The Home Journal

General John M. Bright has issued a second circular address to the people of this Chancery Division, in which he refers to the members of the bar as to his qualifications, and makes the point that Franklin county had Judge Green, first as Chancellor and then as Supreme Judge, and now has Col. Turney as a nominee and candidate for the Supreme Judgeship—while Lincoln county has never had a single Judicial officer. Col. Marks responds, in a circular, from which we make the following extracts:

"Modesty forbids the discussion, upon my part, of the question raised by him (Mr. Bright,) of his superior competency for the Chancellorship, but as he appeals to the bar of the Division, I now propose that the bar meet in convention, and that we abide the award of a majority of them; and I make the further proposition to abandon the contest, if the dockets of the courts do not show that I am counsel in a majority of the cases over Mr. Bright. As to our relative competency I cannot, with propriety, say more."

"The point made by Mr. Bright that he is, geographically considered, the preferable candidate, is unworthy a serious notice. I am before the people, not as the candidate of Franklin county, but upon my own merits, and in obedience to the expressed voice of a majority of the counties of the Division. The point is evidently made by Mr. Bright with the hope of rallying to him the vote of Lincoln county by appealing to county pride; but the people of that county are too intelligent and generous to allow so ridiculous an appeal to influence them. The people of Lincoln county know full well that her sister counties have never made such a question against her, although for long years before the war her favored son was continued in Congress—the highest position in the gift of the people of the district; and, they also know that Franklin county has had no representative in the State Senate since 1860, and that Lincoln county has had every member since that time, and now has her candidate in the field for Congress. But such arguments are unworthy the notice of the public, and I dismiss them."

"To the people of the Division and especially of my county, I will say in conclusion, that I want them to take me and weigh me in the balances with Mr. Bright, without reference to locality, and if they find he has the superior merit, elect him; but if not, give me your suffrages, and I will be proud of your endorsement, and do all in my power to wear the honor worthily."

ALBERT S. MARKS.

The McMinnville New Era speaks as follows concerning the relative merits of the two candidates:
"Col. John M. Bright is Col. Marks' senior by several years; he is an able lawyer, has been a life-long Democrat, and espoused the cause of the South in the late war, and held a position on Governor Isham G. Harris' staff, electrified the soldiers of the South by his eloquence and the fire he could place in his words; he followed the fortunes of Gov. Harris and the South, till our star set in night.

"Col. Marks is Mr. Bright's junior in years; is a lawyer equal in ability, in practice and in energy; he also has been a life-long Democrat; espoused the cause of the South, attached himself to no one's staff, but went forth to bare his bosom to the storm of war, and take the chances with those who went to do the fighting—how well he did his part let one of his members lying in the Confederate Cemetery of Murfreesboro tell the tale. During that sanguinary conflict Colonel Marks had the misfortune to lose a leg—his heart was in the contest, and his body was where the battle raged the hottest; he shirked no field duty, but believing his cause just, he dared seal his faith with his blood, and that faith has given him to the people a wounded Confederate soldier and maimed for life. Such was the conduct of Col. Marks at Murfreesboro that President Davis, upon the recommendation of General Pat Cleburne, had the name of A. S. Marks placed upon the roll of honor, which distinguished mark of merit and approbation was never marred by a single act of his.

In taking the part Col. Marks did in the late war, he did nothing but the duty of one loving his country and her people, and is entitled to and deserves no more credit than the humblest soldier who went forth to fight our battles, and we are glad to know that Col. Marks does not rest his claim upon the fact of having done only his duty.

We have not a word to say in disparagement of his competitor; but when mental qualifications are equal, as they are in this case, the faithful, fighting, wounded soldier has a claim upon our people that they cannot, in justice to themselves and the common cause in which we all embarked, disregard. It is a debt of gratitude, and of approbation, that our people should ever have a swift willingness to pay. We hope to see Col. Marks overwhelmingly elected."