Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-02-14
TRICRERY TRlCKSTERS.

Court. as Representative OF the Ameri-
n colonies, no played the part of a
~"tlickster, y and liar and deceived
the statesmen of Great Britain. That
is to say that smart old Ben saw that
the British enemies of American free
dom were trying to TOOL him, and make
a foot ball of the rights of American
citizens, and the great Franklin was too
smart for his and his country's enc
mics he had more brains than the
smurtest, most "trickev," OF English
Red Goats and when the war OF the
Revolution ended he was more respec.
ted and loved by the people of the
colonies than any American except
Washington and Jefferson. Henry
Lee, of Virginia, brother of General
Robert E. Lee, and one of the ablest
writers in the United States, President
John Quincy Adams said, wrote a book
of nearly three hundred pages for the
sole and exclusive purpose of proving
that Thomas Jefferson was a liar"
and a ''trickster." But this abuse,
though from q bright source did not
destroy the Father of American Dem
ocracy. Mr.. Jefferson exercised power
longer than any one whoh has ever
lived in this country and had a stronger
hold on the affections of the American
people than any man except Washing
ton. He not only governed the United
States during the eight years of his
Presidency, but he dictated Madison
and Monroe as bis Successors, who
served two terms each, and he virtually
ruled this country for twenty four years.
Coming down t. a Iaterday we find that
Andrew Jackson, of whose achieve
ments in war and politics every Ten
nessean and every American is justly
proud, was accused of being a Liar
and a "trickster." We once had a
Wing Governor of Tennessee by the
name of Newton Cannon. He was a
gallant soldier, who commanded a
Tennessee regiment in the war of 1912.
For his service in that war he was four
or iv" times elected to Congress and
then Governor of Tennessee. Referring
to the simplicity of his character, Hor.
ace Maynard called him good old
Governor Cannon" Well, good old
Governor Cannon" was fond of horse
racing and 80 was that bad man" as
the Wings called him, Andrew Jack
son. Cannon and Jackson competed on
the race track. Jackson won all the
money Cannon had and then the lat
ter brought on the track all of his
''niggers," (about twenty in nun Der,
as they were hen called. Now, as
they are voters, they are called Amer
lean citizens of African decent" Jack
son won ell of Cannon's ''niggers.'
Then Cannon got mad and swore that
Jacksan was a ''trickster" and had
bribed the rider of Cannon's horse to
pull the reins. to "hold him in" so
that jackson could win the race. Can
o 8 rider was his near kihsman, but
being defeated by Jackson and being
mad there was nothing lett him to
charge upon Jackson but ''trickery.''
Coming down to a still later period We
find this same Andrew Jackson charg
ing "%trickster" and "trickery" upon
the immortal Henry Clay becaus the
aforesaid Andrew was beaten lor the
Presidency in 1924 by John Quincy
Adams, thro' Henry Clay s influence.
All our old citizens will remembe,
how every Democratic newspaper in
the country bawled out that Henry
Clay was guilty of bargain, intrigue,
and corruption" There is not today
a man Of any party who does not
know that the charge was a 'lie made
out of whole cloth" Coming down tc
a later generation Andrew johnson, at
Commander in chief of the army, en-.
deavored to force General Grant tc
take his side in his controversy with
Congress. Because Grant would not
be used in that way Johnson denounced
him as a liar" as a ~''trickster, al
guilty of ''trickery." The same John
son was accused of making a corrupt
bargain with John Netherland, OF
Hawkins County, by which for the
support of the Wings in his contest
with Haynes for Congress in 1851, Mr..
Netherland vas to get the votes OF
johnson Democrats in his Neither.
lands race for the legislature. At a
still later day the same charge was
made against Garfield and Blaine.
The charge against a politician OF
being a ''trickster' is always made
against men who have brains and
force of character by those who have
neither, and whose ambition and pro
jects have been defeated. or by the
Supplied who do not have brains enough
to be "tricksters" if they would.
We have been led to these reflections
and to stating these facts of ''Old Time
Political History" by the antics OF
some very small souled, peanut
politicians, of little brains and less
honor, who have been travelling over
this district whispering into the ears OF
the people walter Brownlow is a
trickster" which, honestly stated SIMPLY
means that Walter P. Brownlow has
more brains than they have, and they
are mad at him because they have not