Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-08-10


subjecting myself to criticism. | would
be glad to discuss the issues of the day
but these gentlemen force me to stand on
the ground they have selected for the
debate, or be charged with running away
from the fight will say that heartily
endorse our splendid platform and the
great leaders of the people, Bryan and
Stevenson who stand On it. After these
joint discussions are over | will make
some speeches on the issues to the Demo
Gratis of this district
From the beginning of this joint dis
cussion up to the present my Icompeti-
tors have concentrated their fire on me.
In their opening speeches they unani-
mously agreed that l was politically
dead, and then, with RENE rkable incon-
sistency, they consumed their valuable
time and exhausted their brain power
and their vocabulary in combined as
sault on the corpse. l have enjoyed the
rare privilege of listening day after day
to what my competitors have to say
about me as dead politician. They
either do not believe their own statement
that am dead or they are fanatical on
the subject of punishment after death.
A better figure of speech to describe the
situation would be to compare me to a
fox being tried by jury of dogs. The
only chance fox has, under such CIR
cumstances, to escape with his life is to
outrun the pack, and think when you
look at the build of the pack that Is
trying me you will share in the general
opinion that l can out-run them all.
I Sometimes they make me think of the
origin of the trial by jury. They EN-.
panel themselves as a jury sworn to con.
vict me on the Indictment which they
have drawn and then alternately act in
the capacity of prosecutor, witness,
and Juror, and their verdict is unanimous
every day that I am guilty of being in
their way. consider myself fortunate
fellow citizens, that am to be tried be-
fore jury composed of the Democracy
Of the Eighth congressional district, a
jury which is fair and impartial, and a
jury that will hear the evidence and de.
eide according to the weight of the testi-
mony. congratulate myself that these
gentlemen who are interested witnesses
do not constitute the jury, and l am glad
to know that when l am called to &c
hence they will not write the history OF
this country. lpropose to take up the
charges they have made in regular order
and prove in your presence that they dc
not rest upon single scintilla of truth
Mr.. Sims has procured the publication Of
q speech, which he prepared in advance
for that purpose, and he has circulated il
over this district In the vain effort t
prejudice the public mind against me sc
as to have me condemned without {
hearing. am charged with neglect o.
public duty. They do not charge mt
with dishonesty, or the betrayal of any
trust, but they say / ought to be con
demned to eternal Punishment from
public life for neglect of public duty.
Mr.. Sims, in his printed speech, and il
all his other speeches since this joint dis
cussion began, has resorted to subtel
! fuge unworthy Of any man occupying tn
i high and honorable position which h
, holds. In your hearing today, as in tina
speech, he has made the charge that
was absent from the last session OF tn
fifty-third congress one half the session
, and he resorts to special pleading and In
{ geneous twisting and distorting OF re
corded facts in the effort to make out hi
, case.
He states the fact that there wer
forty-eight roll calls OH votes aud call
of the house, and that | did no
answer the roll call but twenty.fou
times, answering "presenp seyel
times and voting seventeen timei
He knew the fact and INTENTIONAL
= suppressed 1t, that when | was no
,, answering the roll call was paire'
and could not vote, and the recor'
shows that fact. answered the cal
a of the house whenever 1t was neces
I sary TO make quorum, and tn
/, record shows that fact.
Whenever the house finds itsel
without quorum call of the hous
: Is ordered and the names of the al
sentees are entered on the journa
: liza quorum appears on the call bus
! ness proceeds. There were tire
d calls of the house during that session
two of them occurring on the 18t
s day of January. was noted anon
g the absentees on the first CALL br
v was present OH the second call. whic
= shows I was out attending to som
other business when the first call We
made, and that came in and helpe
' to make the quorum after the nous
found itself without quorum, an
9 the business proceeded as usual. 0
d February IL there was call of u
It house and | was noted as absent, bl
d in response to the call quorum al
IS peared, and as | was present at Il
g sessions every day1 have the right
: claim that came IN OH the call.
- was present during the cnti
= session, and helped to furnish a qu
y rum for the Democrats WhannYcr