Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-30
COLONEL sAVAGE INTER
VIEWED.
What He says OF Himself ana
Other Prominent Nen.

, Nhht lie says OF Himself an
Other Prominent Wen.
The Nashville Banner of yesterda
con taiBs an interview with Col. job
H. Savage, the old man Of the noun
tAins, which is decidedly spicy an
characteristic. Il is Savage all th
way through He has a long memOr
and seems to never forget anything
We reproduce it, but not for any par
ticular effect.
Meeting Colonel Savage at the Max
well House this morninI "a representa-
uv3 Of the Banner agSed him som,
questions regarding the published
lreports that during the war Governor
| Harris recommended some que els,
for promotion to the rank Of Briga
dier General over Savage.
Colonel Savage answered the cues
tion in bis own peculiar style. Lead.
ing the reporter TO his room, he ex
hibited 10 him an encyclopedias which
contained a speech or part Of a speech
which he delivered 10 Congress, while
member Of that body before the
war BE also exhibited book in
which part Of his great speech on
the Union is printed, along with the
speeches OF Webster, Field and others,
on the same subject Said the Colonel,
pointing TO the open books, There
you find me quoted along with the
great men Of those days. That speech
of mine has been declaimed in every
school Of the land 1t is found
In State documents and in
books of literature. 1t is
incorporated in Fields Scrap
Book, familiar to everybody in the
land. (The reporter here took occa
sion TO remark that he himself had
often spoken the piece on Fridays in
the little log sohoolhouse OF long ago }
Where will you 6nd any speech of Mr.
Harris reported here? continued Col.
Savage, gazing stetnly at the reporter
" In 1861 | voted to increase the pay
oil COngressmeu to $1,000 a year. DIR
Harris said that vote was wrong.
voted for great many things which
Mr. Harris said was wrong, but when
did he ever cast vote which wa
right? He has been in Congress a
long time. What has he ever done?
Nothing. If am elected to the United
States Senate, and ii | do not do more
In two years than he has in six, will
swear to resign and come home.
This whole thing is an intrigue to
beat Bate aud Savage. Here is the
state Of affairs as | see it. Marks
writes a letter, in which he says it is
very important to elect Harris thi,
time, in order to unity the Democrats
party aud push out all low tax and
high tax. Now here is the trick
They don't intend to let Bate have
anything. II they can elect Harris
this time and keep Savage. and Bate
out, Marks or Colyar will 20 in the
next time. Now, all this talk about
conflict between Colyar and Marks is
all humbug. Bate don't see the game;
he never sees anything. 0Aly last night
an American reporter came here
and asked noe il il was true that and
MIR. Harris had agreed to Withdraw
from the contest and not allow our
names to 60 before the Legislature.
Now that means something. What is
it2 1t is intrigue. Why look at the
Memphis papers They have been
saying down there that Il q caucus is
held tho election Of Mr.. Harris is
certain, but If no caucus is held his
election is very doubtful. Mr.. Pat
terson, | understand, has written a
letter down there saying they must let
up on this caucus business as the peO
ple up this way do not favor sucl a
course. Now | will tell you, no eau
Gus will be held.
but how about the question |
asked you just nOwg' interrupted the
reporter.
"Qh, we'll, Harris has prcvaricated
all along the line. | am the best sol.
dicr ia Tennessee. Why, when | was
a boy going to school, used to make
the schoolmaster drill me off by my.
self | was promoted to the rank of
Maior Of Infantry during the Mexican
waf, and Il | had remained in the
amy / would have oqtranked John
ston and Lee, because one was 10 the
cavalry, the other 10 tie oommissary,
and | 10 the infautry. ] wag slow to
20 out of the Union. | said let us 20
out of the Uniou if we will, but let us
fight under the old flag, the stars and
stripes, aud soon as the war ia oyer let
US cOme back into the Union. Ifthey
had taken my advice the North could
not have raised an army.
"When | raised my regiment, we
started to Virginia. When We
reached Bristol, | was asked the ques-
ton; Savage, would sou rather go on
10 Richmond or go back under Gem
eral Anderson and General HJlIi
coff.rP | replied For Gods sake
don't send me back under Anderson
or Hollicoffei they are my personal
friends, but place me under an accom-
plished soldier or send me home.
This is what | said When we were
in North Carolina, ! was arrested for
disobeyipg orders. At that time
General Donelson received a letter
from Governor Harris, in which he
said in substance, II not in his exact
language: L have my foot on his neck
and Savage never shall be promoted.
| have letter here written
by IL. II. Faulkner, in which
he says General DonelsOn told him
the contents of the letter. Harris
has denied this since. Up at Gallatin,
two years ago, he said ! do not
blame Savage for feeling hurt, but ]
had nothing to do with IT, | have
General Uheatham's letter, in which
lie bears me out in what | have said.
| lever sought promotion; | didn't
want to be promoted. ! discovered
early in the war that TIE leaders of
the Confederacy we're fools. Davis
ought to have been hanged and Harris
ought to have been hanged for their
d-d ioolishness, resigned in 1853,
at Sheloyville, after the Murlrocsboro
fight. wrote Davis an impudent
letter resigning, and told him he
ought to resign too. This is all there
is ia it. Talk about me not hoing