Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-08-12
FROM COLUMBIA.
Hon. Joseph ii. russell at HoRe-Hfs Per
= soma, Social and Moral
SfnndJnO


EDITOR CHRONICLE A period
has arrived in the history of the
politics of Tennessee when the in
tegrity of men will be put to the
closest analysis and severest test.
And, as the press, unfriendly to the
gentleman whose name heads this
communication, have seen fit TO
take his moral character and make
it subject of ridlcule-it being
above impeachment, l have deemed
it but an act OF justice to write you
concerning the home life of man
who stands before the people of
Tennessee, not as a political trick
ster, or demagogue, but an honora-
BILE citizen of the State, set for the
defence of principles dear to every
true Democrat.
Mr.. Russell is of medium height,
and size, with an erect and manly
form. He is thirty eight years of
age, and therefore in the prime of
life. He owns beautiful cottage
home, half a mile from the public
square, the fruit of his own honest
effort. He is solvent by several
thousand dollars, and prompt in all
his business affairs 1 have known
him for years, and his paper-if he
has had any out-would always
have brought one hundred cents on
the dollar. He is married. His
wife is one of the most estimable
ladies in Columbia, she has been
one of the cOnSecrated Christian
workers of this city for years. And
by way of parethesis, it affords me
pleasure to say that Gen. Bates
wife is one of Nashville's noblest
christian women.
Mr.. RUSSELL has been from his
youth an earnest and faithful chris
tian worker, or as the Brownsville
Democrat sees fit to term him ga
goody, gondy young man." AS a
member of the Y. M. G. A., no
man in this city has done more to
promote the interests of good morals
than he. Having for years been
on the trail OF crime in this city,
and knowing more perhaps of the
perils of our young men than any
other man in the community he
has been as untiring in his efforts
to throw around our young men the
protection of religious association
as he has to ferret out and punish
crime. He regarded the Organiza-
ton of the Y. M. G.. \. as the most
effective means of reaching all clas-
seS of young men therefore, though
one of the pillars of his own church,
he has been untiring in his labors
in the Associations. It has been
said by the pious (?) man of the
Brownsville Democrat that Mr..
RUSSELL "is a tlrSt-rdte worker at
revival meetings" and though
written in derisiOn, it is true. But
to see the animus of the article and
the man who wrote it let me quote
it as it really appears in its prop
er connection. Ii reads: "a first
class worker at revival meetings
among the sentimental sisters"
know whereof l speak when l say
that Columbia society Is filled with
disgust for a man who gets so low
in the scale of being as to resort to
such sacriligious language to fill the
columns OF Il Journal that is out in
open air, without a platform or an
argument, to sustain Il party exist
ing only i'll name. The christian
women of the State will read and
ponder this contemplate fling.
For years the moral element of
Tennessee has grOaned beneath the
necessity laid upon them to aban-
don the party of their choice, or
vote for men of Incorporate habits,
and men of neither financial or
moral integrity; just think of the
notorious drunkards and libertines
that have been borne up to places
of high position and trust by the
votes of men, and Influence of wOm-
en-, whose lives were pure, blame
less, christian. And now when a
candidate is presented to these same |
people some of them would reject |
him on such grounds as these, "I'm |
sorry for Russell, he has no chance
to be elected" 81 must go for my |
party" "platforlns"-the enuncia-
ton of principles-s'are nothing"
Well. il there is anything in a par
ty outside of the platform and its
leader it must be the people who
advocate it, and if they advocate it
without reference to principle, or
the moral character of its leader |
then they are no more in the moral
and political elements of society
than 30 many black birds and they
can be nothing but Il disturbing ell
ement.
AS temperance man, Mr.. Fus-
sell is one from principle, and by
practice. l have listened to his
speeches while prosecuting crime
superinduced by drunkenness, and
am free to confess that no cnthusi-
astic orator in Tennessee inflicted
deeper wounds on the liquor traffic
than he, in those speeches. Far and
wide his influence in this cause has
been felt for years. He is an open
and avowed prOhibitionist and has
been ever since / have known him
and have heard him say repeat
edly both Ill public and in private
that he hoped to live to see the day
when the manufacture and sale OF
intoxicating liquors in Tennessee
for other than mechanical, scientific
and medical purposes would be for.
ever prohibited. He is no stranger
in Tennessee. There is not man
of his age, pCrhapS. more widely or