Knoxville Daily Chronicle

"RESPECTFULLY SUGGESTED."

Ex-President Johnson professes to be the people's champion in running as an independent candidate for Congress from the State at large. He says there is a "military ring" being gotten up to control the offices of the State. We do not propose, in what we now have to say, to dispute his claim or to controvert his statements as to a military ring. For present purposes let him be considered the champion of the tax payers of Tennessee. The people certainly have need for a champion who will declare their rights and stand up for their interests, and if he is willing engage in the contest he certainly will find vulnerable points for making attacks. The people who listen with interest to anything he has to say would like to hear his opinion on the present State Government of Tennessee, run in the interest of "military rings," "railroad rings," &c. They would like an expression from him, as to whether it was good policy to dispose of railroads which cost the State a little less than seventeen millions of dollars for a little more than six millions, when it is perfectly clear that they could have been disposed of for at least a few millions more. Would he favor the people whose "champion" he is, with his opinion as to the honesty of that transaction? He could make a most interesting speech on that subject, and we have no doubt it would be listened to by men of all parties. If the "military ring" which he pursues so effectively embraces also the railroad ring, which has made such a good thing out of the sale of the delinquent roads, let him expose them both together, and it will not detract from his reputation in the least. And as he is the workingman's friend, will he favor the workingmen with his views as to the policy of the Democratic State administration, in placing the labor of the penitentiary convict in competition with the labor of honest mechanics and laboring men. With his well-known disposition to dive down into the depths of intricate questions, he might make some interesting disclosures and might soon make "Rome howl." Without intending to interfere with his plans in the campaign, we respectfully suggest these questions for his consideration, believing that the people are interested in them, and that they would be pleased to hear him discuss them.