Blount County democrat. [volume] (Maryville, Tenn.) 1879-1883, 1882-08-12
HOCK 1ND RULE.

Last tuesday night the two Re-
publican candidates for Congress,
Hon. l.. c. fFouR ana Capt. WIn'..
Rule, spoke in the Court House,
which was filled with an attentive
and anxious. audience, Judge
IIouk had spoEcn here Frfifay, 4th
inst, but owing t5 hcfvo18 pros
trntiohh (fdc Is an improprist}
fully explained by him in tl's last
spcf4h) he was unable to, speak
with Ills usual force anR Tfg6t.
consequently, when lie was h6if'
fed to attend Mr.. Rules appoint
mcnt here Tuesday night, the
Judge gladly availcd himself of
the opportunity to get in the right
attitude before the good people of
Blount COUNTY, whose good opin-
ion, confidence and support he
earnestly desires to retain.
The Judge spoke first, and casN
made rejoinder. AS we can no:
give report of the speeches, VIC
give, IN substance, the main points
IF Mr.. Rules charges and Judge
lIouk's answers to the same, as we
understood them.
RULES CHARGES AGAINST HoUK:
/, meiIitiSncy} including alb
sthteeism, and Inability to faith
fully represent constituents inter
csts; the result of habitual intO1i-
cation.
2. Inconsistent political record
running for Congress in opposi-
ton to Hon. Horace Maynard, etc.
3. Obtaining Pension for him
self (No specific charge of the
same being fraudulent, however,
but, from a Life Insurance Policy
exhibited by Mr.. Rule and ignored
by Judge Houk, insinuating that
the policy, or the pension, WAS
wrong.)
4. That the claim of the Judge
to credit for services rendered his
constituents was greatly exagger-
ated, and not more than one-half
true; and that he used the office
appointing power to further his
personal interests and to perpetu-
ate himself in office.
5. Declaring, in the presence of
John w. Andes, of Sewer county,
that the assassination of President
Garfield was the best thing for the
Republican party thAt could have
happened.
Houk's ANSWERS.
Judge Houk's answers to the
above charges We're as follows:
I. His efficiency and ability
could be seen in the records of the
proceedings of Congress, embrace
ing ample APPROPRIATIONS for the
rivers that could and ought to
have been made navigable years
ago, the intrcdscd mail facilities,
the reduction Of revenue cxpendi-
lures and the appointment of moro
faithful and efficient Federal Off
cials in the District, the securing
of Pensions and Claims for the
loyal people Of the District, and
also in the fact that NO IMPORTANT
MEASURE FoR THE BENEFIT OF HIS
CONSTITUENTS HAD FAILED BY EEA-
son OF Ills ABSENCE, which was
often caused by his presence being
required in the Committee Rooms
and elsewhere, to look after the in
tercsts of the people at large and
the success of the Republican par
ty.
2. He acknowledged running
against Mr.. Maynard, away back
in the past, at which time he said
he was as great a simplcton as Mr..
Rule now is, in running against
him.
1 81 He said that his Pension
could be stopped ifit was not a legal
ono; that he fixed up the papers
himself, in proper Shape, which
accounts for tho prompt adjust
nicnt of the mattcr-others relying
on agents to secure their pensions.
=. A. He remarked that if he was
entitled 70 only onc-bolf what he
claimed, as his competitor admit
cd, he had done'nfore for the peo-
pie of the District in four years
than his predecessors had done in
forty years.