Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-08-28
THE DISAPPOINTED ONE.

ing gone through hard fight. He has
lost in flesh somewhat is as bronzed with
the sun as harvest hand, and his voice
is still husky with constant labors upon
the stump in the open air. l found him
in his room quietly smoking cigar and
apparently musing on what course he
had best pursue to retrieve the late dis
aster to his party. Stokes, though not a
great man nor man of learning, possess
ses many of the qualities of a political
leader, especially of the class foundin the
Southwestern and Western States. He
is of medium height, rather spare, but
well knit, and capable of much fatigue
and endurance. His features are aqui>
line, we'll defined, and of bold, agrees
sive cast. He has clear blue eye,
slngularly full, and, when he is engaged
in conversation, bright and expressive.
You are not disappointed, after looking
at Stokes, at the wonderful fuency of his
speech and at his easy command of lam
gusge, which, though not always the
most classic, is generally forcible.
RADICALIsM IN TENNESSEE DEAD.
How about the election in Tennes-
see, Colonel?'' l asked after the usual
| salutationS. .H.
Stokes Qaughing)-Well, we are whip
ped, badly whipped, but not fairly.
Corespondent-What is going to be
the result of the whole matter?
Stokes-In the first place, the RepubS
lican party in Tennessee has gone to hell;
there's no question about that. What
other result there will be, if any, is for
the administration and Congress to say.
Correspondence suppose you came
here, Colonel, to look after solution Of
the latter proposition? q (
Stokes-I didn't want to come here;
l occupy rather delicate position. But
the Union men of Tennessee came to me
ard said | must come and do what could
to get the federal government to inter-
fere for their protection. They are in
position now similar to what they were
in 1861, and the worst has not come yet.
Correspondent-How came the Repubs
lican party to be divided in Tennessee;
what was the real cause of it
Stokes-The Republican party was not
divided at all That's just where you
people in the North here make mistake.
The Republican party of Tennessee, with
exceptions so few that it cannot be called
division, voted solid for ae and the
regular candidates.
HOW ITS FUNERAL WAS BROUGHT ABOUT.
Correspondent-Well then, how came
you to be defeated!
Stokes-I will tell you as briefly as
can. In the first place didn't want TO
make the race, because knowing Senter
as well as | did, and knowing that he by
his position had the power to do Just
what has been done, l didn't want to
give any occasion for possible defeat of
the Republican party. At the onset l
was liberal man. Senter said that to
enfranchise the old Rebels would be to
break up the Republican party in the
State, and he would never do that. My
| plan was to carry the election for our
party and afterward allow the Legisls-
ture gradually to remove the disabilities
of such as should show themselves des
serving Of it. 1 thought the ex-Rebels
would appreciate the thing better in this
way. l told my friends that l did not
care to be a candidate, and / sent a
committee to Senter to say that if he
would manage his side of the conven-
ton | would manage mine, and
we could go in together and
nominate some good man who
could command the votes of
the Union men of the State. Senter
refused, and my friends said there were
sixty five counties in the convention
instructed to vote for me, and that
must be candidate. had no choice
Senter's friends subsequently came to me
and wanted to bargain. If would with
draw, they said, in favor of Senter, they
would insure me seat in the United
States Senate in place of Fowler. l
said, Gentlemen, | can make no such
bargain, have no authority to do it,
am like rider on borrowed horse,
and am not at liberty to trade him.
am in the bands of my friends" Well,
| the nomination was made and | saw at
once that Senter would be a candidate.
My friends said if they were going to
have treachery and political villainy to
meet they would as soon meet it now as
at any other time, and SO they said let
the fight come on. Senter being Governor
or acting Governor, had the appoint
ment of the registrars of the election. He
put in Just such men as he knew would
do his bidding. They at once opened
the food gates and let in everybody.
The DISTINGUISHING clauses of the State
constitution were trodden under
foot entirely disregarded. Certifi-
Gates of qualification as voters were issued
to disfranchised Rebels, and even boys
of sixteen and eighteen We're allowed to
vote. Besides this, there was course
of intimidation pursued, all under the
instructions of Senter, which prevented
hundreds, and l may say thousands, of
Republicans from voting. You see, Senter
was Governor. He had the militia, and
he intended to use them, if necessary, to
elect himself Orders were issued pres
venting men from voting anywhere OUT
side of their precincts, which was con-
trary to the constitution In many places
where the Rebels had the upper hand
the Republicans, especially the negroes,
could not vote in their precincts for fear
of personal violence. What defeated us
was the Rebels who are DISTINGUISHED
under the constitution. got $4,000
votes, which was Grants vote last fall
Seymours was $4,000 last fall, but
Senter's vote this time was $4,000.
The $1,000 additional which Senter got
were Rebels and minors, some Of whom
voted as many as four times.
. IN RE BRowNLow.
| Correspondent-How about Brownlow
Colonel; what effect had his course or
the Republicans of Tennessee ?
Stokes-Very little. You see the old
man is in his dotsge. He is sick ard is
in the hands of others. He was cons
trolled by his sons snd sons-in- law.
don't believe he ever wrote one Of the
letters or msnifestoes that were gotten
out, and to which his name was signed
They may have been read to him, but
you know he is a little deaf, and he may
not have heard them.
| Correspondent-What interest had
Brownlow's sons in the Senter move
ment; thought they were rampant
Radicals? 'r .n....
Stokas-pll tell you. John Brown
low is receiver of one Of the Tennessee
railroads. A couple of Brownlpw's sons
in-law held similar places. They have