it. Failing to elect demo-
crat, by remaining candidate, it
might be said that / prevented a
selection. l appeared there as the
of $4,000 men, | con-
sidered it to be my duty to continue
that candidacy until | was con-
vinced that it might not be success
eessful. When that conviction
upon my mind, at that mo-
ment l was ready to decline. You
may not believe it, but am not so
for this great position. l
am not inSenSible of the diStin-
guished honor nor its preferment.
But at least I care very little for
that in comparison with the posi-
ton that the S0,000 men gave ME in
/ care but little for
that in comparison with the esti-
mate in which | am held to-day by
all parties in Tennessee. Ap
plause. have done nothing in my
private life, in my public career, of
which am ashamed, or that would
condemn me as a public servant or
citizen of the state. Applause. l
am proud Of that position. APP
plause. In bidding you adieu to-
night, in bidding adieu to all hope
or expectation of being elected your
| say God bless you all and
bring Tennesgeans to act in har-
mony with each other. Loud ap-
plause.
At the conclusion of Senator Bal
ley's speech, numbers of those pres
ent went up on the balcony to shake
him hv the hand the band struck