Year: 1870




ROeERsvnLE, July sG.


Ed. Standard: t.


Perhaps you do not often get the
news directly from this portion of the
great State of Tennessee, so | have con-
cluded to send you short epistle. Our
State had a political revolution in the
last year or two, which has brought the
State Government under the control of
the Rebel Democracy; but there is no
telling when it may revolye back again.
How that is do not pretend to say, as
| do not bother my brains much about
politics, only as they are forced on my
attention. One thing is quite certaini
that in this county, (Hawkins), there is
quite futtering among the faithful
The trouble appears to be in Uniting the
Old Line Wings and Democrats. They
do not weld good. Whilst the Wings
are willing to be called Conservatives,
they are not willing TO be called Dem
ocrats, and the Democrats are unwilling
to be anything else than Democrats.
Hence the confusion. Yesterday they
had a great mass meeting in this town,
which was addressed by Booths Ex-
President, Andrew johnson, who is the
Ajax of Conservatism in East Tennes-
see. Moses spoke two hours and
twenty-five minutes. The first point
be made, or attempted to make, was,
that our government was intended by
our foretathers to be democratic, but
that we are now without government,
''all is chaos" cd, That the present
Congress is acting outside of the Con-
sutton, and thirdly we have no execu-
tive at all. l will give you few of his
differences as remember very distinct
w. He said: II was opposed to Sc
cession in church, and state, and l will
here declare that the clergy in the north
have done more to subvert this Govern
ment and destroy the Constitution than
any other class of men. 1t is said that
l have been stricken down. Well,
perhaps have been, but still the peo-
pie have imposed confidence in me- I
have filled every position in the Govern
ment from the lowest to the highest"
After he had abused Congress sufici-
emily, he turned upon the President
He said: "There is a thing called the
Executive tackled on to the tail of Con-
gress, but the man is very tame and
pliable, and is a mere tool in the hand
of Congress. Again he asked: "Who
is this man Grant, When the war
broke out did all that / could to put
down the rebellion. But what did Grant
dot Well, he raised regiment of sol
diers in Illinois, and commanded them
himself, because he could get no one
else to do it. 1t is said that / am
stricken down. Well, if a man is down
he is down, and can get no lower if he
moves at all in any direction, it must be
up. But it is come the time in life for
me to settle down in private, and hence
l can tell the truth. Later in the war
he was called to the east and placed in
command of the Eastern army. But
did he lead that armyl No. The army
led him. Was there any dust on his
garments, or was he stained with blood?
No. He kept way in the rear with the
baggage wagons. He was only an in-
cident of the army. The army was
formidable, and the motto was, "on to
Richmond" and on to Richmond they
went-literally bridging the road with.
dead bodies, and dragging Grant after
them. The army led him, and not he
the army. So it has dragged him into
power, and is keeping him there. Some
people call this man Grant the second
ashington. Washington indeed! !!
He is only an epitome of a man tackled on
to the tail of Congress. Washington
would not receive anything but his sal
ary. But look at this man Grant. lie
receives all the presents he can get"
After enumerating the presents Grant
had received, he said: eff had been
controlled by that Radical party, i could
have had all the presents and emolu.
ments l wanted, and even more than |
desired. He closed by saying that New
England had few days ago opened
the African slave trade, and just few
days ago sold her slaves to the south
Then just few days ago brought on q
war and took the slaves from the south,
and just yesterday they had opened the
Chinese slave trade. | have thus
given few sentences to show the ami
mus Of the man. The Democrats have
been calling on him to be candidate
in this-First District. But there Is
no doubt but that he is afraid to make
the race, and but little doubt but that
he would be defeated if he did. Let
me say in conclusion, that political
demagogueS are doing more to annoy
and distract the public mind in this
part of the country, than anything else.
The people want peace. j. II. NJ