The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-01-11
ISBAN &. HARRIS.
lilo Says He Has Never Taken Keen
Delight In OOiice.

IL have never taken what the world
would term a keen delight in public
life. 1t has been more or less irk-
some profession in my case. Ia tha
early years OF my career soon tired
OF Congressional honors sad after the
completion OF my second term ia Con-
gress | declined to run again siter the
nomination had come to me. de-
clined this race for the sole reasoo
that public life was less agreeable to
me than that Of my profession.
"As matters turned out, my decliu-
ing the race for Congress that yea
resulted rather injuriously to myself.
Alter l declined to run, the party spLl
up and a. o result tNo candidates
took the field and the district was lost.
| was held responsible, whether jus.'7
or not ! cen not say, for this pav. y
misfortune, and had To rest der tho
displeasure OF those old friends who
had urged the race on mo. That wac
In 1858. In 1856, without my knowl-
edge or seeking, l was placed on the
Buchanan electoral ticket for the
State at Large. MY first int,mAtion
Of the p$rty's intention in this matter
vas when the notification reached me
in my law Office. PROMPTLY decided
TO decline the honor, and at once
wrote q letter to that effect. But be.
fore m ailing this letter / dropped into
train OF refiectit ms which had the
effect OF modifying my views mate
rally. Having incurred the dis pleas
ule OF my old friends by abandoning
the race in 1853, and thus getting the
old Ninth in hole, it occurred to me
that it would be the proper thing To
accept the race for Elector and by
this party service placate my old
friends. This decided 10 do, 6od so
notified the committee.
"My Wing competitor was Neil 8,
Brown. We made the most thorough
canvass, with the result that carried
the State by over 1000 msjority. As
now recall it this was an unusual y
large Democratic majority for Ten
pessee at any time previous TO that.
Ia fact, 1 believe the VIII GO had
fashion OF carrying the State oftene
than the Democrats in those days.
AS result OF this canvas in 1866, I
vas offered the race To- Governor "a
1858. H&"i2g been iamphant in m y
race of two years previous, l felt sac
euno OF success 10 the gubernAtolial
contest and so acceped the race. In
this contest Wo1 By over 9 $40 maio :
ity."
The traditional second term cane
to Gov. Harris in 1860. in 1852 he said
he did not w&nS the race. On this
point the Senator said:
II did not seek re election for tbe
third sorm. ] told my friends That I
YVES in DO sense a candidate, and that
l should 80 announce mysel'. But
"a account OF nv Gctive idenLitv with
the cause of the South u Q. ong follow
ng seemed loath 10 part company
with me at that critical iuncture. Col.
William Polk becn me o candidats. As
he passed aroond the circuit MANY OF
Inv friends sign, led to .,im mat thew
considered his candidacy inopportune
at that time, These proSests irom pa'-
ty leaders who had taken il into their
heads that l must be iadvced 10 run,
whether or not, had the effect of az,
gering Polk at myself, and the lnatCer
wound up by his attacking my Official
record in the course OF his reana rs
ON the stumn. I was duly ilfofned
of these attacks and urged to leplv to
them. Ny answer was that I was not
disturbed by what Col. Polk was say
lag about noe and that should emain
IN my Office and attend to my duties
% had been doing.
"My friends insisted on voting Tor
I'VE, and / beat Polk over 70,C 20 major
'. Folks course in attack ng me on
stump had the effect of rallying to
s.a the almost solid Confederate ele-
D. at in the state, an eject due, ! sup
g, mainly to my having up to that
! lie been closely identified with the
TX of organizing the Confederate
1 ces of the state.
The result of the campaign was
that was elected by maj TO- ity pro-
nounced enough to leave no doubt OF
the Endorsement of my official acts by
the people of the state.
"But the Governorship was not to
nv liking. / had seen enough OF it
for my own satisfaction. I much pre-
ferred, so far as my own personal lik-
ings were involved, to enter different
field OF activity at that time. Two av-
enues were open to me at the time,
either one of which | greatly preferred
to that of being Governor. One of
these, and the one most to my liking.
was the position of Confederate Sen
ator from Tennessee. A strong petit
ton came TO me from members of the
Innislatnra urging me to accept the