Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-08-26
CARD FROM COL. eooDLErr


sion by the speech of Senator Howell
L. Jackson, think that justice to
myself demands that / should set
forth the political views which ]
entertain aEI have privately advo-
Gated, for years past. In doing so
will answer fully many enquiries
which have been made of me, both
in person and by letter, by friends
who have taken an extraordinary
interest in the political welfare of
one who never took an active part
in political matters, who never
sought political preferment, has no
political ambition and never expects
to aspire To any position political or
otherwise, within the gift of the poo
pie.
From the time that the public
mind became a9itated upon the set
Element OF the State debt, l favored
tho adjustment of the same, upon
such terms as would he honorable to
the State. Feeling that it would he
but lust upon the part of the creditors
20 propose to have their bonds funded
at discount, nevertheless insisted
that the State could not and ought
not To attempt to compel them to do
it. Rather than the State should he
disgraced by the stain of reputation.
/ favored settlement without de
Quoting one cent, either o6 interest or
principle. favored the proposition
to settle the debt at 80 and 4" so
fOE. rs the ainlc WAS aSscnted to by
the creditors themselves. When this
failed l favored the settlement of the
debt at 100 and g." and went to
Nashville and used what humble in
tluencc l had to secure the passage
of that bill. When this act was de-
clared unconstitutional, and the 80
and q bill was introduced, 1 opposed
It's passage and wrote a few private
letters Ia that effect, giving as my
reason that ii would prevent
union of the two wings of the Demo-
cratic party. | was of the opinion
that the State credit clement and the
reputation element would unite
upon a platform which would he
satisfactory TO the creditors, provided
this bill could bc defeated. so anX-
ious was / that this bill should be
defeated, that | wrote letters To
friends intimating that if it passed Il
united Democracy would never again
exist III Tennessee, that the debt
would bc rcpudiated and that l
might join the ranks of the repudia-
tors. Such, of course, did not spring
from my. honest convictions and
would not. have been said cor writ
ten, had | occupied any other than
the position OF Il very humble
citizen expressing that which cma-
mated from passion, aroused by
anxiety for the prevention of that
which | believed would ultimately
lead to reputation, by causing the
two wings of the Democratic party
To remain asunder; which party |
believed could alone make such
settlement of the debt as would
cause it To cease to be political issue.
But Tor this / would have gladly ac-
ccpted the 90 and 6 settlement-and
so expressed myself. | then stated
that this settlement having become a
law l was in favor of sustaining ii,
and did hope, that for a time Mt least,
the question would drop from Ten
ncsscc politics.
When the convention of June 20,
adjourned, learned with regret that
it had adopted platform which |
regarded as unworthy of the party.
l regretted the more that the State
credit and reputation elements could
not harmonic.
| had been schooled to believe that
it was right to submit to the will of Il
majority in politics as in govern
1ncnt, and | enleavored to make the
best OF the situation and stated that
would vote for the nominee regard
less of the platform, but in selecting
my candidates for the legislature |
would vote for those who favored the
sustaining of the settlement.
Senator Howell Z. Jackson made n
speech on the eth inst, to which |
listened with much interest III was a
mastery effort and shOwe,k him to
bC a man of talent, a statesman, an
honest man, one of Gods. nOhlemcn
and worthy to adOrn the exalted no
SitiOu which he OcCupiGS-a man of
whom Tennessee should I've proud.
AT the close of his speegh. K peMcillcd
him note which was compliment
tary in its character. and which set
forth the fact that his Argument was
convincing and irrCfu&ablC, the exact
language | cannOs now recall.
don't think the name of Bate or FuS-
sell was mentioned therein. The ar
gumCnt presented was such as i had
made before in discussing the qucs-
ton of repudiating our obligations,
but in considering the probability OF
my voting for Bate | had not before
me the questions presented. Senator
Jackson awokc those dormant ideas
and | know that ! was impressed
with the idea that could not in good
conscience vote for Il man who. il
elected Governor would he compelled
bV his platform To veto any bill which
levied Il tax to meet the interest on
the 80 and bonds. Now the qucs-
ton presented tn my mind is this
The 80 and bill became lava
law founded on justice and good
morals. Contracts have been made
and entered into between the State
and her creditors under this law. The
Governor or legislator who impairs
the obligations of these contracts,
not only violates the letter, but the
spirit of the constitution which he has
sworn to support, and he becomes
guilty of perjury, ut least in a moral
if not in 4 legal sense. The Other
points in favor of the settlement &c
not now propose to discuss. ] havotak,
en- calm and diSpassiOnate view o
them, have shaken off all prejudice ere
atcd Ivy desire to have my party
succeed, regardless of Justice or right
and am forced by an honest cOuVic
ton to assert that il Is my duty and
the duty OF every honest citizen, re-