Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-08-07
The Tennessee Election.

The election IN Tennessee last Thursday
sadly disappointed the late rebels at the
South. and the Democrats in the North
They did not expect to carry the election,
but they did hope to signalize the day as
the commencement of that war of races
which they have so often predicted the in
evitable result of giving negroes the ballot
There was no disturbance however at the bal
lot-box-less than usually occurs in New
York city,-and Gov. Brownlow, the Repub-
Iican candidates for Congress, and the Repub
lican ticket were everywhere successful.
Precautions to prevent violence had been ia
ken by Gen. Thomas, who is in command in
Tennessee, but, far heard from, the
military had no occasion to interfere any
where The polling places were as quiet and
orderly as they would have been in Vermont
This result is important for two reasons.
1t proves that the colored men who have now
voted for the first time in that State. know
enough not to vote the Democratic ticket
and that the fiery hot-headed Southerner, VIII
has threatened to do all sorts of terrible
things rather than to deposit his ballot in
come himself and forget his furious threats,
as TO quietly and voluntarily do just what he
has said he never would do. The Southern
rebel IL noisy, and when he can have things
his own way,-as in New Orleans under
Mayor MOnroe's administration-is quite
ready to commence shooting negroes but
when he understands that the negroes are not
to be shot with IMMUNITY, he can adopt a
much milder and better style of manners,
and conduct himself like respectable and
peaceable citizen in short, the white South
erner has no taste for a war of races in
which the chances of determination are ar
much in the black-man's favor as against
him.
In many respects this trial of .s colored
suffrage was made under most unfavOrable
circumstances for its success. Gov Brown
low is, to say the least, not overlooking with
the milk of human kindness. His course az
Governor and as editor cannot be fairly call
ed conciliatory. On the contrary it has been
in too many instances unnecessarily exasper-
ating. He has seemed willing to provoke an
armed conflict for the delight he would have
in violently suppressing his political adverse
riss. The rebel party, under the lead OF
Etheridge, have comprehended the advantage
given them by the Governors unwise course.
and have been quite ready to accommodate
him with all the disturbance he wanted. A.
n consequence there has been considerable
rioting, and more or less pistol-shooting at
the preliminary political meetings. The ne
sroes are understood to be an excitable and
passionate, although generally docile race,
and, no doubt, Brownlow's course has stimu-
lated their passions rather than guided their
judgment and they have been riotous in
Tennessee, when under more iudicious coun-
sells they would have behaved with the wise
forbearance, and discreet conduct which
have characterized them elsewhere 1t If
certainly the highest evidence which the race
give of It's fitness for suffrage, that it hae
behaved So well nj this election.
President johnson has now been most en-
phatically repudiated by his native State
and especially by the people whose * Moses -
he promised to be. As he represents that |
character, they evidently don 1t admire it. II |
has been said. if the rebels had prevailed il |
the State. he would have been chosen L. |
Senator, and remote possibility of such
result may have made the Republican vie
tory more crushing Yet. undoubtedly, hi
self-conceit is equal to this emergency, anC
he consoles himself, when every 10y al man in
Tennessee repudiates him, with the egotisti,
reflection that the men who, with him. |
fought rebellion in Tennessee. are now all |
wrong, while he and the rebels he there con-
tended with are all right. Poor, self-deluded
man
JEFF DAVIS NEAR VERMONT JEFF Davis
visited Stanstead last week, and was the
guest of NJ. r. Lee Terrill. Frederick Ter
ril, Esq. brought him from Sherbrooke there.
in a very quiet manner, on Wednesday last
professedly to see the country and to consult
in regard to an investment in the gold mines
of Hatley. On Thursday, as we learn from
The NetcPort Express, Mr.. Terrill, in his best
turnout, took jeff about the village to ride
when several incidents occurred not altogether
pleasing, we should imagine, to either the
host or his guest Not only boys but men
hOotcd at him in the street. and greeted him
with those familiar words, Well hang JEFF
Davis to sour apple tree He fire.
quently asked where he had left his petit
coats and various like remarks more sugges-
tive than pleasing everywhere fell upon his
err One lady, stung by the recollection OF
the suffering and death of relative at
Andersonville, gave utterance to her feeling
by hurting a stone at him. Permission was
asked that JEFF might ride about the grounds
of Carlos Pierce, and take look at his noted
herds. but the request was emphatically de-
MED by Mr. Henry Pierce, in charge of the
premises, who declared, in unmistakabe Ian
admitted to those grounds -