Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-07-22
COLONEL SAVAGE.
He Rises Before the Americans
Audience tot Question of
Privilege.


McMINNvILLE, July 18, 1S82.-En-
gagements before the courts for ten
days has not permitted me to read the
current political literature until to-
day. l find in your report of what
purports to be the speech OF ex-Sena
tor Bailey, at the Maxwell House, the
evening before the late convention,
the following:
Colonel Savage, a gentleman who
was so polite to him whenever he got
q chance, and begged pardon for men
tioning his name, had said: Il take
your candidate but split upon the
platform"
This statement by Colonel Bailey is
not true. No such words have been
uttered by me. There can be but lit
tie excuse for such a statement by
Colonel Bailey after the publication
OF my letters to the Banner and the
World, correcting their statements in
reference to scratching the platform.
Perhaps your report is incorrect, and
if so, it does Colonel Bailey and my
self both injustice. fit is important
to Colonel Bailey to misrepresent me,
it is due to the public that l correct
him.
Colonel Bailey credits me with
politeness towards him, for which |
return him my compliments. II he
will in the future be polite enough to
let me speak for myself, and not put
his words in my mouth, | shall still
be very polite and much obliged.
To prevent further misrepresenta.
ton and let your readers know the
truth, | now say that | have never
said that l would scratch or split upon
the platform.
The substance of what l have said
is this:
THE platform is mot as | would have
written it, but | have lived long
enough in this world to know that
neither conquerers or politicians had
eve been able to have things Just as
they wanted them" To make the
matter Plain, | now say that | al
ways voted a Democratic ticket, but
have seldom found my opinions in
accord with latter.da platforms. To
be mvre specific | say | am opposed to
all funding bills, and if l could pre-.
vent it, the State should never pay
another so called bond. Taxes should
be levied and payments made upon the
debt as it now stands at such rate as
tho people at the ballot box will ap-
prove. In this connection, l give the
following from my speech before
George s. Coe and bis arbitration
committee of bankers at New York,
in 1877, to show then and now the
drift of my opinion upon the State
debt, hoping thatthe public will allow
me to entertain these opinions and
vote for the Democratic candidates
without further dispute or question.
Mr.. Savage, addressing this commit
tee, said:
While | tolerate your opinions, l
expect to have mine. / have taken
the responsibility to say here that
John II. Savage entertained peculiar
views on that subject which, as a man,
he had a right to hold, but as a legis-
he thought 335 cents was the last
penny the bondholders ought to have,
and | gave him that as a compromise;
| give him that for peace. = \ III
have said to the people, if we do not
make a compromise, let us make 1t a
effective and rapid thing, and, if
possible, do not let it 90 long. Why,
| would suffer political-yea, natural
-crueifxion before | will talk about
fifty years. You talk about the credit
Of the State. | hope we may never
borrow another dollar. II | had ON
nipOtent power | would decree that
no people should have the right to
borrow money and to tax an unborn
posterity for its payment. | think
this would then be a better world. |
want this generation to pay all that is
to be paid. To be honest, We ought
to pay all that we are going to pay
within the next twelve years. l re.
greet to trouble the American, but it
seems to me that | should not remain
silent and whel words are put in my
mouth to iBjure me and others. Re.
spectfully, JOHN II. SAVAGE.