Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-08-26
From the Trenton Independent Journ,
THE NINTH DISTRICT.
BENE YOLO.

There is election perhapsi in the South, that has
been looked to with more interest and anxiety than
the result in the Ninth Congressional District in
Tennessee. The outrageous manner in which the
former Representative, Mr.. Etheridge, represented
the district and betrayed the South to Northern ia
naticism, had justly drawnupon him the Indignation
of the whole country, and it expected, as
matter of course, that his constituents would refuse
to return him to his seat in the next Congress The
complimentary notices which he received at the
hands Of black republicans consequent upon his
votes in Congress upon all subjects pertaining to the
slavery question, were enough to arouse the sus-
pcion of every Southern man. that all was not right
with him. But in his own district, at his own home
he has many ardent admirers of his career among
those who profess to belong to the American party
and many warm and strongly attached personal
friends of all parties, who would stand by him. let
his conduct representative be what it might. To
say then that he has an almost unbounded influence
over his party in this district, and with many who
profess to be democrats, would only express the ex
IRENE difficulty of overcoming him before the peo-
pie and the great triumph which Gen. Atkins
achieved in defeating him.
To mitigate the pangs of defeat, it is frequently
urged that he had overwhelming majority to con-
tend against and that the small majority by which
his opponent Gen. Atkins, elected, is equivocal
to a triumph on the part of Mr.. Etheridge Here
we beg leave to differ with our know nothing friends
though we are willing they should derive as much
1t has always been conceded that Mr.. Etheridge is
stronger than his party any member of his party
in this Congressional district, and that in contest
before the people he could always succeed in carry
ing number of democratic votes.
Until the year 1856, it deemed entirely useless
for any to against him, and hence he was
allowed to the district without any OPPOSE
ton. In 1885 the Democratic party still believed
that 1t impracticable to defeat him, though it
was subsequent to his vote upon the Kansas-Nebras
ka bill His Congressional District previous to that
time had always given strong wing majority and
Mr.. Etheridge permitted to the district
without opposition. Mr.. Freeman, however en-
tered the against him and arraigned him for
his vote on this bill They were both then members
of the Whig party and the only issue that was pre-
sented between them was their position upon the
Kansas bill Mr. Etheridge ran secretly as the can
didate of the know nothing party but claiming still
to be wing, while Mr.. Freeman presented his claims
TO the people an Independent whig who cheese to
differ with his competitor upon his Congressional
career. Many democrats supported Mr.. Etheridge
in this election, and he again returned to Con-
gress by a majority of SIS votes over Mr. Freeman.
For the first time, however, the democracy succeed
ed in having majority in the district Gov. johnson
having carried it by 203 majority Col Gentry.
The wing majority previous to this time had always
ranged from 500 to a thousand votes. The position
of the district then of an equivocal character,
with majority OF only 203 against know nothing
jority Of 5S8 votes.
This then should be the criterion by which to est
mate the victory which Gen. Atkins has achieved
over Mr.. Etheridge, because his vote of 1855 was
the real vote which he had to overcome. He could
not rely upon the majority (40l) which Mr.. Buchan
an obtained st year, for in the present cleo
tiOu the 291 votes ich Mr.. Buchanan gained in
Weakley county the exact gain which Mr. Ether
idge makes in that county The present majority
Of Gen. Atkins, l16 v,tes ad led to the former ma
JOrity of Mr.. Etheridge ,ver Mr. Freeman, shows
precisely the gain which the former has made in the
hundred and four votes and
1t shows also how much the country is indebted to
Gen. Atkins for his brilliant victory.
To sustain us in our position we append vote of
the district from the year 1885, though the district
was not laid off until the session of 1872. 1t
shows what the real strength of the opposition to
the democracy in this congressional district for
a period of ten or twelve years. and will prove to
know nothings what faithful steward Mr.. Ether
idge has been in maintaining this majority.
lS45-E. II. Foster wv received 6,2S7
A. V. Brown (d) 1927
Wing majority $50