The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-01-03
Gov HARRg AND Hn PAT AS
90 VERNOR



Gan.tin E1aniner.
We are not taking any side in the |
that is going on between
Col. Jno. III. Savage and Senator
Harris about the latter drawing his
pay as Governor in gold at the close
of the war, further than to say that
Col. Savage is in the wrong and
Senator Harris in the right. Col.
Savage starts out wrong. Gov.
Harris was not in the pay of the
Government ut Richmond. He was
upon none of its rolls Of officers or
paid soldiers. His whole service as
a soldier was voluntary. From the
battle of Shiloh until the close of the
war he was in the military family OF
one or other of the great chieftains
who led our armies i'm the west.
Commencing at Shiloh, he followed
the great chieftain. Albert Sydney
Johnston-was by his side when he
received his death wound, and in
his arms he died. Then with Beau
regard, with Bragg, with 10. John
ston, with Hood. He was with
them in all of their great battles.
He served without pay. He was
trusted and relied on in their coun-
ellis. Without rank he was ge =
eral in fact. He was always in the
fight, and did as much hard service
as any trooper of the line. He was
q War Governor, sure enough, and
not a carpet warrior. His assocl-
ates all bear testimony TO his mill
tary talent His whole life, from
the evacuation of Nashville, was a
soldiers life. In the organization OF
the Army of Tennessee, he display
ed a vigor and ability that marked
him as n military man of the first
order.
And now we think it comes with
poor grace from Tennesseans to as
sail him because he drew his pay as
their Governor. The Confederate
government owed him no pay. MOI
a Confederate paymaster would
have cashed bis payroll. The State
of Tennessee did owe him $4,000
per anuum, in dollars-good dol
lars. As there is no allegation that
he was paid before that time Other
than Confederate money, We have
the right to infer that he was 81
paid up TO his last years salary
He was legally entitled to his salary
in good dollars every year. If, a
the close of the war, when it took ;
thousand dollars to buy turkey Of
a pair of coarse boots, is there any
fair reason why he should not draw
his pay from the State of Tennessee
in lawful money? What man would
not have did the same? The Rich
mond Government owed him moth
ing. Tennessee did. The currency
of Richmond was not the money o
Tennessee. Who would feel boun'
to take a deprecated currency whel
he could demand good money am
get il? Would any of his caviller
have acted differently?
Ii is too late now TO find this taul
with a man who has signalized hi
patriotism in the manner that Sena
tor Harris has done. 1t is rather
small business in anybody. An
our lifelong friendship with Co
Savage, we think, puts us in posi-
ton to tell him so, and we do
with frankness-Or bluntneSs, " hich
ever you please. He should reacI
the lofty position to which he as
pires, if he should attain it, by hi
own worthiDess, and not by deprc
citation of his great rival.
The collapse of the COnfederac
was foreseen by many early in 1866
The most prominent man in th
South was Governor Harris. III
was so regarded in Washington
Amid the excitement succeeding tn
assassination of President Lincoln
the heads of prominent SOutherner
were in the request TO the peopl
of the North, there was no NOR
desirable n head than that Of lshaI
G.. Harris of Tennessee. He was
chief actor in the bloody drama {
four wears. lie had headed til
Great Rebellion and given it potenc
and vigor. And when the curtai
rang down there was no more prom
inent victim to Northern wrat
than Gov. Harris. Instinctiyely an
wisely he withdrew to Mexico an
bided his time until the storm BILE
over. And that the people of Ter
nessee, who knew his merit, di
tinctly recognized him as the
great leader, is shown in the resu
of his election for six years to I'll
United States Senate, notwithstan'
ing there were many meritorioI
claimants to the position. The
! recognized him as worthy of II
highest honors t at they could b
stow.
The position of Senator Harris
Washington is unquestioned. He
held rs the ablest Southerner in Il
Senate. His influence has been VIC
3 by his ability He has never trucl
lei to the Republican party, but hi
fought it at every point. 1t Tel
, nessec has not lost her senses ST
: will re elect him to his seat.