Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-08-14

CLINToN, TENN, Aug. bth, 1867.
Editors Ehg:
1t may NOT be sntirsy unintsresting to your read
ers to know something of ths way il which Con-
servstive and Radicals fought the late contest in
Anderson county
The Radicals have never avoided but constantly
sought, full and fair discussion Of the measures
they propose TO carry out The Conservatives, up
on The other hand, have studiously lodged and at
tsrly failed TO lei their designs come to light fur
Their than bsa been forced TO the surface by Radical
energy.
To illustrate, look al Etheridges course in rsfus-
ing to divide time aEd you have sample Of Con-
ssrvative fairness of Conservative integrity Of Con-
servative candorl So il has been with the Conser-
Tative party in this county. They have scted up
on the principle Of the bAt-concealed their plans
and purposes, and that too, at time when they
ws-e dcnouncing Union men because OF tho League
and because of "secret societies" They fought the
present contest upsn the guerrilla System-bush-
waacked and laid in wait, bat al to no purpose
Even tho armed mob imported from Knox county,
or tia occasion Of Ethsridgss and Maynards speak
inr, sas Of no avail.
IF the sx- Coafederstes desire 70 know how bad
tie Union men of this county alarmed At their
warlike preparations let them enquire Of the Meth
odst class-eadef Who issued out the Eherdge whis-
Key on the day Of the election, and who became
brilliantly ercited himself and they viii learn that
rebel mobs cannot frighten the people of this coun-
sy nor deter them from their duty
Every conceivable device was rssOrted to, in or
Her to ensnare and cheat the unsnEpecting out of
their votes. Approaches were made to the cOlored
men to induce them to vote the Conservative ticket
but our coored voters demonstrated their manhood,
and refused their bribes and spurned their fswn-
ing. Even the weighty influence Of our United
States KsvenEe Assessor together With that Of one OF
his deputies who was himself candidate, could not
save old Anderson from the clutches Of RadcAlism
And the strange part Of the story is that the Az
SCISSOR failed to carry enough strength with him to
control the county, where he had so recently Aban-
donsd the Radicals and joined the Conservative
| II has been but very short time since he was
strong Radical especially about the time OF his
! frnstionI What has caused him to change can
only be surmised; and why all the Union men of
the county did not follow him, can only be sub
jet Of extraordinary wonder and uncommon aston
ishmentl
ATS strange but It's true" that Notwithstanding
the Federal OHfce-holders and the aristocracy and
the rebels combined their forces, yet the Radicals
carried the county too TO We have gained ev-
erything, lost nothing, and driven the enemy from
the field for at least Eve years to come Much dis
appointment lie felt among the Conservatives, and
this is the greater because Of the expense Of furnish
ing.A large Iamount Of whisky. The store of the
Revenue Assessor was made the depository Of Ethe-
ridge "pop-sE,tLL" and was issued out by = clAss-
leader of the H.. &. Church, South The latter gen.
tlemAn in his pious sxertions to carry the Conser
vAtivs ticket, became somewhat bewildered--his
head somewhat heavier than his heels. 1t is not
asserted that he swore like tour army in Flanders"
but it is positively certain he had headache
the morning after the election.
We had a slight difficulty here on the day of
Etheridge's and Williams speaking. Maynard was
here, but then be sis not gentleman" The Radi-.
calls behaved well, but the Conservatives, unwilling
to risk general engagement caught discharged
soldier ous to one side and came we'll nigh beating
him to death.
By reference to page 53l, of the Adjutant Gene
rails report you will hnd the history of one Of the
leaders of this Conservative mob, in the following
language:
"Joseph Cross enlisted NorensEer 12th, 1862 mus
tered IN February TIA 1863 deserted april, 1863"
This is fair specimen of the Conservative lead
ers.
But enough The Radicals of Anderson county
are impregnable. They have triumphsd over pap,
patronage aud poser and the little would-bs lead
ers of public sentiment who thought they held the
people in the hollow of their hands are like SO ma
ny poodle dogs barking at the moon
1t has been before more than intimated that an
armed mob came out from Knoxville on the day of
Ethsridgs's appointment here. Now, the people of
this county are peaceabls. They desire no conflict,
but if the disfranchised of Knox county will come
and notify US of their coming, and they are not
made to swim Clinch river, then they may claim
victory. Why, if the boys had known then what
they now know, there would not have been left
enough Conservative hide to hold the body of sim
gle Conservative together.
More, hereafter, If necessary, H.C.L.