Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-09-01
THE SENATORIAL QUESTION.
Who Shall Succeed Mr.. Fowler.
I'm the United States Senate?
Views of Correspondents and
LA the Press. v
.r00vr--Trv

vance of any necessity for it, is nov
deserving, by the considerate men o
the country, of an enlightened AM
dignified discussion. r-rss l.ig c.i.-
| Mr.. johnson or Mr.. Etheridge woulC
either adorn the State in the United
States Senate, if elected to that posi-
ton through manly and dignifed con
test, but neither would adorn the State
if he reaches the position by vitupera
ton. The writer of This communication
is an old line Wing, and has for many
years looked upon Mr.. Etheridge as one
of Tennessee's most gifted sons, man
whose elevated patriotism chivalrous
bearing and general information would
make him an ornament in any position
in which he might be placed; and espe-
| cially since Mr.. Ethsridge's bold and
fearless attack upon Tennessee Radical.
ism have l admired him. / regard his
fearless assault upon that abomination
while it was in power, as not only manly
and courageous, but the highest
evidence of wisdom. This party
in Tennessee was destroyed by attack
ing and exposing it, showing its enormi-
ties and driving all the good men in the
State out of it. Moderation with this
party while holding the reins would have
left it so strong that even discussions
would not have broken its power. With
such men and such party any half way
course would have left the party intact.
Hence no man can place higher esti-
mate upon the courage, moral and physi
cal, and wisdom of Etheridge than 1.
But his iRdiscreet friends may do him
hsrm-their course may affect other
minds as it has mine. To assert that
Mr.. johnson had nothing to do-not a
thing-in redeeming Tennessee, and that
to send him to the United States Senate
would be the occasion for the transfer
of Beast Butler from the House, and the
Senate would at once become the theatre
of the most disgraceful broils between
Butler and johnson, is an extravaganza
in argument, to use no stronger term,
which the mind, when cool and WELL
balanced, revolts at.
If the friends Of Mr.. Etheridge can
elect him by fair means the State will
have noble Senator, and will be proud
Of him, but if Mr., Etheridge is to be
elected by such means as this, there Is
in the State q large class Of men, and
especially the old Wings, who are always
moderate and with good share of cult
walton, who will feel that that honored
name has basn much furnished.
Such an extrsvagant sentiment as,
that Mr.. johnson rendered no Service in
our redemption, finds no echo among
thoughtful men. But the insinuation
that Mr.. johnson will become black.
guard in the Senate and disgrace the
State, is so unworthy under the circum'
stances that to meet it by argument
might be out Of place.
Messrs. Editors, all such arguments
as this spring from radical defect and
want of comprehension as to the situa'
ton and the remedy. The idea Of send.
ing a man to the United States Senate,
who will be acceptable TO that crew Of
impeachers, and of doing good to our
selves by being careful not to give them
offense, is q distemper Of the times which
nothing but general decentralization could
have produced among men who once had
good reasoning faculties. OF course no
man who cherishes the names of Ten.
nessee's sons, who have, for more than
half century adorned the Senate, wishes
to see from the land Of Jackson and
Polk, White, Foster and Bell, black.
guard in the United States Senate.
But it is due to Mr.. johnson and to
Tennessee his adopted State, and to the
whole people who have SO lately shower
ed upon him honors the like of which
certainly no living man has received at
the hands Of Tennesseeans-to say, that
he is not BLACKBOARD, and that if Beast
Butler in the Senate would strive to
make it the theater OF broils and black
guardism, he would be far from finding
in Mr.. johnson colaborer.
Tennessee just now, many of whose
leading men by the fate Of war have been
retired for the time, and who has cons
sequently but few first class men quail
fed to serve the people-can't afford to
have so great q man as Mr.. johnson
cast aside as BLACKBOARD unless stern
facts force it: Nor can the people of
Tennessee afford to see Mr.. Johnson's
name furnished 10 this way. Mr.. johns
son has his faults, but people situated
as we are, and Mr.. Johnson's history
being our own in a great measure, who
| would not defend him from such assaults
as this, certainly could not be charged
with the sin of State pride, nor could
they, themselves, lay much claim to the
virtue Of justice-simple justice.
Nothing is further from truth than this
insinuation against Mr.. johnson. Among
all the men now living on this continent
Mr.. johnson has no superior as an able
and dignifed debater. Mr.. johnson in
early life may have dealt much in per-
sonalities, and he may at times have been
undignified in debate, but as the wheel
of fortune has elevated him from one POI
sition to another, he has had the good
sense to elevate his style, and now there
Is not living in Europe or America man
who, as a public speaker, combines ;
higher order of dignity with grea
ability. Have the speeches lately mad'
by Mr.. johnson justified such an insinu
alton? Certainly they have not been 81
considered by the leading and cultivated
men of Tennessee who have heard o
read them. They were terribly sever
on violators of constitutional law, but a
the same time they were chaste and dig
Rifed.
While President Of the United State
did Mr.. johnson lower the dignity Of tina
high position2 His contest was witt
Congress- body of men who for bitter
ness has had no equal in modern time:
They not only passed unconstitutions
laws, but in doing it, towards Mr.. John
son they exhibited intense feeling
Constantly, with NORWOOD an
gall aspersing his name in tn
most indecent manner, and ye
in all his State papers, the dignit
| of his position is maintained with hero
craftsmanship. Nothing but argr
! ment, fact, logic, law and the constitute
are to be found in his papers, written
times of the greatest strife, in times
excessive bitterness, when the fOodgatt
of slang and personalitie3 seem to ha'
, been opened in all the departments
: government not one single sentence
= all his papers is to be found that will n
! adorn the executive archives when Il
bitterness Of the times passes away.
But the fatal error of those who ha
:. lately attacked Mr.. johnson is not simp
in the injustice to him, and the misappr
e hension as to his true character, but it
, radical and fundamental, and if it 81
i coed, it will lead to evils Of serio
: character in the whole country. I'll
: fatal error, and which prevails to sol
- considerable extent, is found in the sen
I ment of the Avalanche and which is a
provingly copied into ether papers, th
/. we are not in condition to make "
and ~