The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-05-11
"STUMPiNG" IN TENNESSEE.

The way in which the political contests are con-
Quoted IN Tennessee may well excite the surprise Of
our Northern neiehbus-paiticularly those who
have all their lives been &C. usomed 10 The caucus
and convention mode. Here, when a man j, an
nouIced Tor Governor, for Congress, or the Legis-
iature, IL Is srung Iresunriye evidence thai nc as
well as his friends Tor him, really wants the station,
and The consequence is, that the people look 10 hear
from hi II from he stump, on all suit bic occasions.
And in this they are not olten disappointed, Tor lew
politicians there are in hi, State who would will
lngly endangerlheir success by remaining at home,
even with the influence of The press, 10 back hem,
unless indeed they could effect compromise with
his competitor.
We consider this decidedly the most republican
mode Of eleciioneering known TO the American
people. II h,> fewer ohscllons, by far than the
caucus syst m OF nonination while The political In
tellgence il j. calculated 10 disseminate more Than
outw. CHS The Inconvenience 10 Mhich it subjects the
candidate. This, indeed, Is lis most imp liant iea-
tire. The informant N spread through The country
hy means Of stump speaking, possesses materi i adj
vantage over even the newspaper press in being
suwn broad cast among The great body ol The people,
irrespective oi par y, Sect or condition. Every man
is listened 10 on The >lump-al pare, have candid
and respectful he iing-and il nj private advantage
is taken by the leaders to defeat the influence Of
iIAth and s,'bernesS The people ire generally apt TO
arrive al honest conclusions. The ability and num-
Der Of candidates may, and often 10 preponderate
side or The other and when this Is the the
weaker parry sulers--no, peIh rs from tie relative
meIi> ot their cause, but from the want OF an equal
The ways and means by which the people are
co lected together during an recon,tiIB2 cam
paign-by which they are made Interested in the
personal and party merits OF The candid ileS-and
the manner OF procedure at public gatherings (as
they are familiarity known in the Wes,) are all
calculated ~ interest stranger al first sight and
even occasionally TO elicit the admiration OF our
own people, though native here, and to The manner
born The canvass now going forward, with SO
much spirit in Davidson county, has afforded US the
opportunity within the few days pai, OF personally
witnessing these things, and ifons home readers VIII
bear with us awhile, We propose 10 give our friends
abroad an insight into the way We manage things
political in TENNESSEE. ..@
The genera elections in this State are biennia, and
take place on the first Thursday in August. The
"campdign" opens about The middle OF April, pro
vided The two great contrnding parties have their
nominations complete, thus afofding period OF
three months and half Tor the discussion Of politics
before the people. Our candidates for Governor,
from the wide extent Of territory over which they
have 10 travel, compelled To confpe themselves
to the country towns and Intermediate vi lagos, and
seldom go into the woods. But the Congressional
cand dates take pot luck" with the competitors Tor
county honors and are generally found at The va
rious gatherings" which we shall presently reca.
piuate.
The nominations complete, the several candi-
dates arrange their appontT ens, always taking
good care To go together. Their first pubic meet
ings are at the spring or battalion muster Cor Faah-
ings as they are called at The Nonh) where from
three 10 five hundred Of tn "citzen soldiery" Of
the country meet in pursuance OF The militia laws OF
the state Tor military exercise. Here also are col
ltcted from 70 to three hundred lockers on, drawn
hher by the political excitement OF the day, SO that
altogether The crowd m3y be said 10 embrace on an
average, OF about FIVE hundred persons. After The
training is over and the battalion dismissed, pro-
cIamaon i made and the ca ldidaleS and PEOPLE re-
pair to The stapd Now this stand is usually an old
stump in an open pasture, projected from the sum
,ners sun BY The shade OF the ne2hborinS forest
Trees and accommodated to The occasion by the green
Carpet that nature has spread around 1t. The dis
cussion begins. One candidate after another makes
knoTn his qualifications for seat In Congress or
the Legislature, and his views and sentiments on
the questions OF national and local interest," which
agiLile the country 1.-The contest take party turn,
which is usually the case, the lines are too strictly
d avn to ds cover material difference between the
candidates on the same side, whether for the State
Ssnate The House Of Representatives, or for Con-
grc>s. The discussion on the stump necessarily
partakes largely OF partisan char acier, and no We
teran editor could man &c his can>e with more dex-
tery and cunning than Is frequently manifested by
the RIVAL competitors for Legislative honoTs. Father
Richie hr.Self IN ght learn lesson IN political tao
ties by an hours close attention 10 one Of these stump
orators. ,,
The battalion muSters throughout the country
follow each other in quick succession, aud when IN
the same regiment take place o. the Friday and
Saturday OF the same week. hey are now through
with in Davidson, and the next public meeting Of
the candidates, unless by special appointment, will
BE- in the civ at May Court Alter that, the tax
gatherings" commence. These Ike place in the
" civil diS,rcis, which embrace an area at country
equal To The towns OF New England and New York,
or the townships OF Pennsylvania aud Ohio. The
county tax collector meets the ireeholdets Of The
district by appointment on certain dayS, and with
hi, tune ionary travel The county candidates. Aner
these are through with, The public meetings Of the
candidates for The balance o the Campaign are, Tor
The most part, b. special appointment, and ar
ran ged afer what i called the tdrbaem fashion:
thai t. substantial entertainment OF bliblcued
meats i prcplred in the wood by individual lar
mer or an association Of ncighb rs, (each contri-
bu ing his Shoat, lamb quarter oi beef) for the
express accommodation OF The candidates, The ex-
peIise bsing borne according 10 the understanding
ha NAV previously be agreed upon. Al these neigh
b,rhood gatherings The people are wholly given up
10 Teasing aud lc>, and he candidate no dis
plays the most tacl Is ap, to win the day Nor does
Il always happen that the hllIIr Is 10 the strong 'r
the race To the Swiii. There are various ways in
which candidate may make himself agreeable,
and not unfrequently acceptable 10 the people, with