Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-05-27
THE RADICAL SPLIT.
BrOwnIOW for SenGer-What ne says
Of Gratiiude-StOkes Didn't Do as
Much for Him as SenIer.
The Knoxville Wing publishes the

following correspondence
KNOXVILLE, May a. lS69.-To His
Excellency Hon. w. G. Brownlow, United
States Senator-SIR: The undersigned,
delegates to the late convention, with
whose names it is not convenient to now
procure, desire to ascertain publicly from
you how you regard the nomination Of
His Excellency Gov. Senter, and that Of
Gen. Stokes. 1t is perhaps proper for us
to say that we supported the nomination
of the former, and we believe him to be
fully entitled to be regarded as the
nominee Of the Republican party of
Tennessee. 1t has been claimed by some,
that you would support him, while by
others it is urged that your obligations
to Gen. Stokes will not allow of your
supporting Gov. Senter Disclaiming
any impertinence in the request, we ask
you as a friend and leader of the party
to express yourself on the subject in
such manner as your judgment shall
approve. t.
We have the honor to remain Your
Excellency most obedient servants,
Thomas H. Pearnn, NJ ID Bearden,
Jno l.. Hudibug, IL w Mynatt,
CIV karnes, Il IIOxsie.
...r l. NJ Mynatt
BRowNLow'S REPLY.
KNOXVILLE, May "a, lS69-To Messrs
Bearden, Mynatt and others-Gentle-
men la answer to yours Of the present
date, have to say, have deeply to re-
greet the failure Of our late State convens
ton to harmonic in the nomination of
a candidate for Governor, and still | had
anticipated the unhappy result which is
seen. | have acted very prudently
during the contest Of the friends of the
respective gentlemen named, not having
written line to any one on the subject,
or attempted to indicate verbally, to any
one, an opinion as to what course he
should pursue have seen and con-
versed with gentlemen on both sides of
the controversy who were in attendance
at Nashville last week, and have read
the accounts of the matter in the news>
papers. Although regard both the gen.
tlemen in question as devoted Repubr
licans, ! shall vote, if live until the day
of election, for Gov. Senter
With the foregoing remarks | might
close this reply, but 1 choose to add
few others, on the subject of my Obliga-
ton to Gen. Stokes
In the contest of 1867, Messrs Butler,
Maynard, Stokes, and | may add, all the
regular Republican candidates for Cons
gress and for the Legislature, defended
me and my principles and advocated my
election before the people To each and
all of them tender, as | have done
heretofore, my profound thanks. take
this occasion to say that | am not in-
debted to the speeches of any one of
them, or all of them together for my
election. The effect of their speeches
was to bring out full vote in the State
and swell my majority over Etheridge, to
ii(tr-two thousand: bat had not a single
speech been made in my behalf nor
newspaper article been written, | will be
pardoned for saying, my majority would
not have fallen below thirty or forty
thousand and it may be well observed
that these gentlemen, while speaking in
my BEHALF were only doing their duty to
their party, for it was we'll understood
when ! was nominated by reclamation
and without opposition that ! was not
expected to canvass by speech or other
wise for my election
In advocating my cause, therefore,
these gentlemen were not only discharge
ing party duty, but they were, also, rem
dering service TO themselves as candi-
dates Upon tie subject of gratitude |
desire TO state more distinctly, that the
claims Gov Sentcr has upon me are
quite as strong as those of any other gen
tleman. lie advocated my election on
every stump in his large Senatorial dis
trict and during the four years of my
administration as Governor he defended
my administration and principles on the
floor of the Senate, whilst was violently
assaulted upon the floor of both Houses
by some of the ardent supporters Of
Gen Stokes
Last, hut not least, while Gen. Stokes
was trying to defeat me in my race for the
nitedStates Senate, which he had per.
feet right to do, Gov Senter voted for me
and stood BY me to the end. My prefer
.ence for Senter is not only in view of the
service alluded to, but also and especially
because have mistaken confidence il
his honest devotion and stoadlast con,
stancy to the great principles Of the
Union Republican party. | have til,
honor to remain, Yours, very truly,
W g. BRoWNLow