The west Tennessee star. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1888, 1888-05-11

had his 20 litical disabilities remov-
ed, he became candidate for Con :
gress against the Hon. Dorsey
Thomas, who, at that time, was a
popular leader OF the Conserv atlYe
Union party. Mr. Atkins engaged
actively IN the canvass, made list
Of appointments over twelve coun~
ties, organized a primary election
in each county and won the nomI.
natisn by very large majority, the
party pc ling nearly its usual
strength He was elected the fol-
lowing Noveln Der to represent the
Eighth congressional district, over
VIM. E Travis, Independent DEM
ocrat, and w. w Murray, Repub
lican, by heavy majorities.
Mr.. Atkins was successfully elect
ed to the FogtY-fourth, Forty-fifth.
Forty -sixth anu ForlY-seventh
Congresses, being nominated each
time without opposition. He vol
unfairly declined to be a candida lie
for the Forty 2hth Congress, hav-
ing previously announced that he
would retire from the house of Rep
resentatives at the cinSe of the For
ty>seventh Congress. Although he
was urged by his constituents to an
nounce himself, he declined to do
50, preferring to Obser We his pledge
although gwen without ny consid>
Grafton Of service or supp ort from
others.
Mr.. Atkins service in the House
of Representatives was chiefly on
the committee of approprla tons.
This honor cans to him without
his knowledge or solicitation. 1t
was said by the then distinguished
speaker, Mr.. Kerr, that he "pIaced
Atkins on the great committee to
help Holman hold back" Mr.. At
kins served on the appropriation
committee for eight years, four
of which time he waists chairman:
This. too, was before the committee
was divided, hence the labor was al
most double. How he discharged
his duties, delicate, Iaborious IN
the extreme and highly RESPONSE
BILE, can be best known by the vol
untary attestations Of both D emo :
Gratis and Republicans and by the
sp lendid results that followed the
reform and economy that great COM
mlttee performed under his guild
ance as chairman. To say that the
retrenshment OF expenditures OF $50,
100000 per annum did not power
FULLY tend 20 relieve the staggering
credit of the govern nent at most
critical period of financial EN- bar
rassmsnt would be 10 ignore a PLAIN
and obvious effect OF palpable
cause. Many useless D Ulcers were
dispensed with, and many extrava,
giant salaries were reduced and
many needed reforms were Inau gu
rated,
The speeches Of Mr.. Atkins or
importan and interesting subjects
Of appr opriatiOns aid expenditures
were elaborate and accurate
and were used and relied
upon as reliable campaign sta lstici
for several campaigns throu ghout
the Union by the Democratic speak :
ers and which we're net denied by
the candid Republicans
Mr. Atkins left behind IN the House 0
Eepregentstive the universal regret o
| both Democrats and Republicans, for
while he discussed az his numerou
! speeches will show, alaost all of the lead
ing economic and other issues of the time
during his service, there was one thing
he scrup alously avoided, and that wa
not to voluntarily introduce political anc
partisan issaes into the consi dsration OF
the appropriation bills, regarding then
in the light Of business affairs, vitality af
feeting all Of the varied interests Of tn
people in which all parties were or shout,
be equally interested and not as issue
for partisan wrangle or dispute. Henc'
he was remarkably popular in the Hous
and very successful and expert IN th'
management Of the appropriation bill il
their passage through that bsdy.
Mr.. Atzius, although fluent speake
and a close de batter, had the acumen Il
observe that speeches on the floor OF Con
gress VII ich did not inform the members
were not listened to, hence his speeche
were generally briet. giving a clear anC
accurate statemeRt Of facts and leaving
the members to deduce their own cOnclut
sions without advice. It may be trul,
said Of Aim that ne was always listened
to respectfully, the members knowing tina
when he had impaired what knowledg'
he had acquired by hard and laboriou'
study and research he would sit dswn ant
leave them to their swn reflective reason
ing.
He d.scussed among other subjects dur
ing his service in Congress the civil right
bill, the Hnconstitutionality sf the (al
ledged)'pewer OF the general gOvernnen
to supervise elections in States, the at
tempted reconstruction Of Arkansas, tbs