Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-09-20
Letter from senator Harris.


To the Editors OF the Appeal:
MEMPHIS, September 10. Il regret TO
see that efforts are being made BIZ certain
parties 10 assign reasons other than those
stated in the card signed by Senator Jack
son and myself, for the discoutinuance of
joint discussions between US; the effort
being on the one hand to put me in false
| position, and on the other to prejudice him.
When at the city OF Jackson on last Thurs
day my attention was called to letter from
that place to the Louisville Commercial. an
evening Republican paper, which did me
the grossest injustice. then and there pub
licly denounced the statements Of the lack
son correspondent TO the Commercial as ut.
terly false, and at Bolivar, on Saturday,
where the same Islander was being repeated,
/ again denounced it as falsehood from be-
ginning 10 end, and said on each of these &C.
casions that the statement of any reasons
| other than the one stated in the card did
both Senator Jackson and myself injustice.
! and that any and all statements 10 the effect
that had ever made personal appeal to
Senator Jackson, or any one else, 10 desist.
becs use OF possible or probable injury TO
my senatorial prospects was malignant lie,
and now here repeat that denunciation.
IL is due 10 my colleague that say, that
both at Jackson and at Bolivar / said that
did not believe that he was capable of this
slanderous falsehood, or was in any way re-
+ sponsible for the lying letter OF the CORE
spondent OF the Commercial / have ALWAYS
believed that joint discussions between Demo-
Gratis who agreed on all questions but one
were unwise and impolitic, and for that
reason l declined to divide time two wears
ago with one of the most talented and re-
spectacle Democrats in the State. But soon
after made my present list of appointments
L was asked by telegraph by the RUSSELL
committee if l could divide time with Sem
OF Ian NJ
swered, saying: IF Senator Jackson desires
,, joint discussion with me il will be granted
on terms of perfect equality"
At my hrst appointment at Erin he ap-
peared and asked a division of time. 1t was
granted, and / then and there stated to the
audience that in my opinion joint discussions
between Democrats of single question about
which they differed, were impolitic and
wrong, becauee they nnst necessarily tend TO
widen the breach, deepen the gulf, and in
tensify and enlbitter the issues between
Democrats and render it more difficult, if
not impossible, to harmonic and reunite the
conflicting Democratic elements hereafter.
But as L was properly regarded as an as
pirant for reelection TO the Senate there were
two Democrats in Tennessee, and only two
to whom | would grant division of time and
to them only for single reason, and lat
was that Judge james E. Bailey served with
me for four years on the floor of the Senate:
Howell E. Jackson for one. BY reason of
that fact Bailey and Jackson knew more of
what / had done and what had failed to
do than all the balance of the people of
Tennessee together. If either of these gen
tlemen asked division of time at my APP
pointments and l should refuse, it would look
like desire upon my part TO turn off the
light. Therefore, / said, as have no desire
to turn of, but on the contrary, desire to
turn on the light, whenever either of these
gentlemen see proper to ask . division of time
at my appointments it win be granted on
terms OF equality.
Substantially repeated this every day that
Senator Jackson was with me. On Thurs
day night, the 9Th instant, Senator Jackson
was taken seriously i'll, and was unable to
speak at Covington on Friday. Recognizing
his right as equal to my owD,ss had grant
ed him division OF time on terms of equal
ity, went to his sick bed and conferred
with him as to whether should speak or
not. He said, Go on and speak. / did so,
and that night went to Memphis, leaving
him on sick-bed. He expressed the hope
that he would be able to join me on the
train at Mason the next morning, en- route for
Milan, where my appointment was to speak
that day. The next morning Senator Jack
son boarded the train at Mason; I went to
his seat and said to him; "How are YOU
feeling this morning" He answered, "Much
better than yesterday, but not at all WE'LL"
asked, will you be able TO speak to-day ?"
He answered, "Not in any condition to
speak, but suppose shall have 10 try"
/ then said: jackson, is there any profit
TO you or anyone else in this discussion be-
tween us, except to the Republicans?" He |
answered: 81 do not think there is" "Then,n
said, "why continue ii? The fact that YOU |
have just stated is of itself sufficient reason |
for disseminating these joint discussions" |
He then asked me 10 put on paper the exact |
idea that l had expressed. l said: at is |
what l have expressed every day in the cam |
vass;" and 1 wrote with my pencil the card, |
word for word, as it was published, and he |
afterward sent it TO me by General A. w. |
Campbell, asking that / sign it. l did so, |
and few moments afterward General Camp |
bell brought it back to me, signed by Senator |
Jackson, and requested that / stale 10 the |
audience that day that the reasons assigned |
in the card ,cere the only reasons for the discon-
tinuaace Of the joint discussions, and that / |
telegraph the same fact to the Memphis AP- |
PEAL and the Nashville World, saying that |
he (Jackson) would telegraph the Nashville
Banner and the Memphis AraLdnche to the |
same effect, 30 that no advantage should be
taken Of either OF US by reason of the sepa-
ration.
l announced the fact that day, and sent
the telegram to the APPEAL and had the
of the World send telegram
TO it, and have no doubt, but do not know
the fact, that Senator Jackson sent similsr
kilograms to the Bonner and Aualanche
Now, in conclusion, 1 have TO say that if
Senator Jackson or anyone else supposes that
my aspirations to the Senate are the para
mount considerations with me, they have
wholly misunderstood me. The success of
Democratic principles are Unnecessarily
more important to the country than the
petty aspirations and ambitions Of myself or
any other individual, and my fight is not for
myself, but for the success of Democratic
principles over the Republicans and their
allies
Yet, if personal success was the para
mount object with me, the very compliment
ary terms in which Mr.. Jackson spoke OF my
zen atorial career the last three days he was
With me, would tend 10 benefit, rather than
njure my senatorial prospects.
But il Senator Jackson and his friends are
lot satisfied with the matter as it is, / now
INFORM them that, Notwithstanding 1 do not
believe it is good policy for Democrats 10
neat each other in debate about a single is
ue in respect to which they differ, the re-
nainder of my appointments are open to
lin, and / will, within the next few days,
make another list of appointments covering
he balance OF Middle and East Tennessee,
It which he can have an equal division of