Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-09-05

HE had seen it stated that the Presi.
dent intended to interfere in the affairs
of the State, so as, in a measure, to
change the result Of the late election.
The Presiden. gave him the ASSURANCE
that this was totally erroneous; that he
had no more idea Of interfering in the
local concerns Cf Tennessee than he had
in the local management of New York.
BrowhloW then made long speech, the
purport of which may be readily sur
missed. In response to their remarks, Mr..
Brownlow and his associates say the
President told them that he recognized
Mr.. Senter as Republican, and con-
sidered that the Republicans who voted
for him still belong to the Republican
party, and in addition, that he would not
remove from Office any federal official in
the State for having thrown the weight
of his position and personal influence
against Mr.. Stokes. This announcement
was extremely gratifying to Mr.. Senter's
supporters, and they appear to be in the
best possible spirits tonight. The Presi-
dent in conclusion recommended them to
harmonic and put an end to their diff
culties, personal and pc litical, by gen.
eral amnesty"
Stokes visited the White House
again at seven o'clock in the ewes
ming, and had an interview with
the President lasting to nearly nine
o'clock, when the latter left for
New York. The Times correspoD-
dent says:
81 understand that Mr.. Stokes went
over the whole ground of the late election,
telling the President that Gov. Senter
was elected for the most part by the
votes of Rebels, and insisting that he only
got the regular Republican vote of the
State. He depicted the outrages which be
alleges are being perpetrated in the State
TO day, giving az his opinion that the
Unionists of Tennessee are at present in q
worse condition than they were in 1861.
The conversation turned on the fifteenth
amendment, which the President is ex.
trem, ly anxious TO see ratified by Tennes-
see. Mr.. Stokes Indignantly repudiated
the idea that he is eDdeavoring TO have
the Senter officials removed, and says thai
he has never mentioned the subject to the
| President or to the head of department
The President promised Mr.. Stokes the
fullest protection for the Republicans,
white and black, of the State, and con.
| cluded by recommending TO him, as be
| did to the Senter men, the practice of for
| besrance and forgiveness 10 his successful
opponent"
OF Gov. Senter, who was in
Washington at the Same time, but
remained quietly at his room
through the day, and did not seek
an interview with Grant, the Times
correspondent says:
"In the course Of conversation this
afternoon with your correspondent on the
fifteenth amendment, he said he has no
doubt the Legislature just elected will
rstify it. He represents that in the in
tervieW which the President gave him
in New York, no alluSion whatever was
made to the fifteenth amendment. The
Legislature elect convenes by law on the
first Monday in October, and Gov. Sem
ter is Of the opinion that he has no au-
thority under the constitution Of Tennes-
see to call together the old one. Mr..
Senter intimated, although he did not
say SO in so many words, that he would
not call any extra session Of the Legisla>
turo. There is diversity Of opinion on
his constitutional right to convene the
body. Some legal gentlemen maintain
that he has the power to do SO, and his
opponents say that he merely wishes to
dodge the question and escape any res
sponsibility on the subject"
From this, it appears that Gov.
. Senter does not regard his authority
to convene the old Legislature for
the purpose of ratifying the pro
posed fifteenth amendment as clear,
Having pledged himself during the
canvass to recommend the ratitica>
ton of the proposed amendment by
the Legislature elected in August,
he appears to regard it as a matter
of good faith that he should, SO far
as he is concerned, submit the mat
ter to that Legislature, leaving the
question of ratification or rejection
to be settled by it. If he shall
pursue this course, when he shall
have recommended the ratification
of the amendment he will have
complied with the pledge he made
during the canvass.