Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-10-24
A VAIL FROM MCDOWELL.
FARMERS AND LABoRERs UNION,
OF TENNESSEE. MEMBERSHIP,
100000. OFFICE OF j. II. Nc

Mr.. r.. M. REAMs, EDITOR.
Dear Sir:-I have just been shown
a copy of your paper in which you
make the following reference to me.
81. II. Mcdowell was invited to
address the people of this county on
Oct. 5. We haven't shadow of a
doubt that this invitation was eX-
tended to Mcdowell" Again you
say, ave believe that Mcdowell
had notice of these publications, and
we further believe that he had writ>
ten invitations or solicitations from
Alliancemen to be here;" 1--WE believe
further that he had given some
Alliancemen to understand that he
would be here"
In reply to the above, ask space
in your paper, where the charges
were published, to say your state
ments are absolutely false and with
out the shadow Of foundation. defy
you or any one else to find an AL
lianceman with single line from
me, indicating that | would be
present. l did not see your publish
ed notice Of the meeting referred to
in your attack on me, and had no
written or personal invitation from
any one to be present. 1 went to
Lewisburg that night in accordance
with previous engagement made
with brethren of Marshall county to
speak for them, and could not have
accepted an invitation to speak at
McMinnville that day if it had been
extended. You pretend to believe /
was afraid to meet Mr.. Snodgrass in
debate. There is no reasonable ex-
cuse for such charges, from the fact
| have not hesitated to meet Senator
George, of Mississippi, Simoton,
Bond, Patterson, and Washington,
and since 1 was at Sparta 1 have had
two joint debates with Wilson Of
Sumner, and Hon. Benton McMillin
of Smith, and l am sure from what
have seen of Mr.. Snodgrass that they
are at least his equals Intellectually
though l never heard Mr.. Snodgrass
make speech in my life. l am free
to say, however, that while 1 an
willing to debate with any othel
Congressman in the State, l would
not with Mr.. Snodgrass, because o
his actions at Sparta, coming to my
meeting with a pistol in his hil
pocket, misrepresenting me on tn,
stand, and when l corrected him
drew his pistol for the purpose O
either shooting or bullying some one
l am willing to discuss public ques
tiOns with gentlemen who differ witt
me, in a courteous, gentleman.
way, but | have no desire to NEE
those who try to insult me and &c
me into personal difficulties. l an
not afraid OF any man, but 1 am nc
hunting personal difficulties. TIL
questions at issue between Allianc
and non-A lliance Democrats ar
in my humble opinion question
which seriously affect the future pro;
perity of the whole country, an
) should be discussed in a calm, dispa,
sionate way. If the Alliance
wrong let it be shown by reaso
and argument, and not by ridicul
and abuse. What we are contendin
for is protection from corners on tn
, products of the soil, which fore
down the values of farmers produC
. below the natural law of supply an
+ demand, and then force them u
again after the farmer has been force
to sell. If those who oppose our d.
f mands will offer any measure of +,
' lief to prevent corners on farm pr,
0 ducts-and corners on the circulatin
, medium (money), the Alliance al
: ready to accept it and lay aside OIL
y plan of relief; but until some plan
a relief is offered better than ours W
i will defend and advocate the su
o treasury principle. Respectfully,
j. HUGH MCDOWELL.
q very cheerfully give place
Mr.. McDowell's letter above, althoug
= he garbles the quotations from II
q STANDARD to some extent. We d
+ not use the direct language he attri
uteS to us in the first sentence |
g quotes in his letter. The nearest a
, proach to it was this quotation fro
. the New Era: "HOn. II. C. Snodgra
q and ]. II. Mcdowell have been inv
q ed to address the people of this cou
II ty on Oct, 9Th, and it is thought TIT
will be here on that date" AS Il
Era has been on one or more occ
sions endorsed by resolutions in Il
Warren County Alliance we SUNNI