The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-28
Governor of Tea.essee Tells Some Plain Truths in
 Inaugural Address
DEMANDS MEDICATION
 THROUGH LEGAL ACTION
f Charges Are Not Preferred Against Him the Governor Says He Is En- titled to Ask That Reckless
 Defamation Shall Cease.

Nashville January 27-Malcolm R. Pat ierson was inaugurated for his second term as governor of this state at the cap ltol at noon today In his inaugural ad- 1ress Governor Patterson referred as fol- lows to the killing of Senator E. W. Car mack:
 ..Our state is passing through the shad- ows; the people are divided; we have fallen into the habit of distrust, suspicion and accusation.
 ''There is nothing proper I would not do to relieve this situation; there is noth- Ing I have done to bring it about unless 1t has been my success and the honest, open service have tried to render in re- turn for the confidence of the people.
 "But I am conscious that throughout the state men have repeated islanders, that some newspapers have circulated cruel and false charges and have even gone so far as to connect me with trag- edy which l deplored far more than many who have sought to make out of 1t a political asset, and to use it as a motive and incentive for unwise, undemocratic and destructive legislation.
  lates to me as an individual, or the pain it ruthlessly and mercilessly inf1icts, it is of no concern to the public, but as gov ernor the people of Tennessee have a right to have the office respected and my service ih official capacity not impaired by false and repeated accusations
 Entitled to the Truth.
 .erut bevond all else they are entitled to know the truth.
 If as an official I have been guilty of conscious delinquency, I am unworthy of public trust, and the people have given me an office which I should not hold, and of which l should be deprived
 If any way, directly or remotely, l have sought to encompass the death Of a fellow man. I am deserving of every stigma that gentlemen may place upon me- of any indignty and punishment which law and society can infiict, Tor am the governor of the state, clothed with the power to pardon and the charge, therefore, involves the basest and black est turpitude.
 "Mv silence under a load of calumny saems to have been misconstrued, and to
  apement to further assaults
 q have believed these charges were confined to few whose obscurity was their cover.
 Accusations Not Credited.
 "I believe now that the majority of the neople be they friend or foe, do not oredit them. but I am unwilling for ac- cusations which are repeated and persist cd in to remain undenied and unchal- lenged
 My course is taken after reflection and ,,,tb a firm conviction that owe duty to myself, my family and the state. I make the issue in the only way can, and now invite any legal action in the courts or in the senate sitting as court of impeachment to determine the truth or falsity of any charge that would render me unfit to be the governor of Tennes- see
 of charges are not preferred or if they are and fail I believe I am entitled to ask for the peace and honor of the state and in the name of decency that this reckless defamation shall cease.
 "Whether 1t does or not, as the governor of Tennessee, will pursue the even tenor of my way undismayed by the froth of passion, undeterred by the assaults of 
 towards and calumniaators.'
 Regarding the prohibition question the governor said:
 ais 7oIicy Reversed.
 ..The le .. SITS has seen fit to disre ~ard one nd essential promise which gua l sef-government to those comm ties in Tennessee where liouor is sold and to reverse the policy of more than 100 years of enacting laws forbidding the manufacture and sale of liquor in this state.
 Part of this legislation has been ac- complished over my protest as governor, and if it is completed. it will be over my continued objection, for I am not willing for the state to occupy the ques- tionabe and humiliating attitude of invit- ing her citizens to invest their capital in enterprises, which when done are to be destroyed by an act of the state.
 "It Is regrettable that this difference of opinion and obligation to party pledges has existed between the legislature and the governor, but if the members have their own approval for this radical and sweeping legislation, I also have mine, be- lieving that the rule of consent is better than the rule of force, and that when I disapproved of setting aside an ancient and established principle of government was acting for the democratic party and for the best interest of the people n