Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-04-07
SHREW0 AND WITTY PARLIAMEETARiAR.

SHREW0 AND WITTY PARLIAMERTARiAR.
Representative Gregg, of Sullivan county,
VIII long be remembered as the shrewd and
witty parliamentarian who led the House
out of its dilemma when it seemed almost
certain that the opponents of the Railroad
commission bill, headed by Butler, would
defeat it.Mr Gregg is thoroughly arepresen-
tat1ve man-large of frame, strong convic-
tions, self-poised and determined: He pos
leader, and is deservedly regarded as one of
the strong pillars OF Democracy in East Ten
nessee. Sullivan county, which he repre-
sents, remains Democratic, and always
sends up handsome majorities. Such men
cannot be too highly apprec1ated.-MeHpht
appeal.
This is something truly delight
full i; it has the smack of a good joke,
but its racy flavor can only be APP
preciated by a full understanding
of all the facts in the case. The
quality of Mr.. Gregg's "wit," like
Shylock said of mercy, sis not
strained" 1t has a free and easy
flow, unfettered by delicate con-
science or an overdue observance of
principle. He is indeed a "shrewd
parlimentarian," for he goes entire
ly beyond Gushing, or any known
authority ON the subject, and has
invented a manuel of his own. The
.9aesse of the action that has brought
the gentleman from Sullivan so
prominently before the country ihas
but one parallel in all history. The
Banner has intimated that it bears
some resemblance to "the shrewd
and witty" tactics resorted to in the
last Legislature, when belladonna
was administered to a certain SEN
ator to prevent his voting on a GER
tain measure; but barring this
one instance there is nothing to be
found that equals in lustre the &C
ton of Mr.. Gregg.
Now if what this honorable (?)
gentleman did should be considered
in the light of trick, or a decep-
ton it would be nothing more than
any INSCRIPTIONS man might do,
but it was parliamentary tactics"
and its perpetratOr, consequently,
is, ga shrewed and witty parlia-
who possesses in a
large degree the qualities of a
leader" For the benefit of our
readers, who are not familiar with
the matter, it will be well enough
to consider exactly what Mr.. Gregg
did that entities him to the Appeals |
This is it; he managed to convey |
a message to Speaker LedgerwOOd |
that Miss 10 Tellford, the engross-
ing clerk of the House, wanted to |
speak to him in the hall of the cap |
itol building. Speaker Ledgerwood |
is afflicted with conscience, and it |
was necessary to get him out of the
way in order that Mr.. Grigg5' new
tactics might be practiced with sue
cess. Miss Tellford was simply the |
innocent victim of the designing
member and knew nothing of the
purpose her message was to serve.
Mr.. Houston occupied the chair
during the Speakers absence, and
the railroad commission bill was
called up as blouse bill No. g."
All of the members were not famil-
lar with the bill under that title and
It was passed before some of them
knew what was before the House.
1t is usual with such important bills
10 have the ayes and noes called on
is final passage, but this one was
through without so much
IS a word of discussion, and by de-
'eiving the opposition as to the fact
Of its being before the House.
Mr.. Gregg and all of his accom-
olices in this matter are indeed love-
y parliamentarians. They are pos
jessed of rare virtues and the APP
peal says they "cannOt be too highly
To our mind it was
lad day for the State when her leg
slative halls were disgraced by such
practices, and the fact grows more
when a leading news
paper commends such actions as
highly praiseworthy. For the honor
If Democracy we rejoice that the
dill thus Struggled through was not
| party measure and that its
'shreWd and witty" manipulators
we're simply legislative clique.