Year: 1874

Ine EdSenekd Bard Fairly I'm the


Field for the Recommendation


Demolished and the Great Issues of


the Day Ventilated.


Edgeield was all astir Friday night. It
having been announced in the UNION AND
AMERICAN that Mr.. Cornelius O'DonnelI
would address the citizens of that place on
the great questions by which the country is
now agitated. Ample preparations
had been made for large crowd, and Mr..
O'Donnell was received with tremendous
applause when he made his appearance. It
is well known that, with laudable ambi-
ton, Mr.. O'Donnell aspires to a seat in the
Legislature, and his utterances are there
fore likely TO be read with more than or
dinary interest.


Though Mr.. O'Donnell was far from be-
ing in his usual state of health, he warmed
up 10 his work as soon as the cheers had
subSided and spoke as follows:


Gentlemen and fellow citizens of Edge
field, Tenn.
want your attention; listen to me. L
hope you viii excuse me for not talking
smooth, for to stand for the rights of nv
adopted country never did refuse. have
a deep veneraticn for this great American
nation; were it not so would disgrace my
own child. My children are natives; they
are born in the land, and if / did not re-
spect the American people would be an
ungrateful man. l am indebted to my
adopted country. had 10 leave my native
country because l was double, treble
tayed. Every day L was peFplexed. my
mind tossed to and fro, so off TO America /
started. When landed on this free Ameri-
ohnra hid 4arnura1I sf.f 4
saw it more. Now L am surrounded by decent
American citizens every side, and do
bless the day plowed the ocean wide. /
have travelled in many part of the world
and such hospitality, in good reality, 1
never met in any country to compare with
Davidson county, Tennessee.


l am before you candidate for the Le2is-
lature, and, if elected, l expect to make
wholesome law-maker. would like TO try,
with all my might, the Union and Rebel
Democracy for to unite, and to give my
opinion it would not take me minute:
Frank Cheatham for Governor and An
drew johnson for the Senate.


am not prepared to make a speech, and
/ would not be here tonight only for my
opponent, Hudnall. Several respectful
men told me he was making his brags that
he had got me where he wanted me, be
cause was opposed to bondhOlders. He
said that was in favor Of issuing corpora
ton bonds in Edgeield. Government
bonds make the money scarce and corpora
ton bonds make it plenty. l said to Mr..
Hudnall to turn Edgefield loose. 1t takes
two thirds of the votes to carry a majority,
and, if they want to vote for bonds to paw
their debts, say let them do it as honest
men should do. If they want to vote for
bonds to build streets, 1 say let them do il.
/ can prove by one of the Aldermen that
Hudnall was first in favor of issuing corpO-
ration bonds, but he met some Government
bOndhOldeIs and swapped:a poor horse for a
fat one. / expect that if he and me Get in
the Legislature he will swap me off for a
bOndholder. He also said one night in the
Board that he would sue the corporation if
they did not turn the water out of the reg
ular channel. 1t cost one hundred dollars
10 build a stone culvert, and it will cost
five hundred more to repair the damage.
Bad Management broke up this corporation,
and burSted me too. offered them broken
rock at five cents a bushel all the wear
round, and they would not accept of
il. They bought an island for FIVE
thousand dollars, and six cents bushel for
the material. What did not wash away
blOwed away. Now they have grounded
their ship with gravel and sand, which has
happened before with many a man. L say,
as the captain says to the sailors, square
your main-yard, haul on your gallant brace,
to keep your ship aground il is a disgrace.


l am prophet as well as poet, and the
time has come now for you to know it. All
we have is a few streets | mettled last win
ter and the schOOl-hOuSe. have been at
many party and many a hall, but the
Edgetield SchOOl-hOuse exceeded them all.
Every thing was in good order, well to be
seen, and the table that was set there was
fitting for queen: and the young men had
such killing charms, that the ladies were
Waiting around in their arms. There are
as pretty ladies in Edgeiield as l eversyet
saw; could not exceed them in ErIn 90
Bragh. Every one that has been there, they
all will agree that the Edgefeld school
house is an honor 20 Tennessee. / am al
ways willing TO be taxed for the support of
the free schools, but in Ireland was taxed
for the support Of the preachers, and if l
would 90 to the school | would be made
learn the same doctrine they preached. l
do not think it is free school where reli-
gion is taught. One man has as much
right to believe his religion as another.


Changing the subject, was accused very
much of being a fire-eater. l cried with
trouble when South Carolina went out of
the Union. | thought the Government was
oppressive and helped to make a worse
one. L remained Rebel until the surren-
der of Gen. Lee, and | said then that no
more Rebel again would be; and when
the war was over and peace they did pro-
claim, said We all ought to be good loyal
citizens again.


There is said to be fourteen millions of
dollars locked up in bonds in this county.
would not care how rich a man was if L
had not to pay him for his riches. A man
that owns fifty thousand dollars in bonds
has over five hundred men shaving for him.
There are between seventy and hundred
men to one bOndhOlder. | want the bonds
to be taxed like other property. If man
owns land he is taxed for il; if he owns
money he is taxed also. \ gentleman told
me he would vote for me; he said he did
not know whether l would do much good
or not, but / would bother the .bOndhOlder
heap. / said there is nothing without
beginning. Horace Greedy was the first
starter of abolition and he carried out his
point before he died. 1t is hard to tell
where I'll stop. Here is one verse Of the
bondholder's song:


Now the negro he is free