The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-06-11
A card From J. m. Kelley.
TO the Waters OF Franklin County:

! 10 The Waters OF Franklin County:
Being satisfied by goodly number Of
The voters OF this county, ! some time
ago gave leave 70 have my name pub
llshed as n candidate for Representa-
i've. In that announcement | stated
That was subject 10 convention, not
th'nki"g that any one would take ad-
vantage Of the language When | said
was subject to u convention, | meant
that If there should be such II thing as
the party hciug beaten by any other
party, or that the field was 50 badly
crowded that some injustice mi ght BE-
done the party, then would lave drawn
oil or would have submitted TO con.
venil"n and gave my support to the
nominee of such convention. But, ecn-
ilenen Of this old commonwealth, ! say
to you in the spirit of II true Democrat
aud one who has always stuck To the
party aud has ercr been II low-tax Dem.
ocrat in every instance, that is not the
case Mt present. viii any one point out
any dangers that might be incurred by
having one candidate in the field DO
you see, gentlemen, that there is or was
any immediate danger Of the party be-
lng injured while there was hut one can.
dldale in the field? Am not citizen
Of Franklin county, aud have | not the
rights Of citizenship in any way ! might
wish, either private or publicY Does
not the Constitution Of our State guar.
antee each Of us snchrights, and are We,
MS Democrats, to be deprived of such
privileges, even u the terror of some of
our people, Is it right, ask ever fair.
minded man in this countyY Isu prop.
or that the farming class of our people
cannot have voice in our conventions.
and in the choice Of our officers. Gen.
llemen, | am conservative Democrat.
! do not believe IN allowing any conven-
ton 10 deprive any one Of his rights,
for the high aud the low, the rich and
the poor, the black and the white, all
have equal rights. and they should be
guaranteed To us in every respect. DO
the people Of this county know what all
this means in reference to the convcn-
ton ! hope they do. Are you, my
countrymen, going to remain slll and
let the cliqucs, and rings, and bosses,
dictate whp shall he our officers? or,
are you coming to the rontand show by
your actions that you have voice in
all elections, and that you are II SOW
creign people and will see that justice is
fairly and property administered To all
partcs3 If so, am at your service,
though | occupy n private rank.
Did such II thing ever happen in our
county before? Can you take up the
record of the county and put your finger
on such circumstance as this convcn.
ton? | answer, No-nevcr
| say further to the people of my
county, that no man can safely say that
! have ever been bought, as was intima-
ted at the convention. And | further
say that am rs honest and think as
much Of my name as the one who made
the assertion. And further say am
personally responsible for all | do or
say. | say that such convention is an
imposition, in part, to the Democrats Of
Franklin county, and is injurious to the
party, aud should not I've allowed. !
speak from principle, and not from any
selfish feeling which might actuatc n
man to say such things.
desire the people Of my county to
know that am not DESTROYS of the po-
siiion in which am placed, but have
put my hand to the plow and don't pro-
pose to look back. | will meet the is.
sues face to face when the time comes,
and show the "bosses" whether ! know
Il verb from Il noun, or II colon from Il
scni-colon.
With great respect, am, as ever,
yours truly, JoIIN NJ. kELLEY.
Sherwood Tenn, June 9th, 1884.
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