Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-20

Governor Senter is resolved tha
there shall be no misapprehensiol
of the position he occupies in tn,
Tennessee contest. He means tina
the battle with the. Stokes section
Of the Republican party shall b,
fought out squarely, with no resor
on either side to false pretences
The main issue separating them re
lates to the proscriptive measures
which are among the relics of the
bitter conflict with rebellion. And
while Stokes proclaims a purpose
to uphold the disabilities enacted
when the passions Of the conflict
were at white heat, Senter with
equal emphasis ayows himself 8
convert to the magnanimous policy
indorsed by the Chicago Conven-
ton, and approved by Gen. Grant
in his intercourse with Virginians
and Congress. There is nothing
hesitating or dubious in the course
pursued by the Governor upon the
subject. He puts the only proper
Interpretation upon disfianchise-
ment when he describes it as "a
temporary necessity growing out OF
the needs and situation of the
time" and adopted "with no ex-
peetation that it would be long con-
tinued." He sees in it now the
cause of "restlessness and discon~
tent" and in its history an infu-
ence that "engenders animosities,
discord and strife" He ascribes
the desire for its perpetuation to
"a selfish partisan ambition to gain
Office or a selfish partisan fear of
losing it"-an explanation so evil
dently rational and just that
it applies with a happy suggestive-
ness to the proscripdonists of Mis-
souri, and West Virginia, as well as
of Tennessee. For himself, Gov.
Senter discerns in a policy of con-
ciliation the proper path to peace
and safety. In his judgment, he
says, the time has come "when the
limitations and disabilities which
have found their way into our stat
ute books, as the result of the war,
should be abolished and removed,
and the privilege of the elective
franchise restored and extended so
as to embrace the mass of the adult
population of the State" These
are sound and prudent utterances,
whatever the motives that prompt
them, and it is satisfactory to know
that the candidate who is response
bic for them has the support of the
local Republican journals and a
powerful portion of the party. His
election ON this basis would giro to
the State a contentment and pros
perity never attainable by partisan
harshness and intolerance; and we
are not surprised to hear that in the
canvass be is sustained by an infu-
ential class whom the events Of the
last few years had driven into re-
tirement. rrss|4..t
Republicans of Mississippi, we
are glad to note, are preparing to
reconstruct that State on a plat
form identical with that raised by
Senter in Tennessee. The Missis-
sippi Executive Committee, in a
call for a Republican State Conven-
ton, invite the cooperation of "all
who desire the adoption of the new
constitution, with every harsh fea-
ture omitted" A platform circu-
lating in thesame connection afirms
the desirableness of. reconstruc-
ton on the most liberal terms com
patible with Federal law, and Of
-a the removal of all political dis
abilities on account of past political
offences, as soon as the State shall
be reconstructed upon Republican
basis" These are not the whisper.
ings of an enemy in disguise. Theil
harmony with the State Republican
committees call is proof that they
reflect a widespread and settled
conviction. And their significance
is further enhanced by close ident
ification with the administration o
Gen. Grant and the policy of Con
gress, and by determined opposition
| to "the party and the sentimen
| which created the war and opposed
reconstruction"
| The broad ground occupied BY
Republicans in Tennessee and Mis-
| sissippi stands out in bold oontras'
| to the proscriptive policy which il
| Virginia has its representative il
the Wells ticket. The same ele
| ments and motives that are com
bined in Tennessee in behalf o
Stokes, are at work in Virginia il
support of Wells. A selfish par
tisan ambition to gain Office
operates in conjunction with
"selfish partisan fear of losing
Office; and the two, united, max
up Wells strength. The sensibl
suggestions Of Senter, and th
generous propositions of the Missis
sippi committee, have their Vil
ginia expression in the Wake
ticket, which aims at purging th
| local constitution of .disfranchise
ment and political disabilities, an
electing an Executive and Legil
lature deserving the respect an
confidence of the State.
| AS the first opportunity of testin
the relative strength of the NOV,
ment for terminating political di
abilities iand the movemel
perpetuating them, the Virgin
campaign possesses unusual inte.
est. The habit of outside Dem
Gratis is to represent the division
one of color, and the resalt as ty
ical of the supremacy of black
white in the political affairs of Il
State. But we trace no evidence
a separation so defined, and the 8
i tempt to create it proceeds from !
} | real regard for the welfare of {
ther. 1t seems probable that We
wilIreceive comparatively few vot
apart from those of the negro,
but there are many localities
n which the latter promise to sw,
0 the vote for Walker. Such q res1
T is natural and greatly to be desire
s A rigid division of races at
:. polls would be a calamity too